Mowing Wet Grass

Should I Mow Wet Grass

Mowing wet grass is never a nice thing to do, but sometimes it may be both necessary and unavoidable. So if mowing a wet lawn is absolutely necessary then it's best to do it in a way which is the easiest and least stressful.

The Problem Of Mowing Wet Grass

The biggest problem occurs when lawn mower chutes get clogged up with wet grass clumps which stick together, this usually means the machine has to be stopped, the chute cleared, the mower started, and the cycle continuing.

There's also the issue of the lawn not being cut properly because the leaf blades are too wet to stand upright to get a good cut, and the clumps of wet grass dropping from the mower continues to disturb the cutting action of the blades.

Lastly, is the problem of spreading lawn diseases, and nice wet grass is a perfect environment for spreading these nasty invaders. So if one area of your lawn is subject to disease, or if the lawn mower has been shared with neighbors whose lawn health is questionable, then it could be a good idea to delay the cutting.

Tips For Mowing Wet Grass

So if mowing a wet lawn is unavoidable then lets look at the best ways to make the job a little easier for us.

Mowing Height - Set the lawn mower height to a higher level than normal. Firstly this will help avoid any damage occurring while mowing grass in a weakened state, but most importantly it will help enormously in reducing the amount of grass clippings coming off the lawn at once - and less clippings going through the mower means less clogging of the chute. So think of mowing wet grass as a quick trim and tidy rather than a full on lawn mowing session.

Mow Slowly - It may be horribly wet in the yard and it may not be a nice job, but in order to get the best finish to the lawn with the least amount of trouble - we should slow right down the pace at which we are mowing - half normal walking / mowing speed is good. What we're trying to achieve with this is the same as in the previous step - we want to reduce the amount of clippings going through the mower at any one time. By reducing the amount of clippings - we also reduce the risk of clogging.

Apart from these two key points, mowing should proceed as it normally would. Perhaps forget about all the extra trimmings or trying for a perfect finish, and leave these things for another day. Concentrate on reducing clippings going through the chute at the same time, take it slow and aim for a light trim.