Hi,

Sorry for the elementary question (again!). This is the
first time in my life I'm responsible for maintaining a
garden. This question is about the lawn, specifically.
We bought a push reel mower the same day we moved in
(about a month ago) and this past weekend I mowed the
lawn for the first time. I left the grass clippings right
there. I just wanted to know if this is the wrong way to
mow the lawn. Should I be gathering up the grass clippings?
It seems like a lot of extra work, and I don't care if my
lawn is not the nicest around. I just want to provide
basic maintenance. Will there be any long term problem
because I leave the grass clipping on site?

(NOTE: I don't want to use grass clippings as ingredient
for a compost pile because the previous owner used some
sort of pesticide; I'll wait until next year for that.
I don't intend use chemicals on my lawn, btw).

I'll appreciate any word of advice. Thanks!

pgh wrote:

Sorry for the elementary question (again!). This is the
first time in my life I'm responsible for maintaining a
garden. This question is about the lawn, specifically.
We bought a push reel mower the same day we moved in
(about a month ago) and this past weekend I mowed the
lawn for the first time. I left the grass clippings right
there. I just wanted to know if this is the wrong way to
mow the lawn. Should I be gathering up the grass clippings?
It seems like a lot of extra work, and I don't care if my
lawn is not the nicest around. I just want to provide
basic maintenance. Will there be any long term problem
because I leave the grass clipping on site?

Leave the clippings on the lawn as long as you are mowing regularly. If
you wait until the lawn is knee high, the clippings will not be fine
enough, and could smother the lawn. When you mow regularly, leaving the
clippings on the lawn is the best thing for it. If you collect the
clippings you will need to replace the nutrients they bring with more
chemicals. This is the whole concept of a "mulching mower".

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.

Should I be gathering up the grass clippings?

See this page:
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopE...s/leavelie.htm
sed5555

Leaving your grass clippings on the lawn is the best thing you can do for
it. It will naturally decompose and feed nitrogen to the lawn throughout
the summer. Try not to let the grass get too long between mowings or else
the lawn will look like a hay field. Otherwise, keep up the good work.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"pgh" wrote in message
...

Hi,

Sorry for the elementary question (again!). This is the
first time in my life I'm responsible for maintaining a
garden. This question is about the lawn, specifically.
We bought a push reel mower the same day we moved in
(about a month ago) and this past weekend I mowed the
lawn for the first time. I left the grass clippings right
there. I just wanted to know if this is the wrong way to
mow the lawn. Should I be gathering up the grass clippings?
It seems like a lot of extra work, and I don't care if my
lawn is not the nicest around. I just want to provide
basic maintenance. Will there be any long term problem
because I leave the grass clipping on site?

(NOTE: I don't want to use grass clippings as ingredient
for a compost pile because the previous owner used some
sort of pesticide; I'll wait until next year for that.
I don't intend use chemicals on my lawn, btw).

I'll appreciate any word of advice. Thanks!