Grasscycling

Grasscycling is a method of handling grass clippings by leaving them to decompose on the lawn when mowing. The term combines "grass" and "recycling", and had come into use by at least 1990,^[1] as part of the push to reduce the huge quantities of clippings going into landfills, up to half of some cities' summertime waste flow,^[2] as 1,000 square feet (93 m²) of lawn can produce 200 to 500 pounds (90 to 225 kg) of clippings a year.^[3]

Because grass consists largely of water (80% or more^[4]), contains little lignin,^[4] and has high nitrogen content, grass clippings easily break down during an aerobic process ^[5] (comparable to composting) and returns the decomposed clippings to the soil within one to two weeks,^[3] acting primarily as a fertilizer supplement and, to a much smaller degree, a mulch. Grass cycling can provide 15 to 20% or more of a lawn's yearly nitrogen requirements.^[6][7] Proponents also note that grasscycling reduces the use of plastic bags for collecting yard waste and reduces trips to the curb or landfill to haul waste.^[8]

Techniques

Optimal grasscycle techniques include:^[3][6][9]

• Cutting no more than 1/3 the length of the grass, this means when lawns are growing fast, mowing about twice a week.^[10]
• Cutting when the grass is dry to the touch
• Cutting when the height is between 3 and 4 inches (7 to 10 cm), once per week.^[10]
• Ensuring that the mower blade is sharp

Although a mulching mower can make grass clippings smaller, one is not necessary for grasscycling.

See also

• Compost
• Recycling

References

External links

• What Is Grasscycling?
• Natural Grass Killers

This page was last edited on 22 September 2023, at 15:25