Wet grass is a slipping hazard and using an electric lawn mower or whipper snipper can cause electric shock. Damp or wet grass blades can stick to the blades of your mower and block the vacuum so it will be less effective, need to be frequently cleaned and can even cause your mower to stop working completely.
If the grass is only slightly damp and the ground is not excessively wet, cutting the grass after rain is generally acceptable. However, if the grass is still saturated and the ground is waterlogged, it is advisable to wait until it dries out a bit more to avoid clumping and potential damage to the lawn.
The short answer: No. Mowing wet grass can be problematic for your lawn, your lawn mower and you. If you do mow wet grass, you risk leaving clumps of clippings that could smother the grass beneath. Wet grass can clog the mower, causing it to overheat, and stick to the mower's underside, which is difficult to clean.
If the grass is too wet, you shouldn't mow and if it's too dry you shouldn't either. Remember, mowing is a stressful event for your lawn. If you mow when it's already under stress, such as during dry spell or drought, then it will become even more stressed.
You'll get best results when the grass is dry. Avoid edging in wet soil or wet grass areas, which might cause the blade guard to clog and result in an uneven edge.
Before you get going, here are a few things to bear in mind: AVOID ELECTRIC MOWERS: Water and electricity aren't exactly the best of friends. Using an electric mower on damp grass is not only inefficient, it could be extremely dangerous and cause irreparable damage to your machine.
It is always better to mow before rain if possible. If your grass is dry, but you see rain on the way, it is a good idea to mow the yard before the rain arrives. Otherwise, the next best time to mow is when your grass has completely dried after rainfall.
Mowing grass with morning dew
It is undoubtedly best to wait until your grass is completely dry before you mow and in the case of morning dew this is likely to only take a few hours – however, there is nothing stopping you getting the mower out while it's still a little wet.
Lawn mowing basics
Never mow too low. You may think you're getting the jump on growth, but the grass will most probably grow back faster, may develop patchiness and ultimately you'll damage your lawn. Avoid watering immediately before or after mowing. Mow the lawn in the morning or afternoon.
However, most professional gardeners would agree that between 8 AM and 10 AM is the best time of day to cut your grass. The reason for that is that lawns need time to heal before evening. Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles.
If the engine and blades must work harder, more wear and tear will shorten the lifetime of your mower. Along with the harder engine work, if the wet grass isn't properly cleaned out from under the mower deck, the moisture will cause the blades and other metal to rust.
Grass being allowed to grow too long can result in the grass slowly suffocating itself, shading its own roots and soil from sunlight and other sources of essential nutrients. In a general sense, overly-long grass is a lot less healthy than regularly maintained grass.
Early Morning (6–8 AM)
The grass is probably still wet with dew, which means the mower will likely rip the grass, bruise it and it will subsequently take longer to heal. Your mower deck will clog faster, leave tracks, make clumps and cause the grass to mat.
Frequency of Mowing
The rate of grass growth and desired height of your lawn determine how often you need to mow. Typically, mowing once a week during the growing season should suffice to keep your lawn healthy. The rest of the time, you can reduce the frequency of cutting to every other week, as necessary.
Most lawns do not grow quickly enough to support everyday mowing. The average time required between lawns for most homeowners is 3-7 days. The answer to how often you should mow your lawn is based more on how long the grass is rather than how long ago you last cut it.
While it might be tempting to mow your lawn as soon as the rain clears, you're better off waiting until the grass is dry. Cutting wet grass can lead to plant fungal diseases, soil damage, and even mower operator injury—all of which are preventable with a little patience.
Mowing your lawn will vary from season to season and your location, but generally mowing every second week in summer and every 2–5 weeks from autumn through winter will be enough. Spring mowing will vary due to rainfall levels and sunny days, so watch it closely and cut as required.
In general, you'll want to fertilize your grass during its peak growing season, which is during the fall for cool-season grasses and spring for warm-season grasses.
The top setting for most mowers gives a cutting height between 3.25 and 4 inches. This is best for your lawn, but at a setting of 4 inches you may sometimes see some “laying-over” of turf blades that some people find undesirable. For this reason, some people prefer to mow at 3 or 3.5 inches.
Ideally, you'll want to mow and rake before fertilizing, so that excess lawn waste is removed and the fertilizer will have an easier time reaching the soil. Aerating your soil before fertilizing can also help; the best times to aerate are when your grass is actively growing, such as in spring or early fall.
Applying too much fertilizer to your lawn will cause the nitrogen and salt levels in the soil to increase rapidly, which can damage or even kill the grass. When this happens, it is known as “fertilizer burn” and looks like yellow and brown strips or patches of dead grass.
A common mistake that homeowners make in summer is to cut their lawn too short. This can make a lawn weak and prone to disease and weed invasion. It's best to leave the grass longer than you usually would throughout our hotter weather.