Should i bag or mulch the clippings

Successful mulching requires that the grass is chopped into little pieces. So either mow often, cutting only a third of the grass blades, or bag your clippings. If you see signs of lawn disease, bag your clippings — don't mulch them.

You don't want the disease to spread. And avoid mowing when the grass is wet. Wet grass tends to clump more easily. Here in Idaho, mulching lawn clippings works in the hottest summer months. In some cases, such as parks or recreation fields, it makes economic sense to mulch grass clippings year round.

When grass clippings hang around on your lawn, unable to break down, a thick layer of dead grass, called thatch, builds up and blocks the flow of important oxygen and nutrients to your lawn.

The grass will begin to get thinner. Aeration helps by increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the root system. But the best defense in cooler seasons is to bag those clippings. In addition to mowing, we offer a full list of lawn care services to keep your lawn healthy and looking great, including. In , Outback Landscape Inc.

Hundred of homeowners in Eastern Idaho have been counting on Lawn Buddies to provide reliable lawn care services since Think of it as a new friendly face with the same level of service you've come to expect from Outback Landscape. We have been with Outback for over a decade. They are always available and have expert and attentive staff. Lawn clipping mulch allows you to skip the time and expense of a nitrogen fertilizer cycle while still maintaining a healthy lawn.

Mulching your yard clippings reduces dump fees and keeps yard waste out of already-strained landfills. The mulching of yard trimmings has been a success story for landfills. A report from the U. Environmental Protection Agency, shows Americans generate about But just Also, state governments have taken action to keep yard trimmings out of their landfills. According to data from The Composting Council, 25 states have regulations limiting or banning yard clippings in landfills.

Weed control is important. Your layer of lawn clipping mulch will be less than an inch thick, but regular mowing and mulching provide a barrier to weed seeds, preventing them from taking root. Leaving too much excess grass on your lawn can block sunlight leading to patchiness and discoloration. Also, a new lawn grown from seed may be too delicate to withstand a coating of trimmings. In no case should you ever remove more than one-third of the length of your grass in any single mow. There is another exception.

Go ahead and bag the clippings if your lawn has a thick layer of thatch — a half-inch or more. Finally, some pet owners like to remove lawn clippings to prevent pooch paws from tracking them indoors. If long grass clippings lay on the surface after mowing, it's best to bag while mowing or rake afterwards. Nearly all research universities have published recommendations strongly in favor of discontinuing the practice of bagging and disposing of clippings, in favor of recycling the material back into the turf.

Behind the non-bagging concept is the science showing that grass clippings provide benefits to the turf if allowed to filter back in, rather than removal. The concept was enhanced a number of years ago when recycling-type mowers were introduced, with a blade that chops clippings finer, and aids in sending them downward instead of discharging through a side chute.

Recycling mowers and blades work well, but grasscycling can be accomplished with a side-discharge mower. Remember the free money I mentioned? The above benefits reduce fertilizer and water costs, putting money back in our pockets.

And mowing in one-third less time?