Rain is a near daily event in Baton Rouge, which can make it challenging to take care of your regular lawn care tasks. There often does not seem to be a day when there is not at least some rain. But attempting to handle chores like lawn mowing or other yard work can actually do more harm than good for your grass, making it important to wait until you do have a clear day to perform necessary lawn maintenance.
How Rain Can Lead to Lawn Damage
Rain is great for grass in the sense that it provides the water it needs to grow. But it will also make the soil softer and pose other risks that can be damaging to lawns if you do not take the right precautions. These tips can keep your lawn healthy after rain storms:
- Don’t Walk on Wet Grass – When water softens the soil, the roots of grass become less firm, and walking on grass can pull out blades by their roots. The weight of traffic can also cause soil compaction. If possible, you should always avoid walking on the grass until the soil feels firm again. Depending on the amount of rain, this can be in a day or two after a storm.
- Skip Mowing – Like walking, mowing your lawn puts extreme stress on wet grass and soil. The wheels can pull up blades of grass, create ruts, and compact soil. Even if your grass is looking overgrown, it is better to wait a few days to mow.
- Clean Leaves and Debris – When rain causes flooding, this can wash any silt, leaves, or other debris that has collected on your grass into low lying areas. The collected debris can suffocate grass, causing the blades underneath to die. The best step is to keep debris off your lawn in the first place, but you can skim off debris if it collects in a flooded area after rain.
Another common issue with rain in Baton Rouge is flooding. Excessive amounts of rain can cause water to build up and sit on your lawn for several days where it causes damage to your grass. If this has occurred on your lawn, soil aeration once the soil has dried can help your lawn recover from the damage and you should consider making changes to your drainage system to help water run off more easily in future rain storms.
Leeson Landscape is an expert in lawn mowing and care in Baton Rouge. We know how to plan our landscape I’m maintenance around weather, and also have the flexibility to keep your lawn looking neat. We can help revive grass that has been damaged by storms or flooding and have the full service landscaping and drainage options to establish a healthy lawn at your residential or commercial property. Contact us today to learn more and get started with Baton Rouge lawn care.