June 22, 2023
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy your yard, but keeping your lawn healthy doesn't have to mean spending more time, money, or resources. One of the easiest ways to care for your lawn while supporting a more sustainable community is by grasscycling. This simple lawn care practice naturally nourishes your grass, reduces yard waste, and saves you the extra step of bagging and disposing of grass clippings.
Why You Should Grasscycle
It’s time to take those collection bags off of your mowers, stop bagging up your lawn clippings, and reap the benefits of grasscycling!
- Benefits to Your Lawn - Grasscycling improves the quality of your lawn and makes it more organic – through the added nutrients put into your lawn from its lawn clippings rather than added fertilizers. Soil volume will even increase, as clippings break down into compost and add to the soil.
What Is Grasscycling?
Grasscycling simply means leaving grass clippings on your lawn after mowing instead of bagging or raking them.
The clippings quickly decompose, returning moisture and nutrients back into the soil. They can also be used as natural mulch around trees, shrubs, and garden beds to help retain soil moisture and reduce weed growth.
How to Grasscycle Successfully
Follow the One-Third Rule
For the best results, mow regularly and avoid removing more than one-third of the grass blade during a single mowing. Short clippings break down quickly and disappear into the lawn, while overly long clippings can form clumps.
Keep Your Mower in Good Shape
Sharp mower blades create clean cuts that help grass recover more quickly and produce smaller clippings that decompose faster. Any mower can be used for grasscycling—simply remove or leave off the collection bag if your mower has one.
Water Deeply, Not Frequently
Watering less often but more thoroughly encourages deeper root systems and helps build a stronger, more resilient lawn. Combined with grasscycling, this approach supports healthier soil and reduces the need for excessive lawn maintenance.
Fertilize Wisely
Because grass clippings naturally return nutrients to your lawn, many homeowners can reduce the amount of fertilizer they apply during the growing season. If fertilizer is needed, follow product directions and avoid overapplying.
When You Shouldn't Grasscycle
While grasscycling works well for most routine mowing, there are a few situations where it's better to collect or compost your clippings instead.
Consider composting or removing clippings if:
- Your grass has become excessively long and produces heavy clumps after mowing.
- The lawn is wet and clippings collect in thick piles.
- Your lawn is affected by certain diseases or fungal issues.
- You've recently applied lawn treatments that recommend temporarily collecting clippings.
Collected grass clippings can still be put to good use by adding them to a compost pile or using them as mulch in appropriate areas of your landscape.
A Greener Lawn Starts with Simple Changes
Grasscycling is one of the easiest ways to maintain a beautiful lawn while reducing yard waste and supporting a healthier environment. By letting your lawn naturally recycle its nutrients, you'll spend less time bagging clippings, reduce unnecessary waste, and help build healthier soil throughout the season.
Looking for more ways to reduce waste at home? Rockland Green also offers seasonal promotions on compost bins, rain barrels, recycling bins, and paper leaf bags to help residents make sustainable choices all year long.
For additional lawn care, composting, and waste reduction resources, explore the information available through Rockland Green or contact us with any questions.