Do I Need To Clean Mowed Grass From The Lawn: Pros And Cons

After mowing the lawn, cut grass remains on it, which does not affect its appearance too well, but does not cause any other damage to the site. And then the question arises, is it necessary to remove the cut grass from the lawn?

The same question often arises for the owners of areas where wild or cultivated vegetation is growing.

A definite answer does not exist, because the green mass remaining after mowing or mowing not only spoils the appearance of the plot or lawn, but is also a valuable fertilizer.

What happens if you leave grass on the lawn?

Lawns and flower beds are planted in order to make the area more beautiful, therefore, the main requirement for them is full compliance with the design of the entire site.

One of the conditions for such a correspondence is the correct direction of the grass stems, which in most cases is vertical, with the exception of lawns planted by climbing plants or producing beautiful buds. During the haircut, the upper layer of vegetation is separated from the lower one and it falls on the lower layer, forming a continuous carpet on it, in which all fragments are laid horizontally.

Layer of cut vegetation spoils the look lawn, but after rotting, the dead green mass turns into humic substances, which are food for the roots of any plants.

If you cut off the vegetation immediately, then after 2-3 years the soil will be depleted and the grass will grow poorly and also often get sick, therefore every year it will be necessary to fertilize the soil with organic and mineral fertilizers. In addition, every autumn and spring the soil will have to be treated with an aerator, because rotting vegetation, which could improve the soil structure and attract worms, has been removed, which means that it will be necessary to restore the soil structure on its own.

If most of the planted grass dies, then weeds can take its place, the seeds of which are carried over a long distance by the wind. In addition, part of the weed seeds falls on lawns with feces of birds or small animals, as well as clinging to their wool or feathers.

Is it possible not to remove the green mass from the site?

Another question that worries summer residents is whether grassland should be removed from the site if this territory is not a lawn, that is not intended for decoration?

In this case, the changed direction of the mown or trimmed grass, as well as the vegetation lying on it, will not impair the functionality of the site.

In addition, the mulch from the vegetation separated from the roots will block the development of the remaining grass, because of which it will quickly fade, which means it will not consume nutrients and trace elements from the ground.

A few days after mowing or cutting, such a mulch starts to decompose and soon turns into a good fertilizer, which, having penetrated the soil, will improve its structure, and also fill with the substances necessary for the development of plants.

Is it possible to combine the beautiful view and the benefits of humus?

Despite the fact that the mowed grass spoils the appearance of the ennobled territory, it can be used as an annually applied fertilizer, however, for this, the process of decaying should occur far from the lawn. For this, all trimmed vegetation is carefully collect and lay in compost pits or boxes, which we talked about here.

If the earth is severely depleted and needs to be fertilized within a year, then the collected material is used to make liquid compost in a barrel, which is then watered over the entire plot or lawn.

This method of servicing the territory does not eliminate the need to use an aerator in spring and autumn, but it completely restores nutrients.

Another way to combine the beautiful appearance of the lawn with the benefits of decaying vegetation is that all grass collected from spring to autumn is stored in conditions of minimal humidity. In mid-autumn, when the grass begins to wilt, the territory is cut again, then all collected vegetation is carefully ground using one of the devices that we talked about in an article about garden shredders for grass and leaves. With this mass, the entire lawn is mulched, after which the mulch is not only watered with water, but also treated with bacterial preparations.

In winter, the mown vegetation will decay and lose its rigid structure, and in the spring it will partially mix with surface soil and will not interfere with the growth of new grass.

Under natural conditions, everything happens just like this. Every year the dead grass rots out, due to which, by the appearance of the first shoots of new vegetation, the soil is filled with humic substances, which are the food for plant roots. In addition, gradually decaying vegetation attracts earthworms that loosen the soil and participate in the formation of humic substances.

Do I need to collect vegetation after the trimmer?

A distinctive feature of the trimmer is a strong grinding of the grass, because it not only mows it, but also cuts the already cut grass into small fragments.

Due to the small size of the chopped particles, they interfere with the development of plants less than ordinary grass, so after a few days most of the fresh grass breaks through a layer of chopped green mass and the lawn takes on its previous appearance.

Therefore, if it is possible to wait a week or two, then it is better to leave the chopped mass in place, if the lawn must constantly maintain an ideal look, then even such vegetation will have to be cleaned.

How and what to clean?

When harvesting grass, it is necessary to use special rakes that will help to collect mowed or chopped vegetation, and also will not harm the soil and living grass.

If the tool is selected correctly, it will not only collect all the mown vegetation, but also improve the condition of the remaining grass.

Due to its shape, such a rake collect horizontally laid material well, and vertically standing elements of vegetation are not only not collected, but also to some extent aligned, eliminating the effects of haircuts or mowing. Read more about the selection of rakes, as well as the technology of harvesting mowed grass from the lawn, in this article.

What can be done with mowed grass?

In addition to composting, harvested grass can use for:

• Mulching gardens;
• The manufacture of solid (grass granules) and gaseous (biogas) fuel;
• Manufacturing of building materials;
• Making fabric and various crafts;
• Mushroom cultivation;
• Bedding for pets and birds.

In addition, the collected vegetation can be disposed of as household waste or given to neighbors who are actively engaged in agriculture, because compost from grass is:

• One of the best fertilizers;
• Litter and livestock feed.

Conclusion

Grass mowed during lawn maintenance spoils the appearance of the lawn, but is a valuable material from which fertilizer can be made and a lot of useful products, including some types of fuel.

Therefore, when answering the question. Whether it is necessary to remove the mown vegetation from the lawn, it is necessary to take into account the methods of subsequent disposal, because the collected material must be stored somewhere, and it is not always possible to make anything necessary or useful from it. Therefore, there is no right answer applicable to any lawn or decorative lawn, because a lot depends on local conditions.