# Should you mow wet grass? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257 "2005-05-24T14:30:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/1 "2005-05-24T14:30:30Z")
So I’m staying at mom’s and she asked me to mow the grass in the backyard. Ok. But I suddenly realize I don’t have much mowing experience to speak of. When I was growing up we didn’t have one and the ones I’ve had of my own I prefered to let get overgrown, or to dig up and turn into a vegetable patch. Anyway Iwas going to do it today but it seems to have rained last night. And I realize as a mowing neophyte, I don’t know. Am I supposed to wait till it drys? Wouldn’t wet grass, weighted down by water, not cut as cleanly as dry? Would it be more likely to clog the mower blades? Help! Before my mom yells at me 🙂 . Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/2 "2005-05-24T14:32:58Z")
Mowing wet grass is less productive and less safe than mowing dry grass. And… since it is less productive, it’d waste gas or electricity. So don’t do it, and save the planet!!! ---
**Author:** ![snorlax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/3 "2005-05-24T14:34:56Z")
I did this over the weekend and ended up with clumps of grass all over the lawn. Wait until it’s dry. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/4 "2005-05-24T14:41:31Z")
It’s best not to. From here: [http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/mg/manual/lawn2.htm](http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/mg/manual/lawn2.htm) “Avoid mowing when turfgrass is wet. Mowing wet grass causes clippings to come out of the mower in clumps. Clumps of grass left on the lawn are unsightly and can damage the grass under them. However, do not allow turf to become so high that mowing removes more than 1/3 of the leaf blade. It is better to mow when the lawn is wet than to let the grass grow too tall. If the grass does grow taller, raise the blade so that no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade is removed.” It also packs onto the mower blade, making clean-up more of a chore. Go to the site above and look it over – lots of good basic info about lawn care, mowers, and mowing. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/5 "2005-05-24T15:23:35Z")
It’s really easy to bog a mower down in wet grass. Let it dry out some before you try. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/6 "2005-05-24T15:35:39Z")
If it’s a mulching mower (one of those mowers that has special blades for cutting the grass into bitty pieces), then wet grass clumps will build up and eventually cause it to stall. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/7 "2005-05-24T16:51:52Z")
Thanks, everyone. Much as I suspected. Unfortunatly the weather report is predicting rain FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS :eek: \*. I’m afraid it will be up around my knees by the time I can get to it. \*at least that’s as far as the report will speculate. I suppose if it keeps up for another 33, the lawn will be the least of my worries. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/8 "2005-05-24T18:39:44Z")
Sure, all that’s true. However, if the lawn is already three days overdue and the forecast is rain for the next five days, I’m gonna mow, **even if I have to mow in the rain.** If I wait, I’ll have clumps anyway, and cutting off 2/3 of the plant’s height is not good for it. ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/9 "2005-05-24T19:46:34Z")
Raise the mower height so that the blades are as high off the ground as possible. Put a bag on the mower, then mow a few strips. Check if the grass is going into the bag. If it clogs immediately, then forget the bagger. Mow the yard on that heigh and tilt the mower periodically so that the grass clumps fall out, instead of stopping the mower blades. Take a look at your work; any clumping? Get a leaf blower to disperse the clumps. If you don’t have one, put the bag back on and mow again at the same height. You can repeat that process several times… keep lowering the blade height by one until the grass is to your(your mom’s?) liking. /Landscaper ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/10 "2005-05-24T20:00:27Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Thanks, everyone. Much as I suspected. Unfortunatly the weather report is predicting rain FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS :eek: \*. I’m afraid it will be up around my knees by the time I can get to it. There’s always the [grass whip](http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/Images%5CProducts%5C74119.jpg) option; which is an environmentally friendly alternative & your wet grass won’t clump. Not only that, but your golf stroke is sure to improve after a few hours of whipping the back yard into shape. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-you-mow-wet-grass/305257/11 "2005-05-24T20:54:35Z")
Just make sure your blades are sharp if you are going to mow when wet. Oh, and don’t slip and fall into those newly sharp blades.