While leaving clippings on the lawn is recommended, there are some exceptions to the rule: Remove grass clippings from curb and gutter, especially near storm drains. Remove clippings if the lawn is heavily infested with diseases such as leaf spot, rust or dollar spot to help reduce disease severity.
Unless you've let the lawn grow excessively long, or the clippings are in thick clumps, grass clippings are a good source of nutrients. Leaving clippings helps save fertilizer costs and thereby prevents ground and surface water contamination.
In most cases, the answer is easy. Recycle the grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn. Doing so will not only save you time and energy, but will also return valuable nutrients to the lawn.
Benefits of Not Collecting Clippings
Clippings return nutrients to the soil as they decompose. Clippings do not cause thatch. The belief that grass clippings cause thatch has been ruled out by recent research, which finds that thatch is composed mainly of grass roots.
Yes, using grass clippings as mulch can help with bare spots in your lawn. Grass clippings provide a layer of organic material that helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil structure. However, it's important to apply a thin layer of grass clippings to avoid smothering the existing grass.
Don't leave piles of heavy, wet clippings on the lawn. You need to rake them, or the grass underneath may be smothered. During periods of wet weather and excessive growth and you've missed a week or two of mowing, use a bagger to collect clipping.
Mowing actually helps make your grass grow thicker because the tip of each blade contains hormones that suppress horizontal growth. When you cut the lawn, you remove these tips allowing the grass to spread and grow thicker near the roots.
If you allow grass to decompose on your lawn, it'll be gone soon, usually within a few weeks. If you compost grass in a pile and turn regularly, it'll turn into compost in a few months.
While grass clippings themselves won't sprout new grass, they can play a significant role in supporting new grass growth and even contribute to natural reseeding under certain conditions.
Watering after mowing can aid in the grass blades' recovery, promoting faster and healthier regrowth but as mentioned above, be careful not to overwater. Watering in the early morning minimizes water loss through evaporation, allowing moisture to penetrate the soil and reach the roots.
Clippings from weeds that have gone to seed may contain viable seeds that can germinate and proliferate, leading to an increase in weed population over time. By bagging clippings and disposing of them properly, homeowners can mitigate the risk of weed propagation and maintain a weed-free lawn.
When the lawn is mowed properly, grass clippings do not need to be removed or bagged. Small clippings filter down into the turf and quickly decompose, returning essential plant nutrients to the soil. Lawn clippings do not significantly contribute to thatch development.
Overall, grass clippings can be a healthy addition to your lawn. Leaving them behind when you mow, also known as grasscycling, can help build a healthy lawn. Contrary to popular belief, clippings do not lead to thatch buildup, which damages the grass.
Don't Rake, Mow Your Leaves
Other advantages include providing food for the beneficial microorganisms that keep your lawns foundation healthy, and improving the quality of your soil, both of which result in a more beautiful lawn. To learn more about properly mulching your leaves to prevent weeds, watch our video.
Generally, the depth of grass roots mirrors the height of the grass. Thus, when grass isn't as healthy (for example, in periods of drought), it is better to let grass grow taller and, in doing so, to strengthen the root systems.
As a general rule, grass clippings of an inch or less in length can be left on your lawn where they will filter down to the soil surface and decompose quickly. Remove longer clippings because they can shade or smother grass beneath causing lawn damage. Don't throw out bagged grass clippings as yard waste.
When you cut the grass during the spring and summer, leave the clippings on the lawn. As they decompose, they release up to 30 per cent of the lawn's required nutrients.
Frequency of Mowing
The rate of grass growth and desired height of your lawn determine how often you need to mow. Typically, mowing once a week during the growing season should suffice to keep your lawn healthy. The rest of the time, you can reduce the frequency of cutting to every other week, as necessary.
Mowing too short or scalping results in stress to the grass plant. Weak grass plants will take longer to recover. To maintain a 3-inch lawn, mow before the grass reaches 4.5 inches tall. Mowing too short can allow weed seeds to get more sun and increase the chance of germination.
It depends on the type of grass. Kentucky bluegrass has runners that help it spread on its own. But many northern grasses are bunch-type grasses which don't spread, so seeding is needed to fill in bare spots. Perennial ryegrass and fescue are among the non-spreaders.
Mow Properly
Using best practices for mowing helps your grass grow thick and stay that way.
Clippings should remain on the lawn, they would be a good source of water and nitrogen. They beak down rather quikly, so it shouldn't be a problem, provided that: -The lawn is mowed at least once per week along the growing season. The goal is to cut less than 30% of the turf blade lenght.
Rakes: collecting clippings
When it comes to looking after your lawn, the most unassuming tools can sometimes be the most effective. A classic rake is a good example: its fan-shaped design with metal prongs makes it the ideal tool to gather up grass clippings which haven't been collected by the lawnmower.
The theory that cutting short lengthens the time between cuts also doesn't hold up. Grass grows faster after it's been cut short as it tries to rebuild itself to its genetic norm. A good in-season height for most turfgrasses is 2½ to 3 inches — typically the highest setting on mowers.