Like it or not, mowing the lawn is a chore most home owners need to get done before the grass gets out of control.
This often means getting this task done on one of the few days most of us have off each week. With limited time, yards everywhere are clipped under less than ideal conditions.
Many homeowners wouldn’t even bat an eye at cutting the grass when it’s damp or even soaking wet. Unfortunately, cutting the grass while it’s wet can be bad for both your lawn and you.
Wet grass is hard to cut, can damage your mower, and create a very unsafe environment for the person behind the lawn mower.
If you’re still wondering what’s so bad about mowing wet grass, keep reading for a closer look at some of the biggest do’s and don’ts of this activity.
Mowing Wet Grass Can Damage Your Lawn
One of the primary reasons not to mow your lawn when it’s wet is that it’s simply not good for the overall health of your lawn.
Whether it has recently rained or your sprinklers just shut off, water weighs the grass in your yard down. This makes the grass heavy and more likely to stick to itself and other objects.
When your grass isn’t its usually perky self, it doesn’t cut as easily — and some times just can’t be cut at all. Your lawn mower is much more likely to tear or rip wet grass rather than cleanly cutting it. This will leave your lawn looking patchy and uneven after you’ve mowed.
While this may not sound like a big deal, it stresses the grass and isn’t great for your lawn’s long term health. Most grass types will be much healthier when mowed to a specific height each time you mow, which is very difficult to do when the grass isn’t dry. Walking around on a soggy lawn is also not great for the soil your grass lives in.
If that’s not concerning enough, next time you’re thinking about mowing a wet lawn, be aware that disease also spreads much more easily in wet grass. A problem that may have remained isolated in a small part of your yard could quickly spread throughout the entire lawn.
Cutting Wet Grass is not Great for Your Lawn Mower
If you’ve ever tried to mow wet grass, you know how messy it can be. Wet grass seems to stick to everything and can be a real challenge to get off your lawn mower later.
But wet grass is much more than a mere annoyance for your lawn mower. Mowing in wet conditions can actually do real damage to your mower.
One of the most obvious ways a wet lawn can harm your equipment is the additional corrosion brought on by the added moisture. The cutting deck and many other metal parts on your mower will begin to rust and corrode much more quickly as extra moisture and damp grass coat it.
Heavy, wet grass also dulls a lawn mower’s blade much more quickly. This means you’ll be sharpening and replacing your blade much more often if you mow in wet conditions often.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, using your lawn mower in wet conditions can actually lead to an extra build-up of moisture in the fuel tank. Moisture in your fuel system increases wear on the engine and will ultimately lead to a shorter life.
If you have an electric mower, similar damage can be done to the electrical components and connections — wearing out your mower much sooner than expected.
Mowing Wet Grass can be Unsafe
Mowing wet grass isn’t just bad for your lawn and lawn care equipment… it’s bad for you too. Walking around in wet, slippery conditions is an inherently dangerous activity that becomes much more dangerous when pushing heavy power equipment.
Most lawn mowers are not designed to be operated in wet or slippery conditions. The wheels and self-propelled systems, if you’ve got it, are simply not designed to keep you moving and on track in anything but ideal conditions. Wet grass could cause you to lose control of the mower or fall and injure yourself.
Corded electric mowers can be especially dangerous in wet grass. The electrical connections can easily become wet and cause an electrical shock to you or someone nearby.
If your lawn is hilly or you have thick or longer grass, be sure to avoid mowing at all costs.
If your lawn is wet, it’s best to play it safe and wait for a drier day to mow.
Get Ready to Work…
As if cutting the grass wasn’t enough work already…
Plowing through heavy, wet grass makes this task even more of a chore. Since most mowers are designed to efficiently clip through dry grass, wet lawns can be a challenge.
While walking back and forth through wet grass with a heavy lawn mower can be a pain, one of the biggest challenges of mowing a wet lawn is the additional cleanup involved.
Dry grass clippings can often easily be brushed right off a mower in normal mowing conditions. But the same cannot be done when grass is wet. You’ll need to use a hose to get the wet grass clippings off your mower right away. Leaving wet clippings on your mower can quickly lead to rust, corrosion, and other problems.
Cleaning wet grass clippings off your sidewalk, porch, or other areas around your property can also be very challenging. Even the most powerful leaf blowers often have trouble removing wet grass from concrete and other surfaces. You may need to use a broom instead.
If you typically bag your grass, you’re in for a real challenge with wet grass. A bag full of wet grass clippings can be extremely heavy.
Mowing a wet lawn is no walk in the park and often means significantly more work for both you and your equipment. So, if you think mowing while the grass is still wet might save you a little time… think again.
How to Mow Wet Grass — If You Absolutely Must
If your lawn is wet and you just have to get it mowed right away, there are some steps you can take to make the job a bit easier and save some wear and tear on your mower.
Start by making sure your blade is good and sharp. A sharp blade will help cut and mulch the grass more quickly.
Next, try setting your mower to a slightly higher mowing height than you usually would. This will help your mower cut through the grass more cleanly and, hopefully, more evenly.
You can also try cutting a more narrow strip of grass with each pass or going over some areas more than once. Doing this will give your mower more time to cut the grass and put less strain on the blade and other parts.
If you like to bag your grass, don’t do it when the grass is wet. Wet grass is just too heavy for your bag and other components.
And if you absolutely insist on cutting wet grass, be sure to wear a sturdy pair of shoes or boots with great traction.