| Grass Clippings-Good or Bad? | | | | lawn cuttings make great free mulch, especially |
| There is a myth, widely circulated, that lawn clippings | | | | around tomato plants. Grass is also a |
| are bad for your lawn. The myth is based on the | | | | nitrogen-boosting addition to the compost pile. |
| premise that grass clippings increase problems with | | | | --Leaving them behind can reduce your trash removal |
| thatch. That myth is entirely false-grass clippings do | | | | bills because you will not have to pay to have the |
| not contribute to thatch problems. So, grass clippings | | | | clippings hauled away. (Many cities do not allow grass |
| are safe, right? The answer is-most of the time. | | | | clippings as part of waste removal service, and those |
| Before discussing all of the reasons why grass | | | | who do, charge a fee.) |
| clippings are good for the lawn, there is just one | | | | Make the Most of Clippings |
| reason why lawn clippings could be unhealthy. If you | | | | To ensure that leaving lawn clippings on the lawn |
| lawn has problems with fungus or disease, you should | | | | does not cause future lawn problems, follow these |
| bag and remove the clippings, because leaving them | | | | steps: |
| could perpetuate the disease problems. Otherwise, | | | | --Mow the lawn twice a week during periods of rapid |
| there are many reasons why you should leave grass | | | | growth. This will ensure that the clippings never get |
| clippings on the lawn! | | | | to be too long to cause damage. |
| --The most basic reason why is that they are not | | | | --Bag and remove them if your lawn has major weed |
| bad for the lawn. Therefore, why spend time and | | | | or disease problems so that you do not spread the |
| energy removing them? | | | | problems or add them to the compost pile. |
| --Lawn clippings of 1 inch in length or less serve as a | | | | --Keep your mower blades sharp so that they cut |
| great natural fertilizer. As the clippings break down, | | | | quickly and efficiently-you will spend less time |
| they return nutrients and organic matter to the soil. | | | | mowing, have finer clippings and you grass will look |
| --They dry up and break down quickly, so they are | | | | nicer |
| not an unsightly eyesore. | | | | So, the truth about lawn clippings is that, in most |
| --If you have an overabundance of lawn clippings | | | | cases, they are beneficial to the lawn and should be |
| (you have mow the lawn after a big growth spurt), | | | | left on the lawn after mowing. |