As the weather warms up, there's nothing more satisfying than having a lush, green lawn to enjoy — particularly when preparing for outdoor entertaining.
And while you might already have a lawn care routine that you stick to, you might be forgetting to do this one crucial step before cutting your grass. In fact, it’s a common mistake we often make when mowing our lawn, but if left unchecked, it can cause long-term damage to our mower’s blades.
What’s more, this could ruin your lush, healthy grass just as the summer begins. So if you want to ensure a greener lawn, don’t skip this one lawn mower check.
Make sure the grass is dry before cutting
While this might not seem necessary in warmer months, you should always check that your grass is dry before getting the mower out. Be it from morning dew or a summer shower, excess moisture can make all the difference to your mower blades.
This is due to the fact that damp blades of grass tend to stick or clump together, which can significantly blunt your mower's cutting edge over time. Consequently, this makes the blades work less effectively and could cause them to overheat, as they’ll need to work harder to get through the clumps — and potentially make your mower break down.
In addition, moist cuttings can build up beneath the mower deck and across your blades, which results in rusted metal components and a decline in your machine’s efficiency.
Of course, keeping your lawn mower in top condition is vital, so ensure your mower blades are sharp and avoid mowing with blunt equipment.
There are many blade sharpening tools available online; however, a metal file also works well — always follow the safety guidelines for your mower. Check out our guide on how to sharpen lawn mower blades for more info.
Uneven and lackluster grass
To make matters worse, mowing when the grass is moist can trigger various other problems that can affect your turf's health. The first is torn or unevenly cut grass, as the sheer weight of moisture forces individual grass stalks to droop, preventing them from remaining upright and resulting in an uneven, ragged finish across your turf.
Another issue is the breeding of fungus and other diseases, as they thrive in the damp conditions of these rough cuts — causing damage to soil.
It’s worth noting that while cutting lightly damp grass on a single occasion probably won’t lead to long-term problems, it’s still best to avoid it as much as possible.
Just be sure to avoid these 7 lawnmower mistakes you’re probably making right now.
When is the best time to mow your lawn?
Gardening experts suggest that the ideal time to mow is mid-morning (by 10 am), as your lawn has had sufficient time to dry. In addition, allowing your turf enough time to dry and mowing by this time ensures your lawn has the full day to heal from the cut.
Alternatively, if you can’t get round to mid-morning, late afternoon (between 4-6 pm) is the second-best time of day to mow your lawn. This is when the sun is not at its peak, and there is no risk of the heat scorching the lawn. Also, mowing at this hour additionally provides your grass with ample time to heal before nightfall.
For more top tips on getting a greener lawn, check out these 11 secrets to a lawn that’s greener than your neighbor's.
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