![]() ![]() It will also help to reduce evaporation and actually keep the soil temperature cooler. As the clip is smaller, it will also break down quicker to provide nutrients to the lawn. Mulching mowers cut clippings smaller which allows them to easily fall through your grass to the soil surface. If you have a mulching mower which cuts the clippings up much finer, then it is ok to leave the clippings on your lawn, so long as they aren’t left in clumps and they are evenly distributed. If you are using a regular mower you should only be leaving small amounts of clippings every so often. But if you have a large amount of thatch, catching your clippings is recommended as it will help prevent adding to the existing problem. Not catching your clippings will not cause you to have thatch. Keep in mind that you don’t ever want to be removing more than one third of the leaf at a time. ![]() If the lawn hasn’t been mowed for a couple of weeks due to rain or you are busy with other things, it would be better to collect the clippings when you mow next or to rake them up afterwards. Leaving too many clippings on the lawn can cause your grass to burn and lose colour. If you are mowing regularly and only removing a small amount of the leaf, then it will be fine to not catch the clippings most of the time. Recycling your grass clippings back into your lawn can actually account for 25% of its annual nitrogen requirements. It is ok to leave your clippings on the lawn every now and again, as clippings are a great source of nitrogen and can act as a natural fertiliser for your lawn. There is no definitive yes or no answer to this, as a combination of both is required for most lawns. Should you catch, rake or leave your grass clippings when mowing your lawn? Leaving them on the lawn is great for the grass and simple for you.To catch or not to catch? Grass clippings that is. Managing grass clippings should be easy most of the time. It is rare that clippings must be removed from the lawn, and even then they typically can be reused on site. The best and easiest way to deal with grass clippings is by frequent mowing and recycling of the clippings back onto the yard. It is best not to reuse lawn clippings treated with herbicide or insecticide in compost or as mulch, since the chemical residues could cause problems in garden areas. If the lawn is particularly weedy, it would be best not to introduce the weed-seed-laden clippings into a garden bed or compost pile. Sometimes it’s best to remove grass clippings from the property altogether. When to bag and get rid of grass clippings. This is a great use for excess clippings removed from the street after mowing, as they tend to dry quickly while laying on hot pavement in the sun. Apply a thin layer-1 to 2 inches thick at most-on flower and vegetable gardens.ĭry clippings are best for this, since green or wet grass clippings tend to form a mat that will repel water. The clippings help to improve the soil structure over time as they decay. Just like the lawn itself, garden plants benefit from the insulation and moisture conservation properties of the mulch layer. Use grass clippings as mulch for garden beds.Īnother great use for old grass clippings is as mulch for garden beds. RELATED: 8 Tricks for Quick Composting Your Way to Free Fertilizer The primary contributors to thatch buildup are too-frequent watering, overwatering, and soil compaction. It is matted stems and roots that form just above and below the soil surface. Thatch is not made up of grass clippings, however. For instance, if your mower is set at 2 inches, the grass should not be taller than 3 inches when you mow.Ī common misconception is that grass clippings left on a lawn will cause thatch. ![]() To avoid leaving too many clippings at a time, mow often enough to remove no more than one-third of the grass height at a time. Decomposing grass clippings contribute valuable organic matter to the soil, which improves both aeration and water retention, and leads to deeper and healthier grass roots.Įither a mulching mower or a side discharge mower will work. Doing so reduces fertilizer consumption by 30 percent, moderates the soil temperature, and provides habitat for nutrient-cycling insects, earthworms, and microbes. Leave grass clippings on the lawn for free fertilizer.ĭischarging grass clippings back onto the lawn is one of the best things you can do for your grass. Keep reading to learn more about what to do with grass clippings. The hard way demands more time and resources, but might be the only choice in some cases. The easy way works with nature’s processes while taking a slightly more laid-back approach to appearance. There is definitely an easy way and a hard way to manage grass clippings. ![]()
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