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Did you know that a ½ acre lawn in New England produces over 3 tons or nearly 260 bags of grass clippings each year? Think of all the time, money and effort it would take to bag all those clippings. Why go through all that hassle when it’s really not necessary? You can have a healthy green lawn by leaving grass clippings where they fall! It’s simple…grass clippings left on the lawn will decompose and act as a natural organic fertilizer. This allows you to reduce the amount of additional commercial fertilizer you need to apply. Your lawn will still be healthy and green because each time you mow, you will be returning valuable nutrients to the soil! The key word is "less"…less fertilizer, less water, less work, and best of all, less waste! Recycling clippings back into the lawn requires less effort than disposing of them as waste. No one has to handle the clippings – not you, not your lawn care professional and not the waste management crew. You can reduce your mowing time by nearly 40% by not bagging, and spend less money on fertilizer and trash bags. And by not trashing grass, you’ll be doing your part for the environment by reducing waste! If you follow these "Don’t Trash Grass" mowing, fertilizing and watering guidelines, not only will you have a healthy lawn, but you’ll never have to bag grass clippings again! Proper fertilizer application is important. And remember, when it comes to fertilizer, more is not better! Research shows that most grasses require only modest levels of nitrogen for good color and controlled growth. Too much fertilizer will make your lawn grow faster, resulting in more mowing and more clippings! Apply fertilizer to your lawn in late April and again in September. If a third treatment is needed, apply in late May. Apply only ½ pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn at each application. To figure this out simply divide 100 by twice the percentage of nitrogen (N) in the fertilizer. This will give you the application rate in pounds of fertilizer per 1000 square feet of lawn. For example: Per 1000 sq. ft. For slower, more uniform growth, choose fertilizers containing sources of slow-release nitrogen such as methylene urea, ureaformaldehyde, sulfur coated urea, or IBDU. The bag may also read "water insoluble nitrogen" or "slow release nitrogen." All are acceptable and will increase the amount of time the grass can use the nutrient. New England has a high precipitation rate, so turf grasses here don’t have to be watered to survive. Lawns may turn brown and dormant during periods of drought, but will turn green rapidly when moisture in the soil is replaced. Remember, the more you water your lawn, the faster it’s going to grow and the more you will have to mow it!
What About Thatch? Don’t worry about grass clippings contributing to thatch problems. Turf experts nationwide agree that clippings do not produce thatch, because they are 80% water and decompose quickly. Rather, thatch is the accumulation of dead roots and stems and is most often caused by over fertilizing and over watering. A thatch layer of more than ½" should be removed as a matter of healthy lawn maintenance. Other Uses For Clippings {wooden compost bin} Compost clippings at home: Clippings are an excellent source of nitrogen for your home compost pile. No more than 1/3 of the pile should be fresh clippings. Mix thoroughly with "brown" materials such as leaves or straw and turn the pile regularly to keep it well oxygenated and to prevent odors. Use clippings as mulch: Apply dried grass clippings directly on the soil about 1 inch thick to reduce weeds, moderate soil temperature, and control soil spattering, erosion, run-off and evaporation. Avoid mulching with clippings which have been recently treated with herbicides. This can harm your plants. As a precaution, mulch with clippings from herbicide treated lawns only after two lawn mowings. Incorporate clippings into garden soil: Mixing fresh grass clippings into the garden adds nutrients and organic matter which improves the texture and moisture retention properties of the soil. A two inch layer of grass can be turned into the soil to a depth of 6" about once a month. Alternative Landscapes Consider planting ground covers such as English ivy, pachysandra, and periwinkle; increasing shrub beds; or growing a wildflower meadow as alternatives to turf grass. They look beautiful, don’t need mowing and will help reduce lawn maintenance and yard waste! Video Download Resources There is a myriad of published information on home composting, grasscycling, worm composting, and organics recycling. Please visit our Composting and Organics Resource Page for suggestions on books, videos and links to related websites. While you’re there, read about DEEP’s video entitled "Don’t Trash Grass !" now available for free download, and in VHS video from the DEEP Store. Prepared cooperatively by the Connecticut and Massachusetts Departments of Environmental Protection. Funding provided in part by the US Environmental Protection Agency, Region I. 1993 Content Last Updated on October 18, 2019 |
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