Rule of Thumb

Grass clippings do not contribute significantly to thatch accumulation on lawns.

The Don't Bag It lawn care plan can save the homeowner time, energy and money, and reduce the amount of waste going to our landfills. The principle is simple - return clippings to your lawn. By leaving your clippings on the lawn and allowing them to work their way back into soil, you can realize these benefits and still maintain a beautiful, green lawn.

In fact, grass clippings contain valuable nutrients that can generate up to 25 percent of your lawn's total fertilizer needs. A hundred pounds of grass clippings can generate and recycle as much as three to four pounds of nitrogen, one-half to one pound of phosphorus, and two to three pounds of potassium back to the lawn. These are the three most important nutrients needed by lawns and commonly supplied in lawn fertilizers. The other good news is that grass clippings do not contribute to thatch (an organic debris layer between the soil and live grass) since grass clippings are 75-85 percent water and decompose readily.

Why, then, do many homeowners bag grass clippings? Basically, it is a personal preference and habit most homeowners have acquired. Another reason is that bagging does ensure that no clippings remain on the lawn to detract from lawn quality and aesthetics. Proper lawn care practices will usually eliminate surface clipping debris and ensure a successful Don't Bag It program.

Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of living and dead stems, leaves and roots of grass that develops between the green grass and the soil surface. The overall effect of a thatch layer is an unthrifty lawn that does not respond well to management practices and is easily injured when conditions are optimum for growth.

A major detriment to lawn attractiveness during the summer is a lack of soil water. During the hot, dry periods, growth of most of our lawn grasses will cease and the grass will turn brown and go dormant if supplemental water is not provided. The dormant grass is in a resting stage and will normally revive with favorable moisture and temperature conditions in the fall. Lawn attractiveness is, however, lost during dormancy, and weed growth, which detracts from the appearance of the lawn, may be greater. Dormant lawns will not normally need to be mowed.

During the driest period of the summer, our lawns usually will require about one inch of water every week to stay green and growing. Lawn sprinklers usually need to be set for at least one to two hours per spot to apply one inch of water. One inch of water will typically wet a soil to a depth of six to eight inches. Overwatering and/or frequent watering will stimulate excessive topgrowth and the need for more frequent mowing. Lawns watered too frequently also tend to develop shallow roots, which may make them more susceptible to pests and heat-drought stress. Water infrequently (weekly) and deeply (six to eight inches) with one inch of water each time.

The best time to water is early morning, so less water is lost by evaporation. The worst time to water is in the evening because the lawn stays wet all night, which encourages disease development.

Rule of Thumb

Water infrequently (weekly) and deeply (one inch of water per time) when necessary.