27 June 2025
Lawn grass or turf has some basic rules that apply whether it is a cool season or warm season grass. There isn't an exact temperature limit for cutting grass in hot weather, but when there are sustained temperatures above 90˚F, turf struggles to retain the moisture that it needs, especially when there is a lack of rainfall.
Some grass varieties suffer more than others, advises Stacie. Cold weather grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescues especially suffer from heat stress when temperatures are high, and rainfall is low. If the temperature is high but there has been sufficient rainfall, it is unlikely any damage will occur when mowing. However, if there is a lack of rainfall and high temperatures, mowing can cause more damage than good. Bear all of this in mind when considering how often to mow your lawn during hot, dry spells.
You might also be wondering if the mowing advice for hot weather differs depending on how established (or not) the lawn is. In short, it does make a considerable difference and here’s why.
Turf that is well established has a much thicker root bed and can handle high temperatures and low moisture much better than newly planted turf. This root bed can be 4" to 2' thick and it will hold the moisture from previous rainfall for a much longer period of time than newly planted turf can.
If your lawn is new, it is more susceptible to damage from mowing in hot weather. For a new lawn, it is best to avoid mowing it when the temperature is above 70˚F.
Even if you've planted fast-growing grass seed and your lawn looks like it is growing well on the surface, chances are the roots will still be fairly shallow, so don't risk causing any long-term damage.
Knowing your lawn’s grass type can play an important role when maintaining a healthy lawn. Each type of grass will have different growing habits and some might be considered to be a more drought-tolerant grass than others.
As a result of this, there are some grasses that are more sensitive as to when they are cut. Gene Caballero highlights some of those that you should certainly avoid mowing in extreme heat as they can be even more susceptible to damage.
Kentucky bluegrass is a cool-season grass. It can tolerate heat up to 85˚F, but it will start to wilt and die if the temperatures get much higher.
Annual ryegrass is another cool-season grass that is not as heat-tolerant as warm-season grasses. It can withstand temperatures up to 90˚F.
Fine fescue will start to wilt and die if it does not get enough water and temperatures exceed 95˚F.
Creeping bent grass is another cool-season grass that can cope with temperatures up to 85˚F.
Need help with the lawn? Contact Monnick Supply!
Source: homesandgardens.com
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