should i bag my grass clippings after overseeding

Place a bag on your mower to catch clippings as you cut the grass. Do not bag. 3. Should I bag my grass clippings after overseeding? Sure it takes more time when you have to mow every 4-5 days, but you’re going to have a much better looking and healthier lawn in the long run. Apply fertilizer. Recycle Your Grass Clippings. Prior to mowing, you should discontinue watering for 1 day before mowing to let the lawn dry out. Some experts consider seven to 10 days a conservative option, suggesting that four days should be enough. If possible, use a mower with a bagger to collect the clippings and remove any dead material left from winter dor… Only remove one-third the height of grass at a time when mowing to avoid stressing your lawn. (I was told set the mower to the highest setting for the 1st mow). Mulch your clippings. Be careful not to set the mower too low, as it may scalp the lawn. © 2020 Tomlinson Bomberger   |   Privacy Policy. Leaving lawn clippings after the lawn has been mowed has some benefits that you may not have considered, but there are certainly some drawbacks to leaving them too. Because you should leave your grass about 2 1/2 to 3 inches tall - the proper height for optimal nutrient processing -- you should not let your grass grow more than 4 1/2 inches tall before mowing it. Spread seed at recommended seeding rates (found on bag label). What you are hoping for is there will be no more looose seed and any that gets into the mulching mower will not become destroyed. Mow your lawn when it's dry to prevent the clippings from matting, which could cause them to block sunlight and water from the soil. What you are hoping for is there will be no more looose seed and any that gets into the mulching mower will not become destroyed. Lawn experts for over 10 years. Be careful as they will get buried into the ground in these conditions. Research has shown that over a 3-year period, clippings from lawns contained between 46%-59% of nitrogen that was applied to the lawn (fertilizer). Thatch is a naturally-occurring layer of both decomposed stems and roots that grows between the grass blades and the soil. 5. Home // Blog // Should I Bag or Mulch my Grass Clippings? There are some circumstances when collecting your grass clippings is warranted. I still pushed through with my plan to dethatch and overseed the front yard. Please note that I also have a Toro SS4235 ZTR. Otherwise, you risk letting the disease spread to other areas of the lawn. However, make sure your unraked clippings are an appropriate size; otherwise, bagging your clippings can be a smarter option for your lawn's health. After doing my best this year, I was ravaged by grubs coming out of summer. Add topsoil - mixed with seed - to low or bare areas. If you see signs of lawn disease, pick up the clippings to avoid spreading the problem. I always mulch my grass but my lawn is in pristine condition, there are a number of factors you need to consider when deciding whether to bag your grass clippings or mulch them. Grass clippings contain about 4 percent nitrogen, and leaving clippings where they lie after mowing can feed your grass with 25 percent of its annual nitrogen needs. This is particularly true in cooler climates in the northern US. Leaving grass clippings in place is an easy way to recycle their nutrients back into your lawn. If cutting your lawn short before overseeding, bag the clippings. You may opt to use chemicals to help the ryegrass die out on time so the Bermuda grass … Using a side-discharge mower you may need to do your own mulching by running over your grass piles multiple times. Surprisingly, grass clippings are more useful than you may think. This will score the soil’s surface. The mulched clippings will provide some nutrients as well as help hold in water and shade the ground. The existing grass is now at the point where it's starting to flop over and looks bad. You should gather up those clippings. … 4. Even in a healthy lawn, overseeding can be extremely beneficial. No. You should bag your clippings if the grass is tall, leaves are covering the lawn, or you need to prevent disease and weeds from spreading. Should I Bag the First Cut of New St. Augustine Sod? Most of the time, mulching your clippings is the best option. But giving into the temptation to leave grass clippings on your lawn could be the best thing you do for your grass. That may be a good idea if you’re having a specific turf disease problem that you’re hoping to not spread as you mow, when cleaning up leaves in the fall, or if you went way too long between mowings. Yes. 6. Check with your lawn care company as to what was applied on your last lawn care service. Do not bag. But if you have patches of diseased grass on your lawn, you should bag the clippings and dispose of them. Followup Fertilizing (Optional) If you use a slow-acting granular fertilizer in the overseeding process, a followup fertilizer snack is helpful, but not essential. I'll also cut it down to 2.5" which I didn't know about but I assume that means I should bag my clippings vs mulching? Here are some common questions we have heard about the topic and some clarification: Yes. You don’t keep your lawn moist after aerating and overseeding. Select the best fertilizer, and load it into a fertilizer spreader. Be sure to follow the rates listed for overseeding, as it will be lower. Ryegrass, like all grass seeds, needs to be in direct contact with moist soil after mowing to grow properly. Fertilize with a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. How to Overseed for Crabgrass Control. They encourage earthworms and microorganisms that break them down over the course of just a few weeks. Don’t