Grasscycling
Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. Grass clippings decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients back into the soil. Excess clippings can be composted in your backyard composter or brought to the city's composting facility at KARC (196 Lappan's Lane, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or Norterra Organics, located at 2069 Joyceville Road (open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Did you know?
A typical 1000 square foot lawn produces more than 300 pounds of fresh grass clippings
each year. Why not Trim Your Waste by grasscycling instead of raking and composting them?
-
Save Time!
No more raking, bagging grass clippings, and taking heavy bags to the compost site. -
Save Money!
Grass clippings act as a natural fertilizer and are made up of 90% water. Leaving them on the lawn will help it retain moisture, reducing the need for watering and chemical fertilizer. -
Encourage a healthy lawn!
Grass clippings contain valuable nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.
Aren't grass clippings going to be tracked into my house?
No! Mowing later in the day will give clippings time to dry and settle overnight. The
clippings will decay and disappear within a day or two.
Does it cause thatch buildup?
No! Research shows that grass roots are the primary cause of thatch buildup, not grass
clippings.
Do I need a special mower?
No! Mulching mowers cut up grass into finer pieces so that it decomposes quickly but you
can grasscycle with any mower if you use these mowing techniques.
- Cut grass when the surface is dry.
- Keep mower blades sharp
- Mow frequently enough that no more than one-third of the length of the grass blade is cut in any one mowing.
