Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

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Pway
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Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Pway » June 20th, 2019, 11:48 am

Last July we had rain each day for an extended period. I chose not to mow while the grass was wet but ended up with tall grass and fungus. This week has been rainy and wet every day and the grass is taller than I’d like so when I mow this weekend (weather expected to get better) I’ll have to take more than 1/3 off. I thought about mowing the other day even though it was wet. I’m curious when others make the decision and accept the trade off to mow when wet instead of waiting for it to be totally dry. Seems like there are problems either way.

TimmyG
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by TimmyG » June 20th, 2019, 1:00 pm

I'm not at all concerned for the grass if mowing when wet, it's just the major nuisance of unclogging the deck after every pass and figuring out what to do with the clumps. I only mulch mow. If you're forced to mow when wet, you'd better bag and empty frequently.

Pway
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Pway » June 20th, 2019, 1:03 pm

TimmyG wrote:
June 20th, 2019, 1:00 pm
I'm not at all concerned for the grass if mowing when wet, it's just the major nuisance of unclogging the deck after every pass and figuring out what to do with the clumps. I only mulch mow. If you're forced to mow when wet, you'd better bag and empty frequently.
Thanks Timmy. For some reason I had it in my head that mowing wet was detrimental to the grass above and beyond being a nuisance. I mulch 95% of the time but tomorrow will likely be a nagging mow.

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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Green » June 20th, 2019, 1:35 pm

Bagging when wet makes a mess, too...in the bag. There's no good answer, except maybe side discharge if your mower offers it. But it leaves longer clippings than mulching, which isn't great either.

Pway
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Pway » June 20th, 2019, 1:49 pm

Green wrote:
June 20th, 2019, 1:35 pm
Bagging when wet makes a mess, too...in the bag. There's no good answer, except maybe side discharge if your mower offers it. But it leaves longer clippings than mulching, which isn't great either.
Yes, tradeoffs everywhere. I want to avoid last July’s fungus attack so I will error on the side of cutting wet I’d need be. I have two applications of azoxystrobin down and will rotat to propicanazole. Even with the fungicide down I have some fungus (redthread and so,e Hong else I’m not sure of).


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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by agn015 » June 20th, 2019, 2:32 pm

Green wrote:
June 20th, 2019, 1:35 pm
Bagging when wet makes a mess, too...in the bag. There's no good answer, except maybe side discharge if your mower offers it. But it leaves longer clippings than mulching, which isn't great either.
I got a wet mow in during lunch today and was wondering what others think the best practices for mowing wet grass is. I agree that mulch mowing leaves clumps and clogs the deck, then bagging just makes a very heavy messy bag, so side discharge sounds like the lesser evil. It does leave larger clippings for sure, but I try to switch back to mulching on the next mow to help break down any large clipping that are laying on the turf.

john5246
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by john5246 » June 20th, 2019, 4:18 pm

Pway wrote:
June 20th, 2019, 1:49 pm
Green wrote:
June 20th, 2019, 1:35 pm
Bagging when wet makes a mess, too...in the bag. There's no good answer, except maybe side discharge if your mower offers it. But it leaves longer clippings than mulching, which isn't great either.
Yes, tradeoffs everywhere. I want to avoid last July’s fungus attack so I will error on the side of cutting wet I’d need be. I have two applications of azoxystrobin down and will rotat to propicanazole. Even with the fungicide down I have some fungus (redthread and so,e Hong else I’m not sure of).
is there a consumer product for this at the big box stores?

Green
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Green » June 20th, 2019, 6:37 pm

I think Bayer has one still.

Dargin
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Dargin » June 20th, 2019, 7:23 pm

Yeah, I recently saw Bayer Bioadvanced Fungus Control in a Lowes. Its propiconazole. Around $20 for a 10 lb bag. Covers 5k, but I'm guessing at preventive rate.

Green
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by Green » June 20th, 2019, 7:40 pm

Dargin wrote:
June 20th, 2019, 7:23 pm
Yeah, I recently saw Bayer Bioadvanced Fungus Control in a Lowes. Its propiconazole. Around $20 for a 10 lb bag. Covers 5k, but I'm guessing at preventive rate.
They used to have liquid, too, and probably still do. Liquid is probably more effective on active disease, arguably. I have a bottle that I use if/when needed.

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HoosierLawnGnome
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Re: Mowing when wet and the tradeoffs

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » June 20th, 2019, 9:25 pm

I mowed in the rain the last 3 days and double mowed today in wet conditions but nor rain during the mow.

Top growth is insane.

Lots of dead clumps on the sirface.

I gave it a blow dry with the blower afterwards, applied extra grease to the triplex, and spent 10 minutes blow drying it to prevent as much rust as pissible.

We have more rain coming so it will wash off the muddy tracks in the yard. Right now it's more about cutting and less about how it looks.

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