Does Cutting Wet Grass Dull the Blades?

Lawn Stress

• Regardless of how beautiful a freshly manicured lawn appears, in reality, cutting the grass -- even in ideal circumstances -- puts a high level of stress on the lawn. Cutting wet grass has the same effect as using dull mower blades by increasing the level of stress that the lawn experiences. Sharp, dry lawn mower blades evenly cut grass blades; however, wet and dull blades tear and pull the grass, creating additional tension and trauma. In addition to mimicking the effects of dull blades, cutting wet grass will actually dull the mower blades at a rapid rate.

Clumping, Discoloration and Inefficiency

• The blade-dulling effects of mowing a wet lawn include grass clumping, which results from the grass blades sticking together. The clumps smother the grass and prevent it from breathing, which causes brown spots in the lawn. Wet grass also accumulates under the lawn mower, blocking the airflow and limiting the vacuum effect required to smoothly raise and cut grass. A wet or dull mower blade requires 30 percent more power from the lawn mower's engine, and tests performed by the University of Arizona show that dull-bladed mowers use 22 percent more gasoline.

Lawn Disease

• Mowing wet grass with dull or wet blades also makes the lawn more prone to disease. The University of Minnesota states that the wet clippings and clumps that smother the grass and stop the flow of oxygen can produce anaerobic decomposition, which causes the lawn to produce foul odors. The wet, dull mower blades also bruise the tips of the grass blades, causing them to turn brown, and the damaged grass blade tips provide the perfect environment for diseases to infect the lawn.

Wet Grass Cutting Tips

• The University of Arizona recommends cutting wet grass as opposed to letting it grow too tall. However, you should only mow one-third of the wet lawn at a time, according to Ray Ridlen of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. For example, if your lawn is 3 inches high, adjust your mower to cut only 1 inch of it to help your lawn stay healthy. Ridlen warns against mowing areas of standing water because this will burn the lawn and quickly dull the mower's blades.