Grasscycling (or mulch-mowing) is a simple approach to lawn care that saves water, time and space in landfills. And, it's very good for your lawn!
Unfortunately, many people treat their lawns like a "crop." They over-water and over-fertilize their lawns for maximum growth. Sadly, the resulting crop just gets mowed and fills up our landfills.
The idea behind grasscycling is to let clippings fall where they do so they can release nitrogen, and reduce the need for watering, which decreases the incidence of fungal disease like rust and leaf spot.
Grasscycling does not contribute to thatch build up and saves you time. As the clippings break down, they fertilize the lawn, minimizing the need for excess nutrients. Clippings can provide 15 to 20 percent of a lawn’s food needs. This makes for a healthier turf that is thick and leaves no room for pesky weeds.
It's simple, natural and it works.
How to do it:
Your mower blades should be sharp, and mowing should be frequent. That avoids buildup of excess clippings that will take too long to compost and can cause a smelly mess on top of the grass.
Don't cut more than one third of each blade. The best length is 2 to 2 ½ inches (5-6 cm.). Grasscycling information recommends mowing every five to seven days to produce clippings that compost into the lawn quickly.
Try to mow when grass blades are dry. This enhances your mower’s ability to chop the leaves, causes less stress to the grass, and prevents clumps. Avoid scalping the lawn and mow at the correct height for your grass species. In summer, grass should be left a little longer to avoid moisture stress. If it has been too wet to mow frequently, run over the long clippings an extra time and rake them into the root zone of the lawn. Blow or sweep clippings off non-porous, inorganic surfaces like sidewalks to avoid them washing into waterways.