Should I Bag When I Cut My Grass
Should You Bag When You Cut Your Grass?
”Should I bag when I cut my grass?” This is a question a lot of us face when we come to cut our lawns.
While leaving cut grass spread across your lawn can resemble something of a mess, there are some major advantages to doing so. That said, many advocate for bagging on account of it making for a cleaner aesthetic when performing lawn care and maintenance on your property.
Needless to say, there are differing views on whether to bag or mulch your lawn clippings. Each has its pros. As you’ll find out in this article, having cut grass in the yard is almost always best and requires no effort, however, one would be remiss not to clarify that there are some occasions where bagging is the better move.
Which is right for a homeowner – to bag or not to bag cut grass – comes down to their preference.
Why You Should Bag After You Cut The Grass
You Protect Against Lawn Disease
If you see signs of lawn disease, it is absolutely recommended to bag when you cut the grass to avoid it spreading.
A lawn that is populated with an abundance of leaves that don’t seem to be going away, if there are clear signs of disease in the grass itself, or if you know you have weeds, even if it’s just a small amount, bagging after you cut the grass is the smart move.
You otherwise risk disease in your grass remaining and worsening the aesthetics of your lawn.
You Can Transfer Them To A Compost Pile
If you have a compost pile going or mulch you’re putting together, you can bag after you cut the grass and transfer what you’ve collected over.
This can aid you in controlling how you use the nutrients that exist in your grass.
They May Thatch If The Lawn Is Mowed At A Tall Height
Grass that has been cut at a tall height may not break down and nourish the grass underneath in the way it normally would.
Thatch is a layer of partially decomposed grass-plant parts that sits between the soil and live grass. It’s not the prettiest to look at. Though it rarely occurs, if the grass has not been cut for some time and has a tall height, you may end up with this.
Protect The Aesthetics Of Your Landscaping
Why a lot of homeowners opt to bag their grass clippings is because they wish to protect the look of their landscaping.
You keep your lawn looking tidy, avoid grass clippings from being dragged into the house, and help maintain the aesthetics of your property.
It Can Make Mowing More Difficult Leaving The Clippings
If you leave grass clippings on your lawn, it could cause trouble when you go to mow it and they’re still present.
If the mower blade is not sharp or the grass is wet, you could end up with clumps of grass clogging up your mower and slowing everything down. This means your mower is going to work harder, in addition to small piles of grass being left all over your yard.
Why Leave Your Grass Clippings On Your Lawn
They’re Nourishing
Your grass clippings make for extremely nourishing mulch for what’s coming up fresh underneath. It’s the cheapest way to fertilize your lawn, by far, requiring nothing more than for you to do zilch. It’s sort of like free lawn food!
The result is you help the soil renew itself and assist it with retaining moisture which is key to its long-term growth.
For any grass, feeding it regularly by way of clippings is smart, and happens naturally when you cut your lawn and don’t bag.
It’s A Way To Recycle
When you leave your grass clippings, you’re recycling organic matter. This puts valuable nutrients back into the lawn to come, such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.
Grass is also approximately 85% water so recycling and decomposition typically does not take long.
While you won’t completely be able to replace your lawn’s need for fertilizer, just by doing nothing and recycling these nutrients, you increase the amount of nutrients your lawn is receiving.
You’re Saving Time
You save yourself time and money by not picking up grass after the lawn is cut. Considering the other benefits, you don’t need to feel bad about that.
This completely removes the chore of having to empty the grass catcher, rake, haul bags of clippings out to the curb, and the entirety of that very time-consuming experience.
Instead of sending high-value grass clippings out to the landfill or wherever it goes, you keep those nutrients locked in to your lawn.
You Don’t Have To Buy An MCS
A material collection system, or MCS, is better than your average rake and collection system. Material collection systems can be as simple as a generic bag over your mower or be far more advanced.
Subsequently, there are also specialized mulching blades one can buy if they intend to bag and then mulch their lawn clippings. These tools come at a cost, however, in addition to one having to actually find the equipment which is not always available locally and may require a wait.
By comparison, leaving cut grass on your lawn and not bagging it is a lot easier and less costly to arrange.
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