Mowing a wet lawn: how long to wait after it has rained?

Gardening preferably takes place at a certain time, including mowing the lawn. A dry day is best for this, but the grass can also be cut when it rains. However, certain factors must be taken into account here, because mowing a wet lawn is a little different from mowing the lawn conventionally.

How long to wait after it rains

Hobby gardeners know that the best time to mow the lawn is on a dry day. However, the weather cannot be influenced and so it can happen that the lawn has to be mowed when it rains. If you are not under time pressure, you can simply wait for it and only mow the lawn when it is dry again. Depending on the weather and time of year, this can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. In the following situations in particular, you may have to mow the lawn even if it is wet:

  • Rainy days for days and short hours of sun again and again
  • Grass grows incredibly fast
  • in autumn to prepare the green lawn for winter
  • otherwise, blankets of snow will form on the blades of grass
  • Lawn would suffocate under this cover

How to mow a wet lawn?

Shortening a wet lawn is basically possible, but with some restrictions. Because damp grass differs significantly from dry grass and accordingly requires a few adjustments. If the following points are taken into account, mowing a wet lawn will also be possible without any problems.

Mulching is not recommended

Mulching a green lawn is absolutely recommended, but not when it is wet. Because the mulch layer would land on the fresh lawn and lie like a cover on the blades of grass. This has two disadvantages: on the one hand, sunlight no longer reaches the grass and, on the other hand, the “trapped” moisture promotes rot. It is better to mow a damp lawn as follows:

  • always use the collecting basket
  • this should hold up well
  • because damp grass clippings are heavier than drier

Tray basket in between

When mowing the lawn normally, it doesn’t really matter if the collecting basket is only emptied when it is full. However, if you want to mow a wet lawn, you should definitely bear in mind that damp grass clippings weigh significantly more. This not only affects the effort required, because it also significantly increases the pressure on the lawns. It is better to empty the grass catcher every now and then:

  • Empty the grass catcher when it is half full
  • The weight of the lawnmower is reduced
  • Pressure on lawns is reduced

Do not enter the green area

All the work is in vain if the hobby gardener walks in front of the lawnmower and thereby flattens the damp stalks. Because the blades of grass usually stay where they are so that the lawnmower can no longer reach them. This in turn means that these are not shortened. If you want to mow the wet lawn effectively, you should therefore proceed as follows:

  • Raise blades of grass with a rake
  • always walk behind the lawn mower
  • possibly use a robotic lawnmower

Clean the lawn mower every now and then

Wet blades of grass not only like to “stick” to the ground, but also often get caught on the knife. If the blades of grass are not removed regularly, the grass catcher can stick together and make work unnecessarily difficult. To avoid this, the lawnmower should be cleaned again and again. A good time for this is, for example, when you empty the collecting basket.

Increase cutting height

Mowing a wet lawn is best done in several passes, with two to three passes usually being sufficient. This procedure has the advantage that the blades of grass have a little more time to dry off. Because the green lawn is usually a little more dried out before the second round starts. It is even better if the cutting height is also varied:

  • 1st pass: Increase cutting height
    • up to 2 cm above normal height
  • 2nd pass: reduce cutting height

Electric lawn mower

Anyone who owns an electric lawnmower should definitely pay attention to safety! It is essential to prevent moisture from reaching the plug connections. However, a robotic lawnmower can usually be used without hesitation even when it rains, as they are equipped with a special housing and moisture is therefore not a risk.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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