Left over grass clippings and what you should do once you have finished cutting your grass.
There’s no doubt about it, cutting the lawn is rewarding. Not only is it great to get out into the fresh air and do a little unintentional exercise, but the finished results are well worth it too. There’s just one little problem you’re faced with (or, depending on the size of your yard, it might be a big problem…) – what on earth do you do with all the grass clippings?
Rest assured, yours is a common question. There are plenty of avid gardeners that struggle to know what to do with lawn clippings, and unfortunately, there’s not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. However, there are ways and means of getting rid of or recycling your lawn waste:
1. Simple, Leave them there
We get it – a beautifully cut lawn without any trace of clippings is really something to be proud of! But hey, if they’re small enough, there’s actually nothing wrong with leaving the lawn clippings on the lawn. In fact, removing clippings every time you mow actually robs the grass of valuable nutrients. So why not leave them there to break down and feed the lawn? It’ll help with fertilising, save you some backbreaking work and a lot of unnecessary headaches. It may mean mowing more often so that you don’t have such long clippings, but the results will be well worth it.
2. Rake and recycle
Many municipalities have garden recycling programs in place that you can take advantage of. Collect your grass clippings in bags and dispose of them according to your local council’s regulations.
3. Create compost
Composting your grass clippings is a cost-effective and helpful way create rewards from rubbish. Add the contents of your lawn mower catcher to the compost pile (remember to balance it with ‘brown’ materials) and use it at a later date as fertiliser for your garden and lawn. If you don’t have a compost pile of your own, maybe your neighbour does – ask around and see if you can find someone who’d be glad to make use of your lawn clippings.
4. Mulch your trees and bushes
Spreading your clippings around the base of trees and bushes can act as a great mulch for these plants. Not only does it suppress weed growth, but as the grass breaks down, it returns moisture and nutrients to the soil.
5. Animal food
Plenty of animals love a treat of fresh grass! Why not collect them up and give them to your pony, sheep or rabbits? And if you’re not an animal person, maybe you’ve got a friend that’d be glad to give it to their pets. Of course, it’s not wise to feed chemical treated lawn clippings to animals so if you’ve used fertilisers on your lawn, dispose of the clippings some other way.
At Greener Lawns, we have plenty of ideas on how to use your grass clippings. And not only that, we’d love to share our ideas with you! Call us today on 1800 473 363 and chat to one of our staff – we love your lawn as much as you do and we’re keen to help you maintain it to perfection!