COLUMBUS, Ohio — When the sun's out, the employees at Riepenhoff Landscape get their engines out.

What You Need To Know

  • The first week of May featured no shortage of rain

  • The state is finally catching a break these next few days 

  • The rain has forced local landscapers and homeowners to delay yard work

  • The owner of Riepenhoff Landscape in Columbus said it’s best to wait 24 to 48 hours after a rain to mow

“We love the sun,” said John Riepenhoff, the owner of Riepenhoff Landscape. “Sun means we can get out and work, and we want to work.”

After days of rain, Riepenhoff and his landscaping team are taking full advantage of this nice weather. 

The contrast of tall grass next to freshly cut grass. (Spectrum News 1/Taylor Bruck)

“[It’s] a love hate relationship,” Riepenhoff said. “We need the rain for the plants, but it sometimes throws our schedule off.”

Once your grass reaches a height of about six inches tall, he said it's time to mow, but rain can make it trickier. 

“It's best if you can wait, you know, 24 to 48 hours after a rain,” Riepenhoff said. “But generally speaking, it is okay if you mow in wet conditions. You just have to take certain precautions, i.e. you know, the grass could clump up on you or if it's wet, you don't want to create ruts in your yard.”

Riepenhoff said rain can lead to situations where you might need to rake and bag grass clippings. Wet grass can also be difficult for a mower to handle, causing clogs and uneven cuts. He said to make sure you don’t mow too much at once. 

“If the grass is long and wet you want to cut it high first and then you can drop the deck to your normal cutting deck, normal cutting height and cut it for a second time,” Riepenhoff said. “If you do get clumping, it's best to either rake it out or blow it out just because you want, you want the grass evenly distributed over the yard. But if it is too muddy, you can always use a push mower.”

John Riepenhoff, the owner of Riepenhoff Landscape (right) with some of his team. (Spectrum News 1/Taylor Bruck)

When the sun finally shines, they work overtime. On busy days, Riepenhoff’s team mows upwards of eight houses a day all while also working on long-term landscaping and design projects. 

“With Mother's Day coming around, we're trying to get all the grass mowed and everyone's yard looking good for the weekend,” Riepenhoff said. “So definitely a big push to get everything done.”

One lawn at a time, getting your home ready for summer, so you’re ready to enjoy it. 

“Get on the patio, crack a cold one and enjoy the weekend,” Riepenhoff said.