Grasscycle Your Lawn
Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. Grass clippings decompose quickly, returning valuable nutrients back to the soil. It’s not just great for your lawn but it also helps reduce the need for Baltimore County to collect and process yard material, thereby reducing pollution and saving tax dollars.
five keys to successfully grasscycling
1. CUT IT WHILE IT'S DRY
Always mow your lawn when it’s dry. If the grass is wet, the clippings will clump under the mower and won’t be able to filter down to the soil.
2. PREP THE GROUND
Remove excessive thatch before leaving your clippings on the lawn. A thick layer will keep clippings from reaching the soil.
3. THE CUTTING EDGE
Use a sharp mower blade. The sharper the blade, the finer the clippings, and the faster they decompose.
4. CUT IT HIGH AND LET IT LIE
Never cut more than one third of the length off the grass blade in one mowing. Keep your grass mowed to 2 inches in the spring, gradually raising the height to 3 to 4 inches by summer, then reduce to 2 inches by late fall.
5. DON'T OVERFERTILIZE
Avoid over-fertilizing your lawn. If it becomes too dense with growth, your clippings won’t be able to reach the soil to decompose.
The Benefits of Grasscycling
- It protects the lawn and releases nutrients back into the soil.
- Eliminates the time and labor to bag and fertilize grass.
- Reduces the amount of yard material to be bagged.
Composting Grass Clippings
Grass clippings are an ideal component of a compost pile or bin. A compost pile needs to have a proper balance of green and brown material in order to decompose properly, so when you are composting with grass clippings, make sure you add browns such as dry leaves, wood chips, straw, or sawdust. Learn more about composting organic materials at home.