Leaving the clippings to decompose is a great way to improve your yard’s sustainability by letting the natural decomposition process improve soil moisture and nutrient levels. When you remove grass clippings, organic matter and a high level of nutrients can be lost, requiring more fertilization throughout the growing season. Your lawn soil can benefit from the nutrients that can come from fresh grass clippings as they break down. The lawn is accustomed to those chemicals, so recycling the grass clipping directly and deciding to leave grass clippings on the lawn will not harm it at all. For this reason, you do not want to use treated clipping in a compost pile as it can harm other plants. When dealing with residential lawn clippings, if you use herbicides and other chemicals aside from fertilizer on the lawn, the grass clippings can contain traces of those chemicals. However, following good moving height and grass length regulations by mowing regularly and not cutting grass too short will ensure the lawn clippings do not accumulate and turn into a thatch layer. The biggest issue homeowners are often worried about is the development of thatch and issues with soil compaction and profiles. So long as you are following proper lawn care procedures and recommendations, there should be no major issues with decomposing grass cutting directly on the lawn. You can easily keep your grass green and healthy, maintain healthy root growth, and improve the overall sustainability of your yard. The true benefit of recycling grass clipping debris in this way is that if you are moving correctly and keeping your grass height at the correct level between mowing sessions, there should be no worries about thatch or grass clumps making your yard look brown and less attractive. Many homeowners looking for a healthy lawn will wonder how long it takes to get grass clipping broken down during the active growing season in spring and early summer? The answer can vary from yard to yard, but some standard practices can help you make the most of the clippings that end up in your compost pile or your yard. You can add lawn clippings to a compost pile if you have one or use a more transitional method to break down the waste, but it is also just as viable to let the grass shreds fall back on the lawn. Read tips and information on caring for your lawn organically with the Manitoba Eco-Network’s Organic Lawn Care Project.Leaving the clippings where they lie can help keep your grass healthier and more beautiful. This keeps the grass from being pushed over in just one direction and being damaged by the sun.įind out more on grasscycling from Green Action Centre’s composting program. Sharpen mower blades annually and mow when the grass is dry. They will break down and release nutrients to your lawn more readily. Use a mulching mower to reduce the size of the clippings. Never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass height. Adjust the mower height to leave your lawn 3-3½ inches long. Grass clippings are free and grasscycling can eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. It will also keep up to 20% of your household’s waste out of the landfill if you are currently tossing your clippings. This simple trick with save you time and energy previously spent bagging your grass. So, try grasscycling – leaving your grass clippings on your lawn. If you are having a lot of thatch build-up, this may be caused by: More than 1/2 inch of thatch can lead to problems. When the microorganisms in your soil cannot keep up with rapid root and grass growth, thatch build-up can occur. Thatch is a layer of dead plant matter on top of your soil. And contrary to popular belief, grass clippings do not contribute to excess thatch build-up. Terry and Adam confirm they have not had any problems with thatch build-up.īy leaving your grass clippings on your lawn, you are returning much needed moisture and nutrients to the soil in your yard. Many of you said, yes, you leave your grass clippings on your lawn most or all of the time. The results are in, and Green Action Centre members have a variety of ways of maintaining their lawns. Green Action Centre asked: If I leave grass clippings on my lawn, will they lead to thatch build-up?
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