A look at the best times of day for watering, planting, pruning and other garden tasks

It goes without saying that seasonal gardening tasks should be performed at specific times of the year, mainly because of the weather. But many gardening practices are also best performed at certain times of the day to ensure the health of your plants.

For instance, early mornings are best for watering lawns and gardens, and there are several reasons for this.

The timing allows for water to work its way down to plant roots before the sun gets too strong. Midday watering often results in faster evaporation from the soil’s surface, which is not only wasteful but also unhelpful to plants.

Watering in the evening risks the opposite: Without sufficient sunlight for evaporation, excess moisture becomes trapped within and between plants, creating a perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew and fungal diseases.

Other tasks to tackle early in the day

Fertilizers, especially liquid formulations, are best applied in the morning, too, as they should be watered in to ensure deep distribution and avoid chemical burns. Fertilizing during morning hours helps avoid the evaporation risk of midday and helps prevent diseases that could develop overnight.

For the best flavor and aroma, harvest herbs in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun becomes too intense. This is the time when the plant’s oils are most concentrated. In my suburban New York garden, 10 a.m. is ideal.

The same timing is important for crispy, hydrated lettuces and other greens. Wait any longer and leaves are more likely to be wilted when overnight moisture evaporates and temperatures rise.

Morning is also best for cutting flowers. After building up moisture and recovering from the previous day’s heat, blooms are at their plumpest in the morning, just after the dew has dried.

End-of-day gardening tasks

Evening is best for garden chores that risk stressing plants. Relief from the sun, cooler temps and increased moisture will aid their recovery, whereas the blazing afternoon heat would further stress or even kill them.

So, save pruning (a form of surgery, if you think about it), deadheading, and even planting, dividing and transplanting for late afternoon or evening.

Early evening and mid-morning are ideal times to mow the lawn. Avoid the afternoon, when the heat and direct sunlight can increase the grass’ stress and slow its recovery.

Never mow wet grass, regardless of the time of day; doing so can stress the lawn, spread disease and clog the mower.

Wait until after rainfall to pull weeds, and the job will be a lot easier. But if the weeds must go and there’s no precipitation in the forecast, water the bed deeply the day before, and you’ll reap the same benefit.

Any time's a good time to enjoy your garden

There are some garden activities that you can — and should — do throughout the day. These include admiring your handiwork, basking in the beauty you’ve cocreated with nature and smelling the flowers.