Grasscycling: Leave Grass Clippings On Your Lawn

Photo by Halley - License

Leave Grass Clippings On Your Lawn

(Written by Denver Recycles, a program of Denver Public Works Solid Waste Management.)

Feed your lawn and reduce your waste simply by leaving your grass clippings on your lawn after mowing. It’s called Grasscycling, and it is the natural way to recycle grass clippings and return valuable nutrients back into your lawn. Grasscycling also returns needed moisture to your lawn, which is especially important in dry summer drought conditions.

Tips for Grasscycling:

1.     You can grasscycle with any mower. Just remove the mower collection bag to allow clippings to drop on the lawn. If your mower does not have a safety flap covering the opening over which the bag fits, then you may need to purchase a retrofit kit from your local hardware store.

2.     Mow your lawn when it’s dry. When lawns are wet, the grass clippings clump together and do not feed your lawn as well as dry grass clippings.

3.     Follow the “1/3” Rule. To foster healthy grass, do not cut more than 1/3 of the length of the grass and leave clippings no more than one inch long. Lawns are most healthy when they are mowed to a height of 2 ½ to 3 inches.

4.     If you use a landscape service, be sure you ask them to leave the clippings on your lawn.

Benefits of Grasscycling:

Grasscycling benefits you. The United States EPA references a study showing that by not bagging clippings, mowing took about 38% less time, all the more time to be playing and lying on your grass! It also reduces your work load when you mow because it saves you the hassle of bagging, hauling, and disposing of grass clippings.

Grasscycling benefits your lawn. Leaving the grass clippings on your lawn will shade the roots of your grass and help keep the soil cool so it requires less manual watering. Grass clippings are more than 85% water and they return valuable moisture to the soil. Grasscycling is also a great way to recycle important nutrients like nitrogen back into the soil which reduces the need for supplemental nitrogen fertilizer. Grass clippings break down quickly and do not cause thatch. Contrary to popular belief, thatch comes from grass roots not mown grass blades because the roots contain lignin, a substance that decomposes slowly causing thatch. 

Grasscycling benefits Denver. During the growing season, up to 37% of what Denver residents put in the trash is yard debris, which is largely made up of grass clippings. When you grasscycle you dispose of less trash, saving space in the landfill.

Grasscycling benefits the environment. Finally, by grasscycling you can help reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. When organic materials such as grass clippings go to landfills they decompose under anaerobic (without air) conditions that create methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

This summer, take your recycling efforts to the next level and try grasscycling for a few weeks to see what you think! Visit DenverGov.org/DenverRecycles for more information about grasscycling or other opportunities to create less waste.