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Lawn mower advice.

gsdfandfgsdfandf Posts: 114
in Tools and techniques
Hi all, hope you've all had a good summer. I need some advice regarding lawn mowers versus wet grass!! With our climate, I & probably we, can't always cut the grass through being very surface wet, no problem with ground drainage, just heavy dew.  My mower, a 2 year old Mountfield NTL 434-R isn't keen when faced with this situation & the grass grows very quick & I need to keep on top of the job. So, help needed. Online I looked at an ATCO, great reviews & write up & er! pricey. Decided to check-out the nitty-gritty of it, only to find it was now discontinued, ouch!
Any help, as usual, is appreciated.  
Cheers BJ.
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Posts

  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    I switched from a 19” hayter harrier petrol mower to an ego rechargeable battery mower a couple of years ago. I cannot recommend it highly enough - it is much lighter and easier to use but gives the same great cut - even when the grass is damp. It can be stored stood up vertically so takes much less room, is much quieter, doesn’t need annual servicing and there is no messing around with petrol. It runs for for long enough to do my large lawn in summer before recharging the battery which takes 40 minutes.
    It has been great all round and I can use the battery in my ego chain saw as well as other products if I had them. I had the hayter for 30 years and I was concerned I’d miss my stripes but this one does stripes as you mow and you can even add a roller if you feel it us necessary. 
  • gsdfandfgsdfandf Posts: 114
    Thanks for your reply Mike, model etc would be handy to have a butchers at if it's still in production.

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    It depends on several factors.  How long are you letting the grass get between cuts, how big an area are we talking about? Most modern even powerfull  mowers will struggle on long wet grass, even if it cuts it the exit shute will quickly clog up. You can go over dew laden grass with a besom, broom or the back of a rake to knock down the damp, that will help it dry faster.  You can cut first on a higher level,  and then lower the blades for the final finish. I  know this means doing it twice but it often works out quicker and less effort in the long run, rather than trying to force it through long wet grass in one go.  Cut more often  twice a week if you have to  or don't try to have grass super short  it's a garden not a bowling green. 😉 
    AB Still learning

  • gsdfandfgsdfandf Posts: 114
    Hmmm! Just read this online, "the company has made the decision to discontinue the Ego line of outdoor power equipment"
  • gsdfandfgsdfandf Posts: 114
    @Alllotment Boy, quote, "How long are you letting the grass get between cuts," not a case of how long I'm leaving the grass, if I can't cut because it's wet through, that's the whole point of the question. 
    Sorry, but I never thought to cut at a high setting first, don't wish to sound ungrateful, but it's obvious that that is a normal course of action. My lawns are app 85sq mtrs. Were they postage stamp size, I'd use a pair of scissors.      ;)  
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Well I did suggest how you can help the grass dry faster. If you really have to you can use a leaf blower to dry it first, but that's not a very economical answer.
    AB Still learning

  • gsdfandfgsdfandf Posts: 114
    I have a blower/sucker upper, but that would take forever & as you say cost a bob or two. I've watched the chappies on the golf course swing their besom to help dry the greens, but it's not practical in my situation. It's now 16.30 & the lawns are still too wet to attempt to cut 'em & we've had glorious sunshine since 9ish, but with a temperature of just 5 degrees at that time & now it's only 10 degrees the dew just won't dry. 
    I'll have to bite the bullet tomorrow & get SWMBO to do the job! Fat chance.
    Anyone got a rather large sponge?
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    A good petrol mower should be able to cut wet grass easily as long as it is done in stages and the blade is sharp which, from the sarcasm in a previous reply, I assume you know.  I didn't do the first proper cut of my lawn until late April/early May because the ground was too wet rather than just the grass being wet, but the mower still managed well enough.  I have a Honda mower.
  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    edited October 2023
    gsdfandf said:
    Thanks for your reply Mike, model etc would be handy to have a butchers at if it's still in production.

    Mine is the 47 cm self propelled. I’ve just been on the ego site and they are still doing mowers ! What site did you look at ?

  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239

    Egopowerplus.co.uk
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