Have you ever been woken up by the sound of the neighbour’s mowing machine? If yes, you probably know the importance of following yard work etiquette.
If you live in a neighborhood with gardens, and you have never experienced anything like that, it is possible that you are the one who is annoying the others.
Regardless of which side of the fence you are (literally) standing on, you might find this guide useful.
BLITZ SUMMARY
If you are only going to read this far, take those points with you:
- Never mow before 9 AM on weekdays and before 10 AM on weekends. Also, never mow once the sun is down.
- Keep your lawn in check. It will be easier for you to mow the lawn regularly and less noisy for the neighbors. Keeping your lawn in good shape is also aesthetically pleasing, raising the standards in the neighborhood.
- Take care of your clippings. Bag them so that the wind does not disperse them all over the area.
MAIN POINTS
Don’t Mow Your Lawn At Odd Hours
That is just common sense. People (and that includes you as well) like to rest and sleep. So if you mess this up for them, chances are they will be annoyed. Avoid any yard work during usual sleeping hours.
While not everyone goes to bed and wakes up simultaneously, it is a pretty uniform rule across society to keep the noise down before 8 AM.
No matter where you live, no one likes loud noises at 7 in the morning. Not everyone wakes up at 7 to take the kids to school or walk the dog, and even if they do, it is unlikely that they will appreciate the noise of an electric grass chopper.
On that note, the people who wake up early during the week will need to replenish some much-needed sleep on the weekends.
While you might feel like waking up at 8 AM on Sunday to seize the day, take care of your chores and leave enough time in the tank for a fun afternoon, not everyone is the same. Why not try and schedule something else to do first? And you can mow the lawn after 10 AM.
This way, neither you nor your neighbors will have to lose out on their priorities for the day.
One thing to keep in mind, especially if you decide not to follow our very thoughtful guidelines, is that battery-operated equipment is less noisy, emitting about 75db.
So, if you still have not bought your lawnmower, perhaps you would like to avoid the gas models, which function at around 95db. You can reduce noise pollution by more than 25% and prevent hearing problems.
Do Mow Your Lawn Regularly
Regular tending is a garden’s and a gardener’s best friend. You really don’t want to have to go through the absolute nightmare of dealing with a neglected garden. Chances are, you will end up hiring someone for the job in the end.
If you make a habit of caring for your garden every week or so, it will be an easy and even enjoyable process. You can think of it as shaving or cutting your nails. The sooner you do it, the easier it will be. Especially during the summer, you can think of it as an excuse to spend some time in the sun.
During winter, it is admittedly not something to look forward to. However, did you know that grass grows slower in the winter? You will not have to do it nearly as often. Our own garden experiments confirm that, so you have our word.
Don’t Leave Wild Clippings.
Now, this is the epitome of neighbour camaraderie. You are done mowing the lawn, and you followed all the rules. Well done, but what about the trimmed grass? Have you ever thought about where all this will go if you leave it there? If your first thought was ”all over the place”, you are exactly right.
One gust of wind and the lawn clippings will scatter everywhere in the neighborhood. So you should bag and dispense of them appropriately.
If you want, you can, and you should, leave some of them on your lawn, in even small batches. It will help your lawn grow stronger. Just make sure you spread it evenly across the yard.
EXTRAS
Some extra tips so that you will become the king or queen of lawn mowing etiquette:
- Don’t ruin the neighbor’s barbecue party. If you see that your neighbors have friends over and enjoy a good time in the garden, maybe it is not the best day for yard work! You would want them to do the same for you.
- Know Your Neighbors. Not all communities work in the same fashion, so perhaps where you live, people have higher or lower noise standards. It is always a good idea to observe and adjust to what most people are doing in your area.
When is the Best Time to Mow Grass?
There are two times during the day when it’s most convenient to mow your lawn. Fortunately, both times are appropriate, and you will not be annoying your neighbors. So you can kill two birds with one stone.
The best time for cutting grass is either in the late afternoon or in the mid-morning. During those times, the temperature will be warm but not too warm on a sunny day.
The grass will also be dry and easy to cut since the night dew will either have dried off or not set yet. No sweating and the grass being chopped right off? What more can you ask! (As far as lawn mowing goes!)
Conclusion
We can practice good lawn mowing behavior without much effort. It is mostly common sense and can fit everyone’s lifestyle! We all know a little courtesy can go a long way, especially with our neighbors. Practice our etiquette tips, and who knows; you might end making more friends!
Also read
10 Cheap Ways To Block Neighbors View
Someone Drove on My Lawn! What To Do With Your Grass
