Are you mowing, watering, and fertilizing your lawn at the same time? Believe it or not, you may already be doing it. Grass blades are composed of about 85% water, with other organic matter and nutrients, like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, making up the rest. If you leave clippings on the yard after mowing, you've fed and watered it with no extra work required.
Leaving the clippings in the yard is almost always best, but in some situations, you may choose to bag them. We'll go over the pros and cons of each and let you decide.
Leaving the clippings (mulching & discharging)
All mowers are capable of discharging and will have a chute on the side or back for grass clippings to exit. The difference in mulching and discharging is in the chute (and blades). If you have a mulching kit to plug the chute, the cut grass blades will recirculate inside the deck, allowing them to be cut into finer pieces. They will eventually make their way back down into your lawn.
Mulching pros and cons
Pros
- Healthy for your lawn - clippings are returned to the lawn, providing nutrients and helping the soil retain moisture. This is sometimes referred to as "grasscycling." Despite popular belief, leaving clippings in the yard won't contribute to thatch.
- Less work - raking, bagging, and handling the clippings can take a lot of time and effort. Letting the lawn naturally decompose clippings is much easier.
- Better appearance - discharging will leave larger clippings in the yard, so mulching them into finer pieces will make the yard look cleaner. Keeping the clippings circulating under the deck will also prevent them from ending up on the road or walkways.
- Legal - that's right, you won't get in trouble with the law if you're leaving your clippings in the yard. Dumping yard waste is banned in some states, and leaving yard clippings all over the road can get you in trouble with some local authorities. You can do some research on laws that might affect you or just mulch and play it safe.
Cons
- Harder on your mower - if you try to mulch when the yard is tall, your mower is working harder to chop up the clippings.
- Doesn't work well for wet grass - when the grass is wet, you may run into some issues when trying to mulch. The grass clumps together and sticks to the underside of the deck, causing circulation issues and leaving small piles of grass all over the yard.
Mulching equipment
Most mowers should be capable of mulching. With a push mower, it's as simple as covering the discharge chute. If you're looking for a riding mower to mulch with, consider the John Deere MulchControl Kit. It allows the discharge chute to be opened or closed with ease. This kit is available for mowers with High-Capacity, Accel Deep, and Edge Cutting System decks. These decks can be found on the John Deere 100 Series, S240 Series, X300 Series, X500 Series, X700 Series, Z300 Series, and Z500 Series mowers. The one-touch option for the MulchControl kit (allowing it to be switched on/off from the seat) can be found on John Deere X300 and X500 Select Series lawn tractors.
If you're looking for a walk-behind mower, all STIHL battery mowers and Honda lawn mowers are capable of mulching.
We recommend using a set of mulching blades to help with circulation and cutting. These blades should be kept sharp so the mower doesn't have to work too hard. For tips on sharpening blades, check out our guide on sharpening vs buying blades.
When to bag yard clippings
Mulching is great, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. You may decide to bag clippings for a variety of reasons. The most common is when the yard is several inches tall and clippings cover the lawn, preventing nutrients from reaching the grass below. Around fall when leaves start to cover your lawn, having a bagger around will save some time raking. If you notice signs of disease, you may want to collect the clippings to prevent it from spreading. You could also have a compost pile for clippings.
Be sure to check local and state laws if you decide to bag and dispose of clippings.
Bagging equipment
Bagging yard clippings or leaves with a rake can take a while. You can save time and effort by using a material collection system (MCS). Material collection systems are available for John Deere 100 Series, S240 Series, X300 Series, X500 Series, X700 Series, Z300 Series, and Z500 Series mowers. Honda HRN Series, HRX Series, and HRC Series push mowers and all STIHL battery mowers come with a bag attachment. Any blades should work when bagging, but if you want finer pieces, you should use a mulching blade.
Most of the time, mulching your clippings is the best option. You should bag your clippings if the grass is tall, leaves are covering the lawn, or you need to prevent disease and weeds from spreading.
Whether you're mulching or bagging, Hutson has the right tools for the job. If you need help finding the right equipment, give us a call or visit one of our stores.
Additional Resources
- Guide to mowing best practices
- Shop Residential John Deere Lawn Mowers and Zero Turns
- Shop Honda push mowers
- Shop STIHL push mowers
FAQs
Most of the time, mulching your clippings is the best option. You should bag your clippings if the grass is tall, leaves are covering the lawn, or you need to prevent disease and weeds from spreading.
