Do you leave grass clippings on your lawn?

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Melissa - Lawn Care Support Blogs, North Queensland Lawns

Just have a think about how much lawn clippings you simply throw away each year after you mow. Most clippings, once in the rubbish bin get hauled away and eventually end up in land fill.

And that’s a bit of a shame when you consider the great nutritional benefits lawn clippings have, especially when you think about the money and time you have spent on soil additives, manures and fertilisers.

If your lawn doesn’t thatch up rapidly, or during slower growing seasons, leaving the clippings on the lawn during mowing can be a better idea than throwing them away. They will quickly break down and release nutrients to feed your lawn. Regular lawn mowing will have your lawn looking great and assist with the rapid break down of the clippings into the soil. This method can also protect the soil below the lawn from evaporation during the warmer weather we receive in North Queensland.

If you’re considering leaving lawn clippings on the lawn and are in the market for a new lawn mower you might want to have a think about a mulching lawn mower. With their design including four blades, they will send the clippings through the blades several times before ejecting them. The four blades will finely chop up the lawn clippings so they can be broken down quickly. In addition, the lawn clippings are pushed down by the fan action of the blades into the lawn reducing the visible appearance of the clippings left on the lawn. This results in lawn clippings that usually disappear altogether in a matter of days.

Exceptions to the rule:

Don’t leave clippings on the lawn after mowing an extremely long lawn

Don’t leave clippings on the lawn if your lawn is growing rapidly; it will leave too much

Don’t leave clippings on the lawn if weeds are present. If seed heads have already formed this practice will simply propagate the next generation of weeds

Don’t leave clippings on the lawn if you have recently sprayed for weeds or pests; these clippings must be disposed of in the rubbish bin

For more lawn care tips and tricks contact the team at Harden Park Lawns or read our lawn care articles.