Grass-Cycling (Mulching)

Instead of bagging grass and sending it to the landfill leave it on the lawn.

Save Time: Cuts mowing time by 25%
Save Water: Grass clippings fall to the surface of the soil and help reduce evaporation.
Save Fertilizer: Grass-cycled yards need 25% less fertilizer. Fertilizer is a regulated contaminant going into our streams and lakes.
Save Money: No more bags and no fuel to haul grass clippings. No need for an extra black garbage bin for grass clippings, saving up to $132 per can/year. Use less fertilizer.
Save Landfills: Households that bag grass clippings send hundreds of pounds of grass to the landfills each year.

Mow High: Longer grass needs less water, is softer, greener, and better competes against weeds. It's best to leave grass 2.5 to 3 inches high.
Mow Dry: Make sure grass is dry when mowing to reduce unsightly clumps of grass on the surface of lawn.
Re-mow Long Grass: Grass-cycling works best if no more than 1/3 of the blade is removed in a single mowing. If you've let the grass get too long just re-mow it to more finely cut and distribute the grass.
Sharpen Blade: Sharpen or replace blade annually. A dull blade causes grass to brown at the tips and introduced disease.
Clean-Up: Make sure that clippings are cleaned up out of the gutter before they are washed down into the city storm drain system. This helps prevent contamination that causes algae blooms in our streams and lakes.

Thatch: Grass-cycling does not cause thatch. Clippings are more than 75% water and decompose quickly. Thatch is caused by dead roots, stems and rhizomes that don't decay quickly. It occurs when grass is stressed or unhealthy.
Disease: Disease is caused by poor health, improper watering and fertilizing, not grass-cycling.

Mulching Blades: Special mulching blades do chop clippings smaller than a conventional blade. If you choose to switch to a mulching blade, they can be purchased for around $20.