Mowing lawn when wet?

[SC Maintenance]

OK lawn experts, thoughts on mowing lawn when wet?

I know your not supposed to - the grass doesn't cut as clean, could cause a fungus to start, could compact soil.

I am about to do so anyway. I have a very limited window to get it done, its supposed to rain all weekend - were getting a tropical storm and the outer bands just started and I am gone the rest of week. Not worried bout clumping - its centipede grass so its pretty thin. But I don't bag, so maybe thats a bad thing.

What do the pro's do - go home when it rains? It rains here often.

 

[spasm3]

I just don't. I'll leave it tall before mowing wet. If its tall, you can mow it (dry), the mow again 2 days later to mulch the dried clippings.

 

[tbm5690]

I also avoid it and let it go long and then bag if it's too long to mulch like normal. But, if you have to mow wet I would imagine that side discharge is your best bet by far.

 

[Mechanician]

I've seen many commercial lawncare companies mow no matter how wet. Of course their equipment is different.
I've also heard the same bad things you have about clipping it wet, and clipping it when it's gotten too tall.
Another thick vs. thin will be going here now.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I just don't. I'll leave it tall before mowing wet. If its tall, you can mow it (dry), the mow again 2 days later to mulch the dried clippings.

I'll get a nastygram from the HOA if I do that, or I would.

 

[Danno]

Golf courses mow everyday when grass is wet. I would mow when wet but bagging it

 

[Kira]

I believe "it's all in the details" with this TIME HONORED problem.
How wet is it?
How long is it?
How fresh is your soil filling such that you would compact it as you walk over it with a mower?

Also, the word "mulching" is the lawn care equivalent of "transmission flush". It means several things.

A real mulching setup produces finely chopped up clippings.
A regular lawn mower can clog up repeatedly and be torturous work.
Another lawn mower can 'circumferentially clog' the deck and do an odd job of both cutting and mulching.
Other times, wet conditions result in a wind row of clippings at an outer edge of the swathe.

Two days ago, I cut my moderately wet lawn before predicted rain. So glad I did.
I keep the blade sharp and engine speed up. I use a catcher.
I'm glad the 3rd of July rain went more into root growth than supporting long blades of grass.

 

[fdcg27]

I find that the grass doesn't cut well when wet and you tend to get a buildup of clippings under the deck.
Still, you gotta do what you gotta do and there is sometimes no option.

 

[spasm3]

I'll get a nastygram from the HOA if I do that, or I would.

Oh okay, I understand.

 

[opus1]

I don't mow wet, but my reason is because I don't want to deal with scraping the buildup of wet grass off the underside of the mower's deck.

 

[spasm3]

I'll get a nastygram from the HOA if I do that, or I would.

If you mow it now, can you mow it again in a couple of hours, to to mow the dried clippings?

 

[Slick3914]

I do, because I need to mow when I have time to mow. My JD LT 160 does pretty well

 

[SC Maintenance]

I believe "it's all in the details" with this TIME HONORED problem.
How wet is it?
How long is it?
How fresh is your soil filling such that you would compact it as you walk over it with a mower?

I should have been more specific that I could care less about the equipment. But to answer your questions, its pretty wet because it just rained, I am not worried about soil compaction - its pretty sandy here. Its not that long and I will likely raise it a notch from usual. More worried about the grass.

If you mow it now, can you mow it again in a couple of hours, to to mow the dried clippings?

I can. It will likely be more wet then. Next band is on its way.

I think I will mow either with side discharge or mulch, then go around with a rake later?

 

[Starving Electrician]

I try to avoid wet mowing as much as I can. For the soil compaction concern like you mentioned, but also because I want to keep my mower as long as I can and wet grass isn't great for the deck. Its also harder to rinse off. The more money I waste on silly things like food, shelter, utilities and lawn maintenance the less I have for important things like project cars and retirement .

 

[John105]

I have done it and worried about what gets stuck to the platform and the mower…the deck is plastic…

 

[ecotourist]

I have to mow wet grass sometimes (it just never dries out). I bag the grass and scrape off the underside of the mower (with fingers and a wooden stick for any hard bits to minimize any damage).

 

[rstcso]

My home office overlooks my and another cul-de-sac. It seems the majority of my neighbors use a lawn service (I'm too cheap). I pretty much know the schedule of each. Rain or shine, they show up, do exactly the same process each time, and drive away, usually within fifteen minutes after arriving.

 

[RooflessVW]

Mow it now and rinse the deck. Your lawn will be fine. If it's like mine, all the clippings will end up floating away when the TS rolls through.

 

[PontiacHO]

You’re close to me in South Carolina. I mow wet in the mornings because I can’t take the heat and humidity. If it clumps, I do a quick walkthrough with a blower to scatter the clumps. Sure there would be little to no clumps if the yard was mowed late in the afternoon after the dew has dried, but the temperature would be mid-nineties. I personally can’t take that anymore. In my opinion, you do what you have to do…

 

[incognito_2u]

………the majority of my neighbors use a lawn service (I'm too cheap). I pretty much know the schedule of each. Rain or shine, they show up, do exactly the same process each time, and drive away, usually within fifteen minutes after arriving.

Most Lawn services are more concerned with the money they’d make (or lose) if they cut a lawn wet or dry, not on the health of your lawn. They get paid the same whether the lawn is wet or dry.
BTW: I never cut the lawn wet…….its just something taught to me by my Dad that has stayed with me through the years!