There is a number of things you can do to make mowing a wet lawn more manageable.
(Courtesy: Ian Symonds at flickr.com)
If you live in a region where it rains a lot and you plan to mow your lawn on a particular Saturday or Sunday, don’t fret if the grass is wet due to a quick passing rainstorm. There is no need to wait until the following weekend to pursue the task. Go ahead and mow with these tips in mind.
Raise the Mower Deck
Grasses in regions of the country where the climate is wet grow best when the leaf is long, about 3-inches to 4-inches. However, many people do not know this and cut their grass too short. The problem is worsened when the mowing conditions are damp because the mower can’t operate at its best. To achieve better results, move the mower deck up to the highest or second highest setting and leave it there.
Side Discharge
If the wet conditions are very bad, then it might be best to side-discharge the clippings instead of bagging them or creating mulch. Adjust the mower to the highest setting; activate the side discharge feature, and then mow.
Of course, the clippings will be discharged onto the lawn. Cross-mow or mow at 90 degrees to the first mow direction to create mulch or adjust the mower to the bagging mode to clean up the clippings. You can also rake them up or let them dry for two to three days and then mow again with the mower in mulching or bagging setting.
Clean the Mower
Obviously, when you mow a wet lawn a layer of soggy clippings will stick to the underside of the lawn mower deck. The clippings will quickly evolve into mold. If your mower has a washout port, then use it to flush water into the deck to clean it. Whether you have the port or not, use a putty knife to scrape the surface of the deck clean. Especially clean the lip where the deck edge curls under.
You should also clean the mower’s tires with a wire brush and wipe down the top of the mower to clean off wet clippings. Fill the gas tank to push out any air.
Mow More Often
If you usually schedule to mow your lawn every seven days, then reduce that to five days or less. This will assist you in preventing the lawn from getting too long and unsightly.
Maintain the Fuel
Many sources for gasoline sell a mixture of gas and ethanol. Ethanol absorbs moisture and causes all sorts of problems for your carburetor. Use a stabilizer in the gas every time you fill up the tank and buy no more fuel than you will need for two to three weeks of mowing. Stabilizing the fuel and going through your fuel supply quickly will help to prevent fuel contamination.
Sharpen Mower Blades
When a lawn mower blade gets wet it tends to shred the grass rather than cut it. To prevent this from happening, sharpen the blade after you mow.
