Although you could mow the lawn after it rains, there is a risk of uneven cutting and damage to the grass area. Nevertheless, the grass requires regular care, which sometimes has to be done even when it is wet. When it comes to using a lawnmower after it has rained, it is advisable to first wait until the grass dries. However, weather conditions could sometimes thwart plans, making dealing with wet lawns unavoidable. In such cases, you will need to adjust your lawn mowing to perform optimally in wet conditions. Here is some useful information and tips to help you.
What can happen if you mow the lawn after rain and when the grass is wet?
When mowing lawns on damp or wet grass, the risks described above could be significant. In some situations, the process therefore requires some precautions, the ideal conditions being dry and cloudy weather. The most suitable mornings are when the dew has evaporated and theSummer sun over the lawnhas not yet reached its full strength. However, the weather does not always coincide with mowing times, and heavy rain can sometimes complicate the situation just before mowing. It might be tempting for inexperienced gardeners to just continue mowing, but there are some factors to consider.
Although occasionally mowing dewy grass is not a problem, operating the mower when mowing lawns after rain does pose a risk to the device. In addition, when wet, the process could have a negative impact on the mower blades and significantly shorten the lifespan of the mower. If your lawn is sloping and you want to mow, a self-propelled lawn mower could make the job easier. However, there is still a risk if the ground or grass is wet.
Also, if you slip while mowing the lawn, you may end up digging up the surface layer of grass with your shoes. In such cases, you may need to sow new grass to avoid bare spots orUnevenness in the lawnarise. If the lawn is uneven or has a very low cutting height, it can quickly happen that the grass is accidentally dug up in some places when it is wet. If you still want to mow damp grass, you would have to set the cutting height to at least 35 mm.
Why shouldn't you mow your lawn when it's wet?
Gentle mowing of damp lawns depends not only on the weather conditions, but also on the type of grass. The lawn mower used, as well as the length of the grass and the type of terrain also play a crucial role. In general, wet grass is more difficult to mow because the weight of the water makes it difficult to mow evenly. Even the most powerful mower will get clogged with wet grass on the bottom and will be very difficult to clean. This can mean that the mower does not catch the grass in the basket as usual, but instead throws it around again. When wet, the soil can also become loamySoil compaction under the lawncome.
In addition, the mower blades do not grasp wet grass and tend to tear it instead of creating a clean cut. Such damage can also make the lawn more susceptible to fungal infections. This can also kill the underlying grass, leave brown spots and allow competing weeds to spread. Another reason you shouldn't mow your lawn after rain is that it can leave permanent ruts. Using an electric mower also poses some risk of electric shock in wet conditions, although this rarely happens. If you still need to do this, you can take the following steps to prevent any risks.
How to mow the lawn after rain without causing damage?
If the grass is wet, you should mow slower than usual because the mower blades have to work harder to cut in wet conditions. Therefore, try to move the lawn mower at 50% slower speed than usual and repeat the process several times if necessary. In addition, after rain, it is advisable to move in half a row above the grassy area. After mowing the first row, push the mower only a half interval so that it travels through a row that is half cut grass and half uncut grass. This will make the job more efficient when you need to mow the lawn after it rains. Here are some more actions to take:
- Try to start mowing at the edges of your lawn and work your way inward. This will prevent the mower blades from being overloaded.
- The whole process would probably require mowing several times. You should therefore mow in many directions, as long and wet grass often lies on the ground and makes mowing much more difficult.
- Also try moving in horizontal and vertical paths to ensure you get the results you want.
- If the lawn is tall and overgrown, this will also make the process more difficult when it is wet. It is therefore advisable to mow more regularly in the rainy season. If you have been doing this once a week, for example, you should mow the lawn every 4-5 days during rainy periods.
- Last but not least, never mow the lawn when it is still raining outside. Although there are modern mowers available today, you should keep a traditional lawn mower away from rainy conditions, otherwise it will damage the engine. As already written, there is also a risk of slipping, especially if you work on uneven or sloping terrain.
Alternatively, can a grass trimmer be used in wet conditions?
Although this is also not recommended, you can also use a grass trimmer for wet grass in the garden. This will bring your lawn into shape, but caution is required. Depending on your preferences and needs, you can choose between devices that run on gasoline, electricity or batteries. However, for safety reasons, it would be advisable to only use a gasoline-powered trimmer on lawns that are soaked in water.
As with mowers, using an electric model is not desirable due to the risk of electric shock. This is especially true if the device has a low-mounted motor, as is the case in the watershed. This can cause a short circuit. It is also not recommended to use an electric trimmer with an overhead motor when it is raining outside. In this case, there is a risk of water entering the unit, which can not only render it inoperable, but also pose a danger to the operator.
