Why is my lawn mower spitting out grass? You might be asking yourself this question after noticing some grass spitting problem even though your best lawn mower is in good working condition. Read on for some troubleshooting tips if your grass clippings are coming off the mower deck when you don’t want them to.
Why Is My Lawn Mower Spitting Out Grass?
To determine whether your garden or professional mower is spitting grass the wrong way, it is best to understand the three ways it is designed to dispose of grass correctly. Mowers come with any or all three grass disposal features depending on the design and price. These are:
- Side discharge chute. Often, most lawn mowers come with two discharge chutes on both sides that allow clipped grass to move from under the mower deck to prevent clogging and allow you to mow faster.
- Mulching. This feature sees the mower blade cut the grass clippings into very tiny pieces that are easily dumped on the ground, where they later decompose. This method allows you to recycle grass clippings, thus reducing the need for more fertilizers.
- Grass catcher. A grass catcher is installed at the back of the lawn mower and catches all cut grass from the mower blades. This method allows you to mow fast while leaving a clean lawn, but you must dispose of the grass and clean the bag after mowing.
The most affordable lawn mowers priced at around $200 to $300 will have one or two grass disposal features, while the more expensive $500 lawn mowers can have all three features.
Now, if you notice grass spitting from your mower through any other method than stated above, you might have a problem to fix. Here are some reasons your lawn mower may be spitting out grass.
1. You’re mowing wet grass
Unless you want to side discharge grass clippings, it is not the best idea to cut wet grass. If you mow when it is raining or wet, you will end up with clumps of wet grass clippings that will neither be mulched nor collected into the grass bag.
Because the grass will end up in clumps, it will be hard for it to be thrown into the bag from the mower blade wings, and so it will start falling off from the back as the mower moves.
2. Your mower’s discharge chute is clogged
While you can get a clogged chute after you mow wet grass, it is also possible to clog the chute when you go for so long without cleaning the lawn mower. This happens when dry grass accumulates over time and fills the chute, thus leaving little pathways for new cut grass to escape. The result will be grass spitting from any direction as you mow.
3. You are mowing very tall grass
Even when your lawn mower can dispose of grass after mowing, tall grass always takes a toll on the mowing deck. Firstly, it will be very hard for your mower to mulch tall grass due to the high volume, while the tall grass clippings will either clog the side discharging chute or fill up the grass catcher too fast. As a result, it is for the mower to spit out grass from any direction.
4. Your mower deck is clogged
It is important to keep the mower deck clean at all times. Failure to clean the deck regularly will lead to grass clumps clogging the deck and the chute, leaving little room for the mower blade to rotate. When the chute is clogged, your grass will not make its way into the chute and grass bag and will have to be spat in all directions after mowing. Here is how to clean the deck:
5. Your grass catcher does not fit properly
It is vital to install the grass catcher properly if you intend to use it when mowing. If not well fitted, not all clippings will make it into the bag, and you can end up with grass spitting from the back and below the mower deck.
6. You are using the wrong cutting blades
Your grass mower depends on two main features to give you clean cuts. First, you need a powerful motor with enough power to lift the grass for cutting and spin the blade very fast. Then, you need a sharp blade to cut the grass evenly.
So, it is best to ensure you have a combination of sharp lift blades and a powerful motor to cut the grass and dispose of it properly. If not, you may deal with uneven cutting, while some grass clippings make it to the bag, and others will be spat out from the lift mower blades.
7. You have underinflated tires on your mower
For your riding lawn mower to catch the cut grass clippings, it needs to be well-balanced on the ground. When you have an underinflated tire, the mower will shift more weight to the lower side, giving extra room for grass clippings to fly out from the elevated side.
