Gardening experts are warning homeowners to leave their lawns this weekend, despite the weather warming up.
This is after areas of the UK have experienced lots of rain recently, meaning the soil under the grass may still be wet and soggy.
Mowing wet grass has “disastrous consequences” not just for the health of lawns, but for the mower too.
James Lewis, an expert gardener from MyBuilder.com, said: “Don’t cut your lawn this weekend or risk ruining your grass.
“While regular cutting of your lawn is essential for its general health, mowing while wet is counterproductive.
“When grass is wet, it doesn’t stand up straight and therefore it’s impossible to get an even cut.
“You will end up with a messy cut, or the mower may miss blades of grass entirely, leaving you with patches of totally unmown lawn.
“Worse still, these tears in the blade leave your lawn vulnerable to fungal infections, which thrive in wet conditions.
“We’d advise you to leave the lawnmower in the shed this weekend and wait for the dryer weather to arrive before cutting your lawn.
“But if you really can’t wait, there are a few methods to follow which lessen your chances of a problem.”
This includes sharpening the mower blades to increase the chances of getting a clean, even cut on the lawn.
This is important at all times of the year, but especially so when cutting wet grass.
Make sure to set the cutting blades as high as possible too to help stop clogging the blades.
The expert added: “Before you start to mow, do your best to remove any water from your lawn.
“You can use a hosepipe to do this by dragging it across the lawn in a squeegee effect.”
After mowing, immediately clear up any clippings and move them off the lawn so it has a chance to get oxygen.
However, be cautious when using a rake if the ground is saturated as it could pull up plants with soil underneath.
