A lot of people around the world love to maintain their gardens and take pride in how their space looks.
With trees, flowers, plants, and wildlife, these areas can be the perfect spot to get away from everything.
After all, this area can be the perfect spot to chill and enjoy peace at your property. However, there is nothing some people rate higher than their lawn.
With some precise cutting and the right color of the grass, this area can look absolutely amazing when maintained properly.
But, this can be easier said than done, especially when it’s wet from the rain.
There’s nothing more frustrating than setting time aside to cut your lawn, with the rain putting a hold on things.
Follow our guide to find out how to mow wet grass, without ruining your lawn or your mower.
This will keep you, your property, and your equipment safe from harm.
Why Shouldn’t You Mow Wet Grass?
Of course, we don’t expect anyone to do or not do something just because someone says so.
For that reason, we want to make sure that you understand why you shouldn’t mow your lawn when it’s wet.
Damage To Your Mower
When grass becomes wet and moist, it can become sticky and will clump together. This will inevitably result in your mower becoming clogged and will damage the mower.
Once your mower has become clogged once, it’s more than likely that it will become clogged again.
This means that you’ll have to clean and unclog your mower a lot more and will likely damage the blade that’s used to trim the lawn.
This also increases the risk of injury and will create a lot of hard work.
Slip Hazards
When it comes to mowing your lawn, you want to make sure that the environment is safe enough to be in.
Because of how slippery grass can become when wet, we recommend avoiding the surface over the dangers of slipping and hurting yourself.
If you’re using a riding mower, then the risk of the mower sliding and rolling over is increased, which can result in you falling off and injuring yourself.
Poor Results
The simple fact of the matter is that grass doesn’t cut as well when wet. Because of this, you can expect to have a relatively poor job and it will likely waste a lot of your time and effort.
The grass blades will bend over because of the moisture and will leave you with a patchy lawn, making it look like a poor job has been conducted.
Permanent Lawn Damage
Finally, mowing a lawn when it’s soggy or wet will eventually lead to damage that cannot be reversed once you’ve done it.
This, of course, will end up with an expensive solution of having to replant your lawn and having to fix it.
Root damage is serious stuff and will be a real handful to move past. This can also result in fungus production and disease. Not good!
Should I Try Anyway?
The simple answer is no. We understand that once you’ve made the decision to mow your lawn and you’ve set the time aside, you want to get the task done.
However, this isn’t a good idea and you should refrain from mowing the lawn anyway.
There are lots of different things to consider when getting ready to mow your lawn, which we will look into now.
Has It Been Raining Recently?
Depending on how big your lawn is, you need to think about how long it will take for the moisture to leave the surface.
The likelihood is, that if it has been raining in the last two days, then the grass is still going to be fairly wet.
Make sure that the lawn is completely dry before mowing because the smallest amount of moisture can affect the job negatively.
Morning Dew
After all, rain isn’t the only type of water that is bound to end up on your lawn.
Early in the morning, dew can become present on your garden surface and will affect the grass, making it harder to cut.
Because of this, you should avoid mowing your lawn early in the morning, especially in the colder months.
What Mower Do You Have?
This is very important to think about before we talk about mowing your lawn.
Riding Mowers
You don’t want to use one of these inventions when the surface is wet, it will turn your mower into a Zamboni in the blink of an eye!
If you have a flat surface, then you might be a bit safer. However, any sort of incline or gradient and you’ll see yourself sliding everywhere!
Electric Mowers
Of course, this is a bad idea for obvious reasons. Electricity and water simply don’t mix well and will cause a risk of injury or even worse!
You will likely experience an electric shock and could be facing a trip to the hospital.
What’s The Best Type Of Mower?
Well, the simple answer is a mower that doesn’t have any sort of electricity involved.
Gas-powered mowers and self-propelled mowers are perfect for these conditions as they limit the risk and potential hazards that come along with mowing wet grass.
However, you need to make sure that your blades are sharp enough to do a perfect job.
If you have blunt blades, then your mower is unlikely to produce the same level of results that you need when dealing with wet grass.
If you have a sharp blade, then you’re going to have a reasonably good job, even if the grass is wet.
Having sharp blades will also reduce the risk of your mower becoming clogged, or internally damaged.
Optional, but important, you should also adjust your mower deck to the highest setting to further reduce the chances of your mower becoming clogged and damaged.
We recommend making sure that you read the manual thoroughly before using your lawnmower, especially if it’s a new product.
Tips And Tricks For Mowing Wet Grass
There are a few things to keep in mind that might help you to achieve your job of mowing a wet lawn to the best standard.
We’ll mention a few here so that you can get the best results possible.
Pay Attention To Your Footing
As we mentioned already, mowing a wet lawn comes with many slip hazards, which will make any sort of task seem like an uphill one.
By watching your footing and making sure your feet are planted properly, you limit the risk of falling, slipping, or any other sort of injury.
Wearing suitable footwear is also essential and will keep you safe when moving around.
Mow The Grass When It’s Sunny Outside
This might sound a bit irrelevant, however, it’s a perfectly straightforward point and we recommend following it when you can!
If the weather outside is warm and sunny, then the grass is likely to dry quicker, especially if there is a breeze.
We understand that this might not be the case, but it’s useful to keep in mind when planning to mow the lawn.
Stick To The Same Pattern
We all know that mowing a wet lawn can lead to some rather patchy results, which can make things harder than they need to be.
However, you can help yourself by mowing in the same direction and pattern.
If you mow the lawn in any way, you will end up with a weird pattern of grass. By sticking to rows or columns, you can keep things clean and professional.
Mow The Lawn When The Soil Is Dry Enough
We understand that this sounds impossible if the grass is wet, but it isn’t. What we mean is, if the soil is wet too, then the job is going to be made even harder.
However, if the grass is wet and the soil isn’t saturated, then your job will be a lot easier than if they’re both damp.
After all, you’re looking for every little thing that is going to make your job a little bit simpler.
Signs Your Grass Is Dry Enough
After considering all of the previous points, you can now have a look to see if your lawn is dry enough.
Although you can mow your lawn when wet, you need to ensure that the grass is still dry enough to attempt cutting. If the surface is too damp, the task will be impossible.
Your Shoes Should Stay Dry
If you can walk across your lawn and your shoes stay dry, then your grass is definitely ready to be mowed, even if it is still a little damp.
However, if you walk across and your feet are soaked with water and moisture, then your lawn is probably too wet to consider mowing.
It sounds like fine margins, but it can make a huge difference.
Make Sure The Grass Stands Upright
When grass is wet, it bends over and will become a lot harder to cut.
Unless you have a very sharp set of blades in your mower, you will struggle to cut the grass properly and will have a hard task on your hands.
If the grass is standing tall, then there isn’t enough water on there to be weighing it down.
Mow In The Late Afternoon Or Evening
When mowing in sunny weather, we always recommend mowing your lawn in the late afternoon or early evening.
This is when the weather is likely to be sunniest, with a lot of the moisture having left the grass by this time.
Once you’re done, you can relax with a cold drink with the fresh smell of cut grass in your nostrils. What’s not to love?
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, this needs to be a relatively relaxing and stress-free task for you to fulfill.
Because of how much pride some people take in their gardens, this can be quite a satisfying thing to do, compared to a lot of the other tasks you need to complete in your home.
Hopefully, our guide has provided you with enough knowledge and inspiration to mow your lawn, even if it’s wet.
Keeping yourself safe and the lawn healthy is the most important thing!