Common Lawn Problems - Excessive Mower Clippings (2024)

FAQs

Common Lawn Problems - Excessive Mower Clippings? ›

It's very important to adjust the mowing schedule to accommodate how quickly the lawn is growing. This will help avoid leaving excessive mower clippings behind. Excessive grass clippings cover the lawn and damage the grass that is being covered unless the clippings are bagged or raked away.

Cutting too much grass at once is often too many clippings for a lawn mower to handle, no matter how good of a machine it is. So instead, mow more often! Avoid letting the lawn grow too much between mowing. Alternately, you can also raise the deck on your lawn mower so that you aren't taking as much off.

Grass clippings will always be a part of lawn care. You can bag clippings or recycle them by returning them to the 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.

Contrary to a popular lawn myth, leaving clippings on the lawn does not cause thatch, which is a layer of partially decomposed grass-plant parts between the soil and live grass. Grass clippings are mostly water, so as long as you mow regularly at the right height, they will break down and disappear rapidly.

Grass clippings are the cut grasses that are left behind—or captured in a grass catcher—by your mower when you cut your lawn. Grass clippings are short when you mow your lawn following the “one-third” rule (never mow more than one-third height off of your grass in a single mowing session).

Excessive grass clippings cover the lawn and damage the grass that is being covered unless the clippings are bagged or raked away. Aside from being very unaesthetically pleasing, excessive clippings usually indicate that more than 1/3 of the leaf blade is being removed at one time.

Mowing too fast often results in rows of uncut grass and clumps of grass, also the reason why lawn mowers leave tracks. However, mowing with a mower at full speed, repeating over the same area numerous times, also results in the mower not cutting evenly.

to cattle – Freshly-mowed grass clippings, as well as fully fermented clippings can be safely consumed as long as they do so within 8 hours of the mowing. to goats and/or sheep – if freshly mowed, grass clippings can be fed in small amounts or if you have allowed the clippings to dry completely.

Unless you've let the lawn grow excessively long, or the clippings are in thick clumps, grass clippings are a good source of nutrients. Leaving clippings helps save fertilizer costs and thereby prevents ground and surface water contamination.

Follow the “1/3 rule:” mow the lawn often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade is removed in any one mowing. Proper mowing will produce short clippings that will not cover up the grass surface.

Is it better to mow with or without a bag? ›

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.

Never dethatch when your lawn is dormant or stressed; you can damage it beyond recovery. Lawn aeration and dethatching are two different processes, but they can work together to help your lawn.

Put them in your compost bin. Or, change your mower setting to mulch and leave them on your lawn. Use mulching mower - Cut to 4 inches - Leave the mulched clippings -Sharpen blades after every 25 hrs of use.

Heavy mowers will start to sink into the grass and whip up moisture as they cut your grass, which causes grass to clump in matted wet wads that clog the deck of your mower and its catcher.

Mow Properly

Using best practices for mowing helps your grass grow thick and stay that way. Rather than mowing based on your weekly calendar, mow according to grass needs. Mow often enough to maintain your grass type at its recommended mowing height without removing more than one-third of the height in a single mowing.

The grass box needs cleaning.

Another reason why your lawn mower may not be collected is that your grass box is clogged. If the box becomes clogged with grass, dirt, or debris, it will be difficult for the grass to enter the box as the debris will create a blockage.

Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. Grass clippings contain moisture, valuable nutrients, and decompose quickly. Grasscycling saves time and money and helps the environment.