How do you mow the lawn if it never dries up? archived

PeggyC

May 24, 2011 at 5:13am

We've been trying to mow our lawn for nearly two weeks now, and it seems to be soaking wet ALL the time. At this point I'm worried our lawn mower won't be able to handle it.

So, how does anyone mow a tall lawn that's still drenched and now going to seed?? Eek!

mbaldwin

May 24, 2011 at 5:23am

Ahhh, you had to watch for the opportune moments. Last Thursday evening everything was dry enough to mow. You might get lucky tomorrow once the front comes through and dries things out a bit.

GMCaesar

May 24, 2011 at 5:34am

RobB

May 24, 2011 at 5:38am

I mowed on Saturday, it actually sprinkled a bit just before I started. I took off the mulching thingee and let the clippings just shoot out the side - didn't seem to hurt anybody.

PeggyC

May 24, 2011 at 5:38am

That might be an idea... just forget the bag and rake up the clippings after.

Tom_Reingold

May 24, 2011 at 5:46am

I've never used a bag! I suspect the lawn appreciates the clippings.

I think I also mowed on Thursday evenings. It was a quick decision, seeing the dry lawn and 30 minutes of daylight left.

It the Irish can use clotheslines in their rainy climate, we can mow our lawns. Just gotta bealert. The world needs more lerts.

krnl

May 24, 2011 at 5:50am

I've been thinking about getting a goat. If this weather keeps up I'd never have to feed it until the first snow!

MarthaS

May 24, 2011 at 5:55am

What lawn? Mine is a meadow:wink:

krnl

May 24, 2011 at 6:00am

Want to rent my goat when I get it?

pippi

May 24, 2011 at 6:10am

Just wondering if the town can issue warnings/summons while the weather has been so rainy? It's possible there have been small windows of opportunity to mow but they might not have been convenient or they might have been too brief.

bobk

May 24, 2011 at 6:20am

I had the same problem. The back yard had gone two weeks between mowings and was a foot tall. I used the side discharge and then blew the clippings around so they wouldn't strangle the law where they were in rows a couple of inches deep.

Hopefully it will dry enough this afternoon to do the front, which I did last Thursday, if memory serves.

kenboy

May 24, 2011 at 7:08am

Yeah, you definitely should leave the bag off. I did mine Saturday morning, around 11 or so, and was surprised it was as dry as it was. Mine discharges straight down, as opposed to out the side, and I guess it chops the pieces up extra-fine, because I don't even find I need to rake them, even when the lawn has gotten pretty long.

PeggyC

May 24, 2011 at 8:27am

Mr. PeggyC is taking advantage of today's brief sunshine to do at least the front yard. He's going slowly, but I think he is using the bag and emptying it often. Not entirely sure about that... Wow. He's done, and the front yard looks like green velvet. All that rain has been a godsend in terms of helping the grass re-seed itself and grow really health, strong roots. On the down side, the stuff is growing so FAST it seems to be an inch taller every time I turn around.

Kenboy, sounds like you have a mulching mower, which cuts the clippings into itty-bitty tiny bits that will go straight down to the roots. Often, if you use clippings as mulch but they are too long, they will mat together and prevent rain from getting through to the ground.

I have to go run my toes through the newly mown grass! :crazy:

jgberkeley

May 24, 2011 at 8:40am Edited

Edited to type over with two hands. (Was eating lunch and was down to one finger good to type)

Raise the cutting height of your mower and remove the catch bag. A day or two later, lower the height and cut again. Do over as needed.

You will note that each time the grass will be able to dry out a bit more as more air gets in and around the grass leaves.

Later,
The UPS Store,
George

PeggyC

May 24, 2011 at 10:25am

Posted By: jgberkeleyRaise the cutting height of your mower and remove the catch bag. A day or two later, lower the height and cut again. Do over as needed.

That's the plan. But at least Stage 1 is done. That's the part that was making me really nervous.

Jackson_Fusion

May 24, 2011 at 10:48am

Mine was so wet that when I shut the mower down to move a branch so much grass accumulated on the sides of the mower the blade got trapped.

As a reminder if that if you have to do the same use a tool not your hands and UNCAP THE SPARK PLUG. That way even if you get some weird compression there will be no spark.

USMNTFan

May 24, 2011 at 11:07am

If you haven't taken advantage of the dryness so far, there's likely a good hour or more before any scattered showers move it. Actually, probably two, but that'll have to be reassessed at 4:30.

soda

May 24, 2011 at 11:10am

BabFab

May 24, 2011 at 11:11am

I like the goat idea, much better than chickens. If I had one, I'd make chevre.

annieBB

May 24, 2011 at 12:16pm

Sheep were the original lawnmowers in these parts. They don't mind wet grass.
Just did my lawn this afternoon. I did a walk-through before starting, to assess the spongy wet spots, and I avoided them with the mower. so parts of the lawn were not mowed but those parts that were look fabulous!

bobk

May 24, 2011 at 12:54pm

A few years ago I was thinking of opening a lawn care service using sheep tethered in your yard for the day. The client even got to keep the fertilizer. However, there was very little interest. :neutral:

PeggyC

May 24, 2011 at 2:48pm

Regarding the goat concept, just make sure you get a nanny goat, not a billy. Goats are smelly and eat everything in sight, not just the grass that needs trimming, and they are escape artists. Be afraid; be VERY afraid.

Our yard is in great shape now, I'm happy to say. I must have nagged Mr. PeggyC just enough. :wink:

rastro

May 24, 2011 at 6:14pm

if your lot is small enough and your grass is too high consider using a weed wacker first. That will get the grass down to a manageable height and perhaps let it dry out a bit. With a weed wacker, as long as the grass isn't falling over, it will get cut. plus it won't clog up the blades of your mower.

wedjet

May 25, 2011 at 5:07am

To follow up on rastro's suggestion, then you can get a hay baler to finish the job.

Tom_Reingold

May 25, 2011 at 5:45am

I have a corded electric mower. It's fantastic. Not great for a big lawn, I suppose, but that's not my problem. No spark plugs, no gas, no fumes. It's lighter and quieter than a gas mower.

How dangerous is it around water? I've been very, very cautious with it. I also have a way of not mowing the cord, so that problem is taken care of.

annieBB

May 25, 2011 at 7:05am

I *LOVE* my battery powered mower. It ROCKS!!! However, I avoided to small pool on on end of my property... just in case.

eyetry

May 25, 2011 at 7:08am

Today is the perfect day!

Corey oh oh

fed123

May 25, 2011 at 4:59pm

Posted By: pippiJust wondering if the town can issue warnings/summons while the weather has been so rainy?

Does the town issue summonses for not mowing?

jgberkeley

May 26, 2011 at 2:26am

Maplewood, for sure and yes!

The UPS Store,
George

PeggyC

May 26, 2011 at 7:21am

I think most towns will do so eventually. In West Orange an old friend of mine told me she had gotten a notice from the town because not only had she not mowed recently enough, but they thought a bed of wildflowers looked too unkempt and asked her to remove it. :shocked:

Tom_Reingold

May 26, 2011 at 12:23pm

Yes, I got two citations in one year for letting my grass grow too high. I deserved them, and they were embarrassing.

I would expect that they wouldn't cite people when we have a long stretch of wet days. I haven't heard of any recent citations.