Instead of breaking your back bagging those grass clippings after mowing, consider the benefits for leaving the cut grass on the lawn as fertilizer.
A released by the horticulture department at CSU suggests that leaving grass clippings on the lawn is beneficial through improving the ecosystem, the soil and reducing carbon dioxide in the air, as well as reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizer.
- As the clippings breakdown they add nitrogen and carbon to the soil. Both nutrients are essential for plant growth. When the soil holds the carbon, less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
- The use of nitrogen fertilizer can be cut by 25 percent when clippings are left on the lawn. Reducing fertilizer reduces the risk of nitrogen leaching into water supplies.
- Clippings left on the lawn attract earthworms and other beneficial micro-organisms.
- Leaving the cut grass on your lawn not only saves time, but no bagging means less plastic in the landfill.
Using a mulching mower and leaving clippings could be a real time and money saver. Companies could save money on dumping fees and the time it takes to get rid of the clippings. The land owner could save money using less fertilizer.
