UK weather: Met Office warns of thunderstorms over weekend
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Mowing the lawn is a summer tradition for most garden-owning Britons, who will want to trim back winter overgrowth over the next few months. The long bank holiday weekend served as an ideal opportunity to curate their green spaces at home, but the weather may have spoiled some plans. Anyone considering mowing the lawn following overnight rain should think again, as experts have outlined several reasons people shouldn’t mow wet grass.
Personal safety
According to experts from home advice platform Bob Vila, mowing your grass can actually be “dangerous”.
A slick lawn may endanger the person mowing, with several potential safety risks.
Anyone stepping out on soaked ground could slip over, causing impact injuries.
The experts warn: “Using an electric lawn mower on wet grass—especially with an extension cord—runs the risk of electric shock.”
Lawn health
The next aspect of wet grass to consider is how rain impacts a lawn’s ecosystem.
Mushrooms and fungus thrive in the damp and dark, and mowing in these conditions will only spread around these unwanted plants.
Clusters of damp clippings can also leave lawns vulnerable once they dry out, becoming a new habitat for less welcome guests.
Lawn appearance
Waterlogged lawns are tough to clean, as they render mower blades much less effective.
The result is an unevenly shorn back garden that will appear patchy, even after multiple tries.
Using a lawn mower on wet grass can also have a slew of destructive consequences on its overall function.
Mower health
Shorn, wet grass clumps together and sticks between the mower’s blades and frame.
Over time, this can cause damage to the blades and clog up the machine, leaving people with repair or replacement costs.
Even if the damage isn’t visible on the surface, dampened grass stuck in a mower can corrode its components.
When should you mow the grass?
A wet lawn can take some time to eventually dry, depending on the weather.
People should wait for up to five for brief, mild rainfall or accumulated morning dew to dry up.
Heavier rain showers warrant a much longer wait, up to a day.
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