Mowing during rainy weather
Posted by mynormas on October 26, 2011
Mowing during rainy weather is pretty tricky. But if the machine operator does not have disicipline, he/she could turn a wet situation worse. A wet fairway, rough or field is bad enough but a mower mowing in a wet patch will churn up the ground. You can end
It could've been worse. But more often than not, this is just the beginning.
up with a muddy patch on your field, fairway or rough that will take ages to be brought back to shape. Not to mention you may end up with tyre marks or compaction below the surface.
Ask your operator to back off from mowing that particular area if he finds that he is leaving tyre marks or churning up the ground. He should report it in so that a solution will have to be found if that area could not be mowed for too long. A lighter machine, a push behind or even a back-pack brush cutter may have to be utilized.
Note: you should look at draining or topdressing that particular area when the weather is better.
In the same vein, for those of us who are into striping our fields, fairways or roughs; now may be a good time to not concentrate too much on them too. Alternate mowing patterns for a couple of months won’t make much difference. Remember mowing in the same place all the time (such as when you are mowing for stripes) will make the tyres stay in the same ‘lanes’ all the time thereby creating compaction or worse: ruts. In fact; I would recommend changing patterns once in a while (say every couple of years?)
The stripes look nice, but don't forget you are putting your mower's tyres (tires?) in the same line everytime you mow.
Stripes on a football field.
Turf Matters 
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