Grasscycling

Grasscycling refers to an aerobic (requires air) method ^[1] of handling grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn when mowing.

Electric lawn mower in grass-cycling mode

The term is a portmanteau combining "grass" and "recycling", and had come into use by at least 1990^[2] as part of the push to reduce the huge quantities of clippings going into landfills, up to half of some cities' summertime waste flow,^[3] as 1,000 square feet (93 m²) of lawn can produce 200 to 500 pounds (90 to 225 kg) of clippings a year.^[4]

Because grass consists largely of water (80% or more^[5]), contains little lignin,^[5] and has high nitrogen content, grass clippings easily break down during an aerobic process ^[1] (comparable to composting) and returns the decomposed clippings to the soil within one to two weeks,^[4] acting primarily as a fertilizer supplement and, to a much smaller degree, a mulch. Grasscycling can provide 15 to 20% or more of a lawn's yearly nitrogen requirements.^[6][7] Proponents also note that grasscycling reduces the use of plastic bags for collecting yard waste and reduces trips to the curb or landfill to haul waste.^[8]

Optimal grasscycle techniques include:^[4][6][9]

• Cutting no more than 1/3 the length of the grass, this means when lawns are growing fast, mowing about twice a week.^[10]
• Cutting when the grass is dry to the touch
• Cutting when the height is between 3 and 4 inches (7 to 10 cm), once per week.^[10]
• Ensuring that the mower blade is sharp

Although a mulching mower can make grass clippings smaller, one is not necessary for grasscycling.

See also

• Compost
• Recycling
• List of organic gardening and farming topics

References

External links

• What is grasscycling?