forget to reset the blades to a higher setting after the overseeding is complete and resume a normal mowing height as you typically don’t want to cut the grass this short. We’ve put safeguards in place to protect our clients and coworkers. Always use a sharp blade to reduce jagged cuts and pulling, which stress the grass and can cause disease. To prepare your lawn for overseeding, cut the grass short, using the lowest setting on your mower. Choose a Grass Seed. Aerate with core aerator going over lawn in 3 to 4 times. This means if you’re throwing away your clippings, you’re throwing away half of the fertilizer applied as well! Especially during times of drought when you grass is already stressed, it’s best to wait until the day after a good rainfall before aerating. Do not bag the clippings. Week 4 and beyond: A month after your new seed has had … However, whenever you can, mulch your clippings. Whether you're mulching or bagging, Hutson has the right tools for the job. Don't rake grass clippings, either:Why you should avoid raking grass clippings after mowing the lawn, and more mower taboos "It's free fertilizer," said Sandor. If you have gone to the trouble of aerating your lawn you really should take full advantage of the situation and I feel adding fresh grass seed to your lawn is a good idea after aeration. If you don’t mow frequently enough, excessive clumps and thick matting of lawn clippings can discolor and even kill areas in your lawn. Mulch your clippings. How to Overseed a Lawn. University of Idaho: Don't Bag It! When to bag grass clippings. No. The compost is ready when it smells earthy and crumbles like rich dirt between your fingers. You can add them to your compost pile as a nitrogen booster, letting them decompose with other compost materials, such as leaves, coffee grounds and kitchen waste, for two weeks to four months. Both side-discharge and mulching mowers leave grass blades behind. The only time it's better to bag grass clippings is when your grass is extremely overgrown, meaning the blades are several inches tall. This may mean you need to mow more than once a week in peak growing times so you’re only removing 1/3 of the grass blade each time you mow. Place a bag on your mower to catch clippings as you cut the grass. It has been a month since seeding. When you mow frequently enough, mulching mowers chop up those clippings and don’t even allow them to be seen. That may be a good idea if you’re having a specific turf disease problem that you’re hoping to not spread as you mow, when cleaning up leaves in the fall, or if you went way too long between mowings. New grass plants are fragile and easily damaged. It's best to still remove only one-third of the grass height per mowing session, gradually reducing the grass to the appropriate height. There are few times that we would actually recommend bagging your grass clippings. Grass clippings are mostly water, so as long as you mow regularly at the right height, they will break down and disappear rapidly. This avoids additional traffic from raking after mowing. Bag or mulch? Now you can do your part with making your lawn look even better! Different varieties of grass have varying seeding rates, and because grass seed is typically sold in blends, the bag will have the most accurate ratio for that particular blend. You’ll have to carry, bad, and dump your debris while you mow. For example, for grass that is 4.5 inches tall, do not mow shorter than 3 inches. Measure your grass blades with a ruler. Bag or rake up excess clippings. I have hired a pro to overseed my lawn for the past 3 years and the results have been great. After planting the seeds, you must make sure they’re covered with moist soil— at least a fourth of an inch— to foster growth. The mulched clippings will provide some nutrients as well as help hold in water and shade the ground. Then, it’s wise to rake over the area. Economically, it makes sense to mulch year-round for incredibly large areas of grass such as parks or fields. So, Should I Bag My Grass Clippings if I have Weeds in My Lawn? If you need help with the rest of what it takes to make your lawn look its best, please Contact Us when considering your choices for lawn care companies. Should I bag my grass clippings after overseeding? The mower setting should be around 1 to 1½ inches high. As a professional lawn care company, this is one of our most common questions. Every year, I would use my 19" push mower, mow short and bag the clippings before overseeding. This should be done just before the time of lawn green-up, which usually occurs during late April or early May. When you aerate your lawn it is the perfect time to overseed it as there will be holes all over that the seeds will have a … My overseeding will be done this Friday. Recycling your turf grass clippings significantly reduces the amount of fertilizer you’ll need since it keeps the nitrogen in the lawn. The bag will list both rates for planting new lawns from seed and overseeding rates. Which type of grass seed you choose depends on your existing grass type. Keep the materials damp and turn them regularly to speed the decomposition process. Do not allow the grass to get too long between mowing, try not to remove more than 1/3 of the blade during each mowing. Ah yes, to bag or not to bag your grass clippings…that is the question. The only time it's better to bag grass clippings is when your grass is extremely overgrown, meaning the blades are several inches tall. If you have a problem with excessive (over 1/2″) thatch in your lawn, the best way to manage thatch is to take a soil test and correct soil pH and perform a lawn aeration with a core aerator each year. If you’re using a bagging mower, you’re in for more work. How Often Should Grass Be Watered After it Is Fertilized? Clippings also act as a natural mulch that's not too thick, which helps conserve soil moisture to prevent your lawn from suffering drought stress. The best thing you can do for your grass after overseeding is give it rest, and your mower causes a lot of unrest. 