Grass loves water. However, the very rain parts of the year can make lawn maintenance a problem. The extra moisture will make your lawn grow faster and it will be equally hard to trim especially if it rains for hours on a daily basis.
Those few patches of sunlight can be quite enticing if you want to mow your tall neglected grass. The only problem is the grass will be wet and you don’t know if it is safe to use an electric strimmer on wet grass.
Can I Be Electrocuted When Mowing a Wet Lawn?
Pro Tip: Even though the chances of electrocution are low, you shouldn’t gamble and do it anyway. Wait for the lawn to dry up or use a petrol strimmer if it can’t wait.
Electrocution is not likely if you are using a well maintained electric strimmer. Outdoor electrical equipment is normally highly insulated and the chances of coming into touch with live wires or stray current are very low.
Things can still go wrong if you slip and fall into a pool of stagnant water or if your electric strimmer has a minor fault such as a compromised power line.
Is it Safe to Cut Wet Grass With an Electric Lawn Strimmer?
Wet grass is sticky, slippery and hard to work with. The grass blades will stick to your tools and also make it hard for you to maintain your footing. This in itself makes strimming wet grass with an electric strimmer dangerous and inconvenient.
Moreover, wet grass clumps up into a soggy mess as you more it. These clumps will either stain any surrounding walls or fall in limps over your lawn hence suffocating the grass you were trying to save.
The grass blades might also have bent from the rain meaning that you might miss some leading to an unevenly mowed lawn.
You shouldn’t strim or mow a wet lawn unless it is absolutely necessary. And if you do, don’t use an electric strimmer.
Things to Consider When Mowing a Wet Lawn
Here are some things you can consider when mowing a wet lawn.
- Use petrol equipment instead of electric to reduce the risk of electrocution
- Strim the grass on a high level and rake formed clumped grass then let the lawn dry up
- Sharpen your blades before mowing
- If you are using a mower, lubricate the underside to keep grass from sticking
Wet grass is more like to bend or split when mowing. Even though it won’t dull your blades, it might not be the healthiest thing to do to your lawn. Hold off until it’s dry – especially if your lawn sits on heavy clay soil.