How to avoid ruts in your yard when you mow

1. Don’t mow the lawn when it’s wet

Mowing on wet soil is a surefire way to leave ruts in the lawn. Wet soil simply can’t support the weight of your mower the way dry soil can. When you’re mowing on a wet day the mower starts to sink into ground, and you’ll leave those unsightly marks everywhere you go. The best thing you can do is wait to cut the grass until after it’s had time to dry out.

2. Avoid overly aggressive tire treads

Aggressive tread designs are designed to give you optimum traction, and with great traction comes great big ruts in your lawn. So, unless you plan on tackling a mountain with your mower, you’ll be better off with a less aggressive tread design like the Carlisle Turf Saver II. There’s a reason it’s called the Turf Saver.

3. Change your pattern

Ever notice that the more you go over the same spot, over and over again, it leaves a deeper and deeper rut? That’s because you’re forcing the same patch of soil down every time you mow in that pattern, and your soil never gets a chance to recover.

Simply changing your mowing pattern can improve those rut marks because you’ll give your lawn a chance to recover between your mowing sessions. You know what they say - variety is the spice of life - so give your lawn the variety it needs and switch up your cut pattern every now and then.

4. Avoid mowing with overinflated tires

Tire pressure is one of the most overlooked aspects of your riding mower. Having too much or too little air in the tires can have a big impact on the way the mower rides on the lawn. Overinflated tires tend to “cone out,” which means that the center of the tire is bubbling out like the point of a cone. When your tire cones out, it starts to dig into the grass as it rolls across the lawn.

To avoid tire coning, always inflate your tires to the proper psi. To find your mower’s psi, check the owner’s manual.

5. Avoid spinning out your tires

It’s not uncommon for mower tires to spin out from time to time, but if you continue to spin out over and over again on a patch of grass, you’re going to leave a mark. The best way to avoid spinning out is to make sure your mower is getting the right amount of traction.

To make sure you’re getting the right traction for your mower, check the tires to make sure they still have tread left. If your tires look bald, it might be time to replace them. Another helpful tip is to gear down when you’re spinning out. Gearing down gives your mower more torque, which can prevent the wheels from spinning out on the lawn.

We hope these tips will keep you from rutting your lawn. As always, if you have questions about which tire is right for your mower, feel free to give us a call at (866) 961-8668.