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My new house has gorgeous, lush green lawns (will be replacing a lot of the backyard with garden little by little) and I would like to mow it leaving a tidy look. What ends up happening is the freshly cut grass that doesn't go into the grass catcher gets stuck to the wheels and I end up with rows of mashed down grass/wheel marks, wheel marks on the cement surrounding the lawn, etc. A surprising amount of grass doesn't make it into the bag, so it needs to be raked afterward.
Could this be because the lawn is too wet? I always wait until it hasn't rained for a few days when I mow (and don't use the sprinkler system), but this is the Pacific Northwest, so maybe my lawn is almost always going to be too wet?
Yes, for a tidy cut with no grass debris left here and there the best thing to do is switch to mulch mowing. Most mowers can have a mulch kit added so that's not a big expense. HOWEVER, mulch mowing REQUIRES the grass to be fairly dry or it will clump & plug your mower if to wet.
I use a mulch kit on mine and my lawn looks like a pro baseball diamond on play day !!! Smoooooooth!!!
If the OP is leaving tracks, yes, the yard is too wet. It should be dry when you mow. To mulch or not to mulch often depends upon the species of grass that makes up the lawn. Zosia, for instance, should not be mulched.
What kind of mower, if you don't mind? Is it possible it is not just wet but a poorly designed mower that keeps the grass from making it into the bag? Are you certain the chute is not blocked by cut/wet grass and thus the bag looks collapsed when running the mower rather than the air inflating the bag?
Several or all of these following conditions could be contributing to your experience:
1) Lawn is too wet
2) Lawn is too high
3) Blade on mower is dull
4) Grass catcher not attached correctly
5) Under powered mower for job
6) Overly shady conditions not allowing moisture evaporation
7) Drainage problems caused by: poor grading allowing excess water to pool in lawn, hard compacted ground not allowing water to soak into ground and improper drainage (usually goes with poor grading)
Make sure you mow the lawn in late afternoon as close to evening before dew sets. This will allow moisture in your lawn from the night before to evaporate.
Ensure lawn has not been watered in several days allowing it to dry out if possible. Might be hard to do if you don't see the sun that often in the PNW.
NEVER cut more than a quarter of the glass blade off during any 5-7 day mow period. The green part of the blade is where it gathers sunlight to turn into carbohydrates for energy. More can damage the grass and create other problems. You can alleviate this problem by mowing at least once every 5-7 days during the heavy growing season.
Also mulch mowing could be a bad idea if you cant get around cutting the lawn when wet. Mulch mowers rely on keeping the grass blades suspended in the cutting chamber for re-cutting until they are to small to contact the cutting blades and fall back into the lawn. Overly wet conditions hamper this process and create a mess.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I have a smallish Craftsman gas mower (I'm too lazy to go back outside and check the model and/or horsepower) and have a "normal" size front lawn and 1/3 acre in back.
I think the problem is that the lawn is growing like crazy right now (it grew very, very slowly in the summer, I treated it with weed and feed and I think a combination of that plus the season is making it grow so fast) as well as it being hard for the grass to get good and dry in the PNW. I think I have to mow it every 5-7 days right now as suggested above. I wonder, since mulch mowing could be tricky in this climate, if I'm going to mow much more often, can I just mow without the bag and let the clippings fall back on the lawn and rake up big clumps?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fields of Green
I have a smallish Craftsman gas mower
That is one problem right there.
You need a good solid lawn mower that has a high vacuum/suction capability.
My lawn mower has the words *High Vac* as part of the model name.
A bit on the pricey side compared to your smallish Craftsman, but if you want good results, nothing comes cheap ...
My Lawn mower does not leave much to clean up.
I even use it to clean all the debris (small sticks and leaves) when Summer and Autumn *leaves* us .....
NOTE: I do not like to *mulch* because of *Thatch accumulation* later.
Next, The blade should always be really *super sharp* !!
Next time you cut your grass, when you're done, look at the top of the grass !
If jagged, dull blade = no good !!!
Should be a clean straight cut.
Do not, if you can afford it, cut too short !!!
My lawn is one index finger long !
And yes, if the grass is wet, not much you can do there ...
How about renting a goat ? or a sheep ?
My neighbour across the creek actually does that each summer !!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I have a smallish Craftsman gas mower (I'm too lazy to go back outside and check the model and/or horsepower) and have a "normal" size front lawn and 1/3 acre in back.
I think the problem is that the lawn is growing like crazy right now (it grew very, very slowly in the summer, I treated it with weed and feed and I think a combination of that plus the season is making it grow so fast) as well as it being hard for the grass to get good and dry in the PNW. I think I have to mow it every 5-7 days right now as suggested above. I wonder, since mulch mowing could be tricky in this climate, if I'm going to mow much more often, can I just mow without the bag and let the clippings fall back on the lawn and rake up big clumps?
If your too lazy to check the model or horsepower LMAO. What makes you think you want to rake a third of an acre of grass clippings. Yes fertilizing and the cooler fall temps will cause a growth explosion with your grass. Just cut if more often. You are probably not emptying the grass catcher enough. Don't let it get more than 3/4 full. With a 1/3 acre that's a lot of emptying. I think that is probably your biggest problem. LOL good luck!
If your too lazy to check the model or horsepower LMAO. What makes you think you want to rake a third of an acre of grass clippings. Yes fertilizing and the cooler fall temps will cause a growth explosion with your grass. Just cut if more often. You are probably not emptying the grass catcher enough. Don't let it get more than 3/4 full. With a 1/3 acre that's a lot of emptying. I think that is probably your biggest problem. LOL good luck!
That's a very good point, always make sure to empty prior to seeing its full by clogging, etc.. I know how it is too mowing close to an acre you just want to finish this one spot before emptying, but you waste more time since you have to come back and go over it since you spewed clippings all over the place.
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