While mowing the grass is a necessary part of lawn maintenance, it’s a stressful exercise, and so your grass needs to recover afterward.
I’m sure you already know the importance of properly watering your grass, but knowing when to do it is just as important, so is it good to water grass after mowing?
Yes, you can water your grass after mowing, but only if required because you don’t always have to water your lawn after cutting the grass. Look for signs that your yard is deprived of moisture, like seeing your footprints after walking across your lawn.
The need to water your lawn after mowing entirely depends on your yard’s moisture levels- only do it if your grass is thirsty.
Let’s dig deeper into this topic.
Is It Good To Water Grass After Mowing?
Yes, you should water your lawn after mowing if it’s dry to help the grass recover faster following the stress of cutting it.
However, you should skip watering it if the soil is moist, as the grass already has sufficient water to help it bounce back.
Watering an already damp lawn can be detrimental since that might make the ground saturated and make the yard susceptible to root rot and fungi.
Furthermore, this could prevent the root system from growing deeper; shallow roots can hardly resist drought and cannot withstand heat.
Read more: When to mow new sod
Should I Water My Lawn Before Mowing It?
You should never water your lawn before mowing it or immediately after it rains since that will cause you and the lawn problems you can easily avoid. Below are the problems with watering your yard before mowing it:
- You could tear the grass if you mow with a dull blade, and tears are more vulnerable to fungi and disease than cuts, particularly when wet.
- It makes your lawn look sloppy- since the water weighs the blades of the grass down, the lawnmower will cut the grass unevenly. Moreover, the tears will make the lawn look unsightly.
Also Read: Amazing Things You Can Do With Grass Clippings
- Wet cut grass tends to clump together, clogging up the mower’s lower deck. This will make pushing the lawnmower pretty challenging. In addition, you will also need to remove the grass clumps or spread them out to avoid covering the grass below.
- You risk electrocuting yourself or shorting out your lawnmower if it’s electric.
- You could easily slip and fall on the slippery wet grass. You might sustain injuries from the accident.
How Soon After Mowing Should I Water The Lawn?
You can water your lawn immediately after mowing it, so turn on the sprinklers or grab your garden hose if you deem watering necessary after cutting the grass.
However, since you are advised to water your lawn early in the morning, you will need to mow early if you wish to water afterward.
Watering the lawn early in the morning gives the grass ample time to absorb the water deep into its roots before the day heat sets in and increases water evaporation.
If you cannot mow in the morning, do it at night or evening, but wait until the following morning to mow.
The grass will remain moist the entire night if you water it in the evening or night, making it susceptible to disease and fungi.
Remember, freshly mowed grass is vulnerable to disease and fungi, with the situation worsening if you leave the grass wet the whole night.
Your lawn will benefit more from deep watering done infrequently since it lets your grass retain water and encourage the growth of a robust root system.
Create a routine of irrigating your yard once every week, leaving the water running for about 30 minutes, but be careful not to overwater your grass.
Strive to coordinate your lawn mowing sessions with watering sessions to allow your grass to receive water after it’s mowed. The ideal time to water your grass is early in the morning, from about 6 am to 8 am.
How To Determine If The Lawn Needs Watering
You can determine if your lawn needs watering in two ways- checking for footprints or examining the color of the grass.
a) The footprint test
Walk on your grass and watch how your footprints behave to find out if the lawn needs to be irrigated or not. Healthy, watered grass is footprint resistant, meaning it will spring back after you walk on it.
However, dry grass will leave visible footprints when you step on it. If that’s the case in your lawn, get the sprinklers running or get a hose and water your grass.
b) Grass color examination
Healthy, hydrated grass is typically bright green and vibrant. On the other hand, dry grass looks discolored (exhibiting a blue-ish green color), and you may notice it curling on its tip.
The signs above show that your grass needs water, so it’s time to give your lawn a good soak.
How Long Does Grass Take To Recover After Mowing?
Your grass will recover fairly quickly after mowing, depending on factors like how you mow it and the growth rate.
Ensure you cut your grass at the appropriate height (1/3 of its height) to avoid damaging it and prolong recovery time.
The frequency at which you will need to mow your lawn will depend on grass type, weather, growth rate, and the length of your grass.
Your lawn will grow at different rates during various seasons, with warmer ones stimulating faster growth than cold ones.
Grass usually goes through intense growth in spring when the environmental conditions are ideal. Your grass may appear overgrown weekly during certain months, calling for more frequent mowing than in other months.
Moreover, generally, you should let your grass grow to about 2-3 inches before mowing. This rule should help you determine the ideal duration between two mowing sessions.
Final Thoughts
Mowing and watering grass are two important aspects of lawn maintenance every homeowner should perform. Knowing when to carry out these tasks is essential to establishing a healthy, lush green lawn that will enhance the overall outlook of your home.
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.