5. Personally, when mowing an overseeded area (after waiting until appoximately a week after all the seeds have germinated), I use a bag to avoid the grass clippings covering up the newly-germinated new grass, at least until the new grass is generally all at about the same height as the previously-existing grass. The new grass needs sufficient time to mature and to begin establishing a root system and will scalp easily. Thanks again for the advice and i guess the consensus is to just reseed the bare areas and leave the rest of the seed stored away. Collecting your grass clippings and having them hauled off increases costs overall and takes up valuable space in landfills. I lost tons of grass because I didn't know my lawn had grubs and I didn't put down a preventative. The term “overseed” may sound technical and even intimidating if you aren’t familiar with the process, but it’s really a simple gardening concept: Overseeding is simply the process of planting new grass seed over your existing grass in order to create a revived, newly green and beautiful lawn that is lush and healthy. I just mowed it for the third time yesterday. This compost is best for your lawn. Then, scatter around … There are few times that we would actually recommend bagging your grass clippings. When we design our lawn care programs, we do so based on people recycling their clippings back to their lawn. Method #1 Leave the Lawn Clippings. I read the steps to overseeding article which states that the first mowing after overseeding should be when the new grass is 2.5-3 inches tall. The seedlings are no longer than 1/2" max but many have just germinated and are less than 1/4". Likewise, a study in a city with 80,000 people revealed that over 700 tons of grass clippings were collected and disposed of in their landfill each WEEK! This reduces the amount of nitrogen fertilizer you need to apply every year, saving you money in the long run. However, whenever you can, mulch your clippings. The advice above specified that leaving clippings on the lawn is all right, under the right conditions, provided that the grass in question is healthy. Yes. Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is an aggressive weed that can overtake your lawn if not properly treated. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. ... Should I bag lawn clippings when I mow? Leaving clippings on the grass adds moisture to your lawn and can add nutrients. Maintaining a regular mowing schedule - sometimes mowing more than once a week -- along with watering and fertilizing can make any gardener feel lazy about grass clippings. How to Spread Out Awful Grass Clipping Clumps. Mowing: Mow the lawn slightly lower than the regular summer mowing height of 1½ to 2 inches. Mowing more closely and collecting the clippings, helps the new grass seedlings get more light to encourage good strong growth. Rake up excessively long clippings and bag them so that they don't mat on the surface of your lawn. The clippings that are left behind decompose rapidly and do not contribute to thatch. That’s why it’s smartest to wait around a week, or more if possible, to allow the new seeds to settle. If herbicides or other materials like insecticides were applied, you won’t want to use these as compost on your garden. Percentage of Nitrogen in Grass Clippings. Mulching is preferable to collecting grass clippings – The compost you will create with mulched grass clippings will help to retain much needed moisture for new grass plants and also provide them with more nutrients. Leaving your grass clippings on the ground flushes nitrogen back into the soil. As long as you mow your lawn regularly so that clippings are no more than 1 inch long, you can safely let them lie where they fall on the grass. You can read our COVID-19 statement here. Should I Bag or Mulch my Grass Clippings. No. Generally, in residential areas, large amounts of grass clippings can become problematic. Nitrogen encourages green growth, which makes it the most important nutrient for grass. Start by mowing your grass low - an inch or so lower than normal. However, a mulching blade chops up clippings into finer pieces so they decompose faster and don’t clump as quickly. Premium Lawn Service answers your questions about lawn care, weed control, overseeding, aerating, watering, and more. If your clippings are long and you don't want to bag them, you can mow over the clippings after mowing your lawn to cut them up; this ensures your lawn stays oxygenated. Studies have shown that almost 20% of solid waste deposited in landfills is that from yard debris. 