To mow or not to mow when record heat is for cast?

Everything I've ever read says to not mow in high temperatures with scorching overhead Sun - IF you can help it. Mow in the morning or more towards evening.

Also, I don't mow with my 2720 but instead use a X500. With an air cooled engine I try not to mow when it is 95+. I mean, not only is it hard on the operator (me), I figure it has to drastically raise engine temperatures.

There are definitely situations where you have to mow NOW but that usually doesn't apply to my yard.

The Satch said:

I don't mow in high heat, i just let it stay shaggy until the temps get more reasonable. Cutting the grass is a wound, it releases moisture at the cut. When we haven't had water for weeks, and none in the forecast, I just leave it be. I might consider cutting if I watered my yard, but I don't

Click to expand...

Exactly.
And watering is more expensive tan people realize if you are purchasing water.
Pretty easy to go through 10,000 gallons

Central Texas here, we have months we mow and months we don't mow. If it looks like it needs a trim and it's not done raining for the season yet it gets mowed.

If it's August my mower's sleeping, if it's May that poor thing gets a workout twice a week. At this point it's getting hot but it's still raining every now and again, so I'll keep on mowing for another month maybe.

Welp
Looks like the shaggy lawn will have to wait for a haircut

I have to wait to mow until my parts for the mower come in, maybe another week. Though I don't have the heat, I have gypsy moth catapillars. So far they have eaten all the leaves on the 3 big maples out front, and all but 2 of my fruit trees, they have gotten a good start on my neighbor's 2 big weeping willows on the property line (I won't miss them), and a big spruce for some reason. I see them in other places munching down too. I would rather have the heat, or the japanese beetles. Not many of those this year. I think they are hiding. We're only supposed to be in the mid 90's tomorrow.

So far this year I haven't seen any honey bees or their near relatives, except 2 bumblebees that follow me around hoping for handouts. All the circadias that run into me I put in a jar with a lid. Weird year this has turned out to be for me.

A well-maintained mower (regularly changed oil, a clean air filter and a degreased, grime-free engine) should be able to reliably do its job regardless of outdoor temps (unless we're talking 110+ or some other such craziness). The lawn itself is what needs protecting. As The Satch and Tibadoe have said, excessive heat is much harder on the lawn. Cut grass edges release much-needed moisture, plus longer grass helps shades the ground from baking and thus the roots below.

Kbar said:

Welp
Looks like the shaggy lawn will have to wait for a haircut
View attachment 792912

Click to expand...

Dirty Harry said:

A well-maintained mower (regularly changed oil, a clean air filter and a degreased, grime-free engine) should be able to reliably do its job regardless of outdoor temps (unless we're talking 110+ or some other such craziness). The lawn itself is what needs protecting. As The Satch and Tibadoe have said, excessive heat is much harder on the lawn. Cut grass edges release much-needed moisture, plus longer grass helps shades the ground from baking and thus the roots below.

Click to expand...

I’m not worried about the equipment just the health of the grass and selfishly not having to water it

ejb69 said:

I mow when the lawn looks like it needs it. I will put it off as long as I can when it’s hot and dry as it doesn’t grow much under those conditions. But there comes a point when it needs to be mowed.

Click to expand...

Same with me...I mow when it looks like it needs it. I also try not to mow when the grass is wet with dew. I mow at 3-1/2". And I do not water my lawn. Grass will go "dormant" in dry conditions. The grass may look brown but it will turn green and start growing when it has enough moisture.

The type of grass you have determines it’s resistance to heat. You can water it all you want but if it’s a cool season grass it will go dormant when temperatures get too high, just like it does in the winter when temperatures are too low. As far as cutting when it’s really hot, I don’t because my grass doesn’t grow much and our really hot weather is usually short lived. If it’s not a short hot spell everything will die or go dormant anyways.