The lawnmower debate: How early is too early?

Herald readers speak out on when and when not to mow your lawns.

Many, if not all, can relate to being kept awake by loud music, screaming children, dogs or power tools, but the question of how late is too late or what time the rooster should crow is one that divides many Kiwis.

The article 'When it's not okay to mow your lawns' published by the Herald this morning has roused many a response from readers who have taken to social media to voice their opinions.

The article addressed a Tweet by The Hits presenter Brodie Kane who earlier this week posted that she was bothered by her eager neighbour mowing their lawn on a Sunday evening.

Taking to Twitter, Kane wrote: "It's 8.49pm on a Sunday evening. A neighbour is mowing the lawn. I can't even."

Twitter users were quick to sympathise, while Herald readers had much more to say on the topic.

Those on the sympathetic side of the fence agreed with Kane, saying early morning and late-night lawn mowing was "rude and inconsiderate", "frustrating" and "disrespectful".

"As long as it's after midday as us night shifters need sleep too," one commenter said.

Another went as far as to say the action had driven her to murderous intentions.

"I worked nights, 10hr shifts Monday to Thursday, for years and the neighbour mowed his lawn 8am every Friday. After 4 long nights it was not pleasant to want to murder the neighbour on the first day off," she said.

Some readers described early morning and late-night lawnmowing as "rude and inconsiderate", "frustrating" and "disrespectful". Photo / 123RF

A young mother suggested common sense needed to be applied in neighbourhoods with young children.

"[There is] nothing more frustrating than getting the kids off to sleep and some inconsiderate person starts up their lawnmower," she said.

While others argued for the necessity of twilight lawn maintenance, suggesting weather temperature was more appropriate and working hours were a barrier.

"It's far too hot to be mowing your lawns between 9am and 8pm during the summertime though!!" one commenter wrote.

Another added, "Honestly, I'd rather mow at that time of night, it's cool, there's still plenty of light and I'm less likely to be affected by heatstroke, dehydration, sunburn etc. What's not a win?"

An advocate for the working class said, "Maybe the poor guy has been working all day and this was the only chance he had to mow his lawns. You should be grateful that he is taking care of his property."

Discussions also unearthed some more quirky gardening habits.

"My neighbours mow their lawns at 10pm with a torch ... Sometimes we can hear their mower make loud crunching noises ... I think they're mowing concrete," one person said.

Readers argued for the necessity of twilight lawn maintenance, suggesting the weather and temperature was more appropriate, and said working hours were a barrier for some. Photo / File

Another post highlighted how electric lawn mowing is another story altogether, "I'm chilling out getting settled for the next work week and my flog of a neighbour mows the lawns, well that was until he got fake lawn ... now he vacuums it instead."

While a consensus wasn't reached, many agreed the sound of a lawnmower was much more bearable than the aforementioned parties, dogs and loud cars.

"I don't mind it compared to disrespectful neighbours having parties outside until the small hours. At least a lawnmower will stop when the lawn's done," one reader said.

"I've had to put up with doof doof 24/7 accompanied with the sound of burnouts and domestic violence. Mowing the lawn in the evening would have been a welcome relief," another added.

Others argued that mowed lawns are a sight for sore eyes compared to the latter.

"My god if my neighbour did that l would run outside with champagne. I would suffer through because it would be better than looking at the jungle it is every day," one person wrote.

Discussions aside, local councils guidelines suggest that acceptable times to fire up your grass cutter and other backyard power tools range between 6.30am and 8pm, Monday to Friday in Auckland residential areas, and not before 7.30am or after 6pm on Saturday.

On Sunday there is no noisy construction work allowed at all.

In other major cities, such as Wellington the times for noise restrictions remain the same and for Christchurch, you're expected to restrict use of noisy power tools to between 7am and 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 8pm on Sundays.

One reader summed it up, "Pretty much I think any time it would be rude to have music up that the neighbours can hear, it is also rude to be using power tools etc."