GRASS CLIPPINGS -- WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Most communities do not accept grass clippings since they are hard to dispose of and are not accepted in landfills (state law). The best method of dealing with grass clippings is for the homeowner to recycle them.
Grasscycling is leaving grass clippings on the lawn to decompose. Grass clippings are mostly water. When you mow regularly, clippings quickly decompose and release nutrients to fertilize the lawn.

Why Grasscycle?
• It reduces yard waste by 20% - 40% or more.
• It saves the time, trouble, and expense of bagging or putting clippings in cans.
• It saves gas and energy required to transport and process grass clippings.
• It reduces the need for fertilizer. Research shows that when you leave grass clippings on the lawn, you need as much as one third less fertilizer to achieve the same color and grass density found on lawns where the clippings are removed.
• It reduces the demand for water.
• It provides moisture and nutrients to the soil and cushioning layers to reduce wear.

Getting Started
Just let your grass clippings from your mower or mulching mower lie where they fall. Remember, you only want to remove about 1/3 of the grass blade when you mow. Thatch is not caused by letting grass clippings fall to the lawn, at least when the lawn is mowed on a regular basis. The young grass clippings are over 90% water, and they decompose rapidly (UW Extension InfoSource).

Leaving clippings on the lawn takes the place of one entire nitrogen application for the summer.

WI DNR Yard Care
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/yardcare.htm

University of Minnesota Extension
Lawn Clipping Management