Is there a downside to mulching grass? ›
However, mulching also has some potential drawbacks. For example, if too much mulch is applied, it can smother the grass and prevent it from getting the oxygen it needs to thrive.
Should you mulch or bag first cut of the year? ›
We recommend performing bi-weekly lawn maintenance in March. We have found that this schedule encourages growth in most yards. Furthermore, we recommend that your first mow be a “mow low and bag.” You can mulch your grass at almost every mowing service for the season, but the first one really should be bagged.
Is it better to bag or mulch wet grass? ›
In damp conditions you absolutely must mow between 3 and 4 inches – the second-highest or highest setting on your deck. Your mower can't handle cutting too low in wet conditions. Don't bag or mulch. Use a side-discharge and then either rake up the clippings or mow again when it's dry using a bagger or mulcher.
Is it better to mulch or bag new grass? ›
Many experts say grass mulching is the best method. Leaving the clippings will save you time and energy, and it will return valuable nutrients to the lawn. Lawns love to be fed, and grass clippings contain the same beneficial nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients as fertilizer.
What time of year should I mulch my lawn? ›
Mulching is best done either just before or just after the growing season. Therefore, most property owners have it done in either the spring or the fall. While it is up to you to choose when to mulch, there are certain advantages of having it done in spring.
When not to mulch? ›
When Not to Mulch. Don't mulch just before major rainfall is expected. Too much rain might cause your mulch to run right off your flower beds or away from the base of a tree. You also shouldn't mulch right before a very windy day.
Do you have to mow slower when mulching? ›
You have to mow slower because you want the mulched grass clippings to be spread evenly across your lawn. Going too fast will result in clumps of grass you'll need to spread. It also strains the mower because it'll have to mulch a larger volume of grass clippings.
Should you remove mulch every year? ›
Your mulch can last for two or three years if properly applied. However, we always want to avoid a mulch layer that's too thick, so we recommend checking the depth of your existing mulch and removing some as you apply a fresh layer.
Is it okay to leave grass clippings on a lawn? ›
As a general rule, grass clippings of an inch or less in length can be left on your lawn where they will filter down to the soil surface and decompose quickly. Remove longer clippings because they can shade or smother grass beneath causing lawn damage. Don't throw out bagged grass clippings as yard waste.
If you don't bag the clippings, it can spread the disease. In the summer heat, it may be best to mulch grass clippings because they break down in the heat and humidity.
When should you bag grass clippings? ›
During the spring and early summer months, grass grows much quicker than in the later summer months. It might be best to bag your clippings in the spring and early summer when your lawn isn't as pressed for moisture. During the summer months when the grass is growing slower, bagging might not be as necessary.
Should I mulch my lawn every time? ›
Almost without exception, lawn clippings should always be mulched back into the lawn. The benefits of mulching grass are too numerous and valuable to ignore. From providing nutrients for the soil to saving significant amounts of time and money, mulching the lawn clippings just makes sense.
When not to cut grass? ›
Never mow wet or frosty grass
This can damage your turf and compact the soil. Wait until later in the day when the lawn has dried out or defrosted, or postpone mowing to another day.
Is it OK to use fresh grass clippings as mulch? ›
Using clippings as mulch
In general, putting mulch around flowers, vegetables, shrubs and trees helps reduce weeds, conserve moisture and moderate soil temperatures. Grass clippings are a good mulch option with a few conditions: Do not apply more than 1 or 2 inches of grass clippings at one time.
Should I mulch and then bag leaves? ›
Mulch mow then bag
Mow the leaf piles and allow them to fall onto the turf. Mowing leaves the first time over with the bagger results in the leaves being sucked into the bagger and not being shredded. Without the bag the leaves are chopped into smaller pieces.
When should I put grass clippings in my garden? ›
It's best to use grass clippings only from untreated lawns… or if the lawn has been treated, wait at least three or four weeks (a minimum of two mowings) before using them as mulch.
Should I bag my grass clippings if I have weeds? ›
If you already have weeds, you should only mulch lawn clippings if you have time to pull all the weeds out, or at the very least, the seed heads. If you mulch, seeds will be left behind and the lawn mower will spread the weed seeds around your lawn. It's best to only mulch your lawn when it is completely free of weeds.
