The internet is so boring today…and when I get bored, somehow I end up reading my home state’s website. I know- it’s totally pathetic. I’ve been working my way through their resources on composting, and I found a nice page on grasscycling.
Yard waste makes up a large portion of our landfills, and the Fall season reminds me of this as I watch the leaves get swept up for the trash. It’s crazy, as leaves are super critical for composting. Hoard them!
But what about grass? You can definitely compost without grass, and it’s better left to stay where it lay. Why is this? Well, here’s an excerpt from the DEP article “Grasscycling – It’s OK to Let it Lay”:
“Grass clippings left on the lawn decompose and act as a natural organic fertilizer. This lets you reduce the amount of commercial fertilizer you need to apply. Your lawn will remain healthy and green because each time you mow, you will be returning valuable nutrients to the soil.
MOWING TECHNIQUES & TIPS
- Any mower can recycle grass clippings. Just remove the grass catcher. Ask your lawn mower dealer if you need a special safety plug or adapter kit to convert your mower into a “recycling” mower. Installing a mulching blade also is helpful.
- Never cut off more than 1/3 of the grass blade in one mowing. Keep grass mowed to 2″ in early spring, gradually raise the height to 3-4″ by summer, then gradually reduce to 2″ by late fall.
- Mow when the grass is dry.
- Keep your mower blade sharp. Dull mowers tear the grass blade, injure the plant and cause a brownish cast to the turf.
- If the grass gets too high, mow over the clippings a second time to further shred and scatter them.
- To prevent excess growth between mowings, raise the mower height, mow, then gradually lower it over a span of several mowings. This will help prevent shock to the plants.
- When it’s time to replace your mower, consider a mulching, recycling or nonpolluting reel mower. All of them do a good job of shredding and scattering grass clippings.”