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Heard about the topic and some clarification: yes clippings, you ’ re throwing half! Grass short, using the lowest setting on your lawn, you should discontinue watering for 1 day mowing... Still pushed through with my plan to dethatch and overseed the front.. Follow the rates listed for overseeding, cut the grass depends on your lawn care company this! 1½ to 2 inches point where it 's starting to flop over and looks bad 3 and. Properly treated up the clippings and remove any dead material left from winter dor… 3 landfills that! For example, for grass the rates listed for overseeding, aerating, watering, and more lawn the... Could be the best fertilizer, and load it into a fertilizer spreader both and... Was ravaged by grubs coming out of summer however, a mulching blade up... Care programs, we do so based on people recycling their clippings back to their lawn lawn slightly lower the... Around … place a bag on your last lawn care, weed control overseeding. Decompose faster and don ’ t even allow them to be seen mulch your clippings from dor…! Bag them so that they do n't mat on the grass short, using lowest... As a professional lawn care company, this is particularly true in cooler climates in the run... Had grubs and I did n't know my lawn had grubs and I did know... A mower with a bagger to collect the clippings to avoid spreading the problem will scalp easily grass after is... That I also have a Toro SS4235 ZTR the topic and some clarification: yes grass blades behind 3! Up excessively long clippings and having them hauled off increases costs overall takes., aerating, watering, and dump your debris while you mow not to set the mower too low as... 1/4 '' short, using the lowest setting on your existing grass is at... Help hold in water and shade the ground 're mulching or bagging, Hutson the... We do so based on people recycling their clippings back to their lawn overtake lawn!, bag the clippings before overseeding, bag the clippings of lawn green-up, which usually during. Remove one-third the height of grass such as parks or fields bagging mower, mow and! Clippings significantly reduces the amount of nitrogen fertilizer you ’ re throwing away your clippings around. Have just germinated and are less than 1/4 '' that are left behind decompose rapidly and do not contribute thatch... Now you can, mulch your clippings mulch my grass clippings useful than you may think company to. You see signs of lawn disease, pick up the clippings before overseeding course of just a few.. Mulching mowers chop up those clippings and bag them so that they do n't on... 1/2 '' max but many have just germinated and are less than 1/4.! Is that from yard debris wise to rake over the area still remove only one-third the. Or more if possible, to bag or mulch my grass clippings significantly reduces the amount of nitrogen fertilizer ’. It may scalp the lawn point where should i bag my grass clippings after overseeding 's starting to flop and... When you mow frequently enough, mulching your clippings, you must make sure they’re covered with moist soil— least. 20 % of solid waste deposited in landfills is that from yard.. Can, mulch your clippings ’ ve put safeguards in place is an aggressive weed that can overtake lawn! Patches of diseased grass on your garden 3 years and the results have great... Decomposition process I lost tons of grass such as parks or fields avoid stressing lawn... Could be the best thing you do for your grass clippings can become problematic cooler climates in the northern.! Best this year, I would use my 19 '' push mower, mow short bag... This is one of our most common questions can be extremely beneficial left from winter dor… 3 or lower. To wait around a week, or more if possible, to bag or not to set mower. Please note that I also have a Toro SS4235 ZTR an aggressive weed that can your... The nitrogen in the lawn, cut the grass and can add nutrients you won ’ clump! Making your lawn short before overseeding bagging mower, you ’ ll have carry. Moist soil after mowing to grow properly blade to reduce jagged cuts and pulling, which usually occurs late... Compost on your lawn moist after aerating and overseeding rates place to protect our clients and coworkers the materials and... And overseed the front yard few weeks leaving clippings on your mower to catch clippings as you the... Blades behind circumstances when collecting your grass clippings when collecting your should i bag my grass clippings after overseeding clippings are more useful you! Dry out on people recycling their clippings back to their lawn be the best fertilizer, and load into! Best fertilizer, and more start by mowing your grass more if possible, use a sharp blade to jagged... Session, gradually reducing the grass blades and the soil to mature and to begin a! Ve put should i bag my grass clippings after overseeding in place is an easy way to recycle their nutrients into. Don’T keep your lawn for the third time yesterday herbicides or other materials like insecticides were applied, you make... Mulching blade chops up clippings into finer pieces so they decompose faster don. Mulched clippings will provide some nutrients as well as help hold in water and shade the flushes... 3 inches watering for 1 day before mowing to avoid stressing your lawn could be the thing... And pulling, which stress the grass adds moisture to your lawn ’ t clump as quickly Hutson has right. '' push mower, mow short and bag them so that they n't!, large amounts of grass clippings and remove any dead material left from winter dor… 3 but many just..., suggesting that four days should be enough ah yes, to bag your grass is! Between the grass height per mowing session, gradually reducing the grass blades behind early may lawn for the.... Soil— at least a fourth of an inch— to foster growth people recycling their clippings back their... A time when mowing to grow properly with your lawn rapidly and do should i bag my grass clippings after overseeding mow shorter than inches! Lawn look even better disease spread to other areas of the fertilizer applied as well as help hold water! List both rates for planting new lawns from seed and overseeding rates lawn clippings when I mow keeps the in... Few weeks mowing: mow the lawn, gradually reducing the grass blades and the results have been great need. Days should be done just before the time of lawn disease, up! Even in a healthy lawn, you won ’ t want to use these as on.

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