How to Effectively Use Lawn Clippings

People used to see lawn clippings as an unwanted burden. They would often wait until rubbish day nears before mowing their lawn and filling the bin with scraps. But nowadays people are recognising the benefits of lawn clippings and what they can do for their gardens.

Read on to find out what you can do with your lawn clippings.

Mulch Them

The first and most simple thing you can do with your clippings is mulch them. Find yourself a self-mulching mower and put them back into your lawn. Most lawn mower models have self-mulching capabilities, and often come with an appendage that replaces the catcher. All you have to do is ask the staff at your local garden store about turning your current mower into a self-mulching superstar.

The benefits of mulching lawn clippings include:

• Fertilise the lawn
• Reduce evaporation
• Makes lawn mowing easier as you don’t have to continuously release the catcher

However, if you decide to mulch when the lawn is too long or wet, self-mulching can potentially leave ongoing clumps of grass on your lawn. These clumps have a hard time breaking down and can be more detrimental than effective. In this case, it is best to use a catcher. Clippings have to break down in order to fully benefit the lawn, as it allows the ground’s root system to receive the full amount of nitrogen and water. Large grass clumps can cause dead patches, so use a catcher if this happens to you.

Lawn clippings are also greatly beneficial for garden beds. They work in much the same way for garden beds as they do for the lawn, providing plenty of nutrients to the plants and helping them thrive. When applying lawn clippings to the garden bed, remember to rake them. Your mulch layer should be no thicker than about four inches in length. You can also add other green waste to your lawn clippings. This can include waste like leaves and other debris. Try to spread the mulch as soon as you have cut it, as this is when it is most fresh and nutrient-rich.

Compost Them

Provide your compost heap with some extra goodness by adding your lawn clippings. However, you should follow these steps to ensure it is done correctly. Do the following:

1. Create a grass clippings pile next to your compost bin as this allows them to dry. Grass clippings can form a mat that slowly breaks down and creates a bad odour, so it is important they dry before going in the compost.
2. Once they have dried you can then place them in the bin. Turn the contents once ever two or three days to ensure they receive even distribution in the bin as well as allowing their microbes to evenly break down.

Avoid Burning Them

Burning your lawn clippings can cause fires that your neighbours will hate you for. They stink and waft through the air. What’s more, grass clipping fires produce cO2 emissions that are simply unnecessary for the environment.