Do you mind your lawn mowing manners? You may think I’m being tongue-in-cheek. But I’m serious — there really is some lawn mowing etiquette that we who mow our lawns should be following.

The topic of mowing manners came to my mind recently because of something I saw the other day near a strip mall. There was a lawn care company there mowing the property’s grass and trimming hedges and all. Then the person with the leaf blower did it… I bet you know what “it” I’m talking about, too…

Never Blow Lawn Debris Onto The Street & Leave It There (That’s Just Really Bad Lawn Mowing Manners!)

The lawn worker blew all the grass clipping, minced leaves, and other lawn debris off the sidewalk and right into the street. The lawn crew person walked away… Forgot all about the nasty cloud of lawn debris that was just blown onto the street. And I’ve seen this countless times before, too.

I don’t know why some lawn care companies do this – it’s epidemic it seems. Is it borne from laziness or what? At any rate, blowing leaves and yard debris onto the road is illegal in many municipalities. It’s also downright dangerous for motorists, whose cars may slip on wet leaves. Yard waste blown onto the road is especially hazardous to motorcyclists and bicyclists. Their tires can easily slip on scatterings of leaves, grass blades, and other debris. Leaves and yard debris on streets can also clog gutters and storm drains, leading to localized flooding.

Blowing lawn debris on the street is one of my biggest pet peeves. It’s also something I never ever ever do when I mow my own lawn. I always take the time to blow lawn clippings, leaves, and other waste away from the street and back onto my lawn. It’s better for other people and it’s better for my yard, too. The organic debris will break down and feed my lawn.

Don’t Mow Too Early Or Too Late! (How Rude!)

When I was growing up, my mom told me never to call anyone before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on weekdays or Saturdays and not to call before noon or after 8 p.m. on Sundays. She never gave me a guideline on when I should and shouldn’t mow though. A couple of the few lawn-mowing tips she gave me? Avoid mowing when the grass is wet and cut the grass at the highest setting on my lawn mower in the summer.

But when is too early or too late to mow? I had to figure those lawn mowing manners out for myself. See, when I first started mowing the lawn as a teenager I used a reel push mower. Now, it’s relatively quiet. It wouldn’t wake up the neighbors no matter when I used it (but never used it to mow the grass after dark or before sunrise!).

When I got a gas lawn mower, things changed. My Craftsman gas mower can make some noise. Strike that – a lot of noise. When I bought my house in my mid-30s, I bought a gas mower to cut the grass in my quarter-acre yard. So, I had to determine when was too early or too late to mow the grass.

Some of my neighbors helped me figure out really quickly what the local etiquette was. Many were out mowing by 8 a.m. Three of my neighbors employ the same lawn service, and they got started around 7 a.m. Since there weren’t really any noise ordinances that seemed to relate to my mowing activities, I felt that mowing my lawn as early as 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. is probably OK. In all the years since I’ve been mowing my yard nobody has complained yet. I figure as long as I’m not mowing before 7 a.m. and I’m done cutting grass before sunset, I’m probably not ticking off too many of my neighbors.

My advice to you? Determine if your municipality and/or homeowner’s association has noise ordinances or any restrictions pertaining to mowing the grass or doing yard work. If not, check with your immediate neighbors – see when they do and don’t mow the grass. Strike up a conversation with them and ask them directly if mowing before or after a certain time is OK. Have nothing to base your decision on and no specific rules to follow? You’re probably OK mowing during what you might call typical business hours – say, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Stop Mowing When People Or Pets Are Walking Right By Your Yard (They Just Might Sue Ya’, Too!)

I love getting my lawn mowed just as quickly as I can. But not at the expense of blowing yard clippings into my neighbors’ faces, scaring young children on an outing, or traumatizing dogs during their walk. Whenever a pedestrian is approaching my yard as I mow nearby the street, I turn the lawn mower off. They wave. I wave. We may exchange some friendly banter, and then they walk past. I’ll get my lawn mower started and get right back to mowing.

And this isn’t even “just” about lawn mowing manners or common courtesy and being considerate. It’s a good safety practice to stop mowing when people, animals, or cars are passing by. Something to think about is the possibility of injuring someone with airborne yard debris, rocks, or other projectiles that can be shot out from your mower and possibly hitting someone as they walk by or drive past in their cars. This could lead to a lawsuit. And that’s not something you want to deal with.

I don’t have a specific guideline as to how close is too close when it comes to mowing as a pedestrian or motorist approaches. It’s something I gauge depending on the situation. You can probably feel this one out, too. Or you could consult an attorney!

Mind Property Lines When Mowing Your Lawn (Get Off My Lawn!)

This might seem like a common-sense thing, but since when is good sense common anymore? It’s really quite simple – don’t mow past your property line! Perhaps some will shrug off mowing over the property line as no big deal. After all, you’re mowing part of the neighbor’s lawn — saving them a pass or two with their lawn mower, right?

Well, your neighbors may not want their grass cut just then. Or maybe they don’t want their yard cut as short as you’re mowing your lawn. Perhaps they’re trying to let some new sod or grass plugs establish before mowing their yard. Perhaps they want to let their grass grow taller to help attract pollinators. Whatever the case, color – I mean mow – inside the lines.

Now, I’m not saying to not be a good Samaritan. If your neighbor is elderly, ill, or otherwise isn’t able to mow the grass or can’t afford a lawn service, mowing their yard for them could be one of the very best things you could do for them. Mowing the yard of a neighbor in need can help them avoid getting a fine from your local code enforcement agency or homeowners’ association. It could prevent a lien being placed on their property because of uncut grass. Mowing an overgrown yard can help the health and wellbeing of your neighborhood, too. But all things being equal, it’s usually best to mind your lawn mowing manners by keeping your lawn mower on your side of the property line!