Q. The landscapers for our HOA are using mulching mowers on
our grass. The cut grass often remains on top, browns and causes the grass under
to brown out also. Should grass be mulched in our desert? The landscape foremen
bagged the grass and took it away.
 |
| Years ago in Las Vegas mulching mowers were nonexistent. Landscape maintenance companies bagged clippings and they were dumped into our landfills. |
A. Mulching mowers work good as long as not too much nitrogen fertilizer is
applied, the mower blades are kept sharp, the mower is not operated at a speed
that is too fast, and the mower is a true mulching mower and not a conventional
mower modified with mulching blades.
applied, the mower blades are kept sharp, the mower is not operated at a speed
that is too fast, and the mower is a true mulching mower and not a conventional
mower modified with mulching blades.
True
mulching mowers have a deck designed to provide a longer lift time after the
grass blades are cut. A longer lift time allows the leaf blades more time to be
cut or mulched properly. This extra time, combined with a sharp blade and a correct
mowing speed, results in finely mulched turfgrass clippings.
mulching mowers have a deck designed to provide a longer lift time after the
grass blades are cut. A longer lift time allows the leaf blades more time to be
cut or mulched properly. This extra time, combined with a sharp blade and a correct
mowing speed, results in finely mulched turfgrass clippings.
This time
of year fescue grass loves cool weather and grows very rapidly. If too much nitrogen
is applied during cool weather, excessive growth results. Weekly mowing with a
mulching mower cannot keep up with this rapid growth.
of year fescue grass loves cool weather and grows very rapidly. If too much nitrogen
is applied during cool weather, excessive growth results. Weekly mowing with a
mulching mower cannot keep up with this rapid growth.
Either the
lawn has to be mowed more often or less fertilizer should be applied.
lawn has to be mowed more often or less fertilizer should be applied.
Your
landscapers need to cut back on fertilizer applications during cool weather and
use about half the rate listed on the bag. Mulched grass clippings return a lot
of fertilizer back to the lawn.
landscapers need to cut back on fertilizer applications during cool weather and
use about half the rate listed on the bag. Mulched grass clippings return a lot
of fertilizer back to the lawn.
They also
need to mow slower and not try to rush through a landscape. This allows the
mulching blade to cut the blades more often and the mulched clippings will fall
between the grass blades and never seen on the surface.
need to mow slower and not try to rush through a landscape. This allows the
mulching blade to cut the blades more often and the mulched clippings will fall
between the grass blades and never seen on the surface.
If they
don’t balance mowing the their applications of fertilizers then they will need
to pick up the clippings if they want to leave a landscape that you can walk
through without tracking cut grass into residences.
don’t balance mowing the their applications of fertilizers then they will need
to pick up the clippings if they want to leave a landscape that you can walk
through without tracking cut grass into residences.
One of the
major reasons for introducing mulching mowers was to reduce the green waste
entering our landfills. The educational program responsible for this was the “Don’t Bag It” program originating at Texas A and M University.
major reasons for introducing mulching mowers was to reduce the green waste
entering our landfills. The educational program responsible for this was the “Don’t Bag It” program originating at Texas A and M University.
You can read more about how mulching mowers and fertilizers interact with each other in a fact sheet I wrote years ago while Extension Specialist for the University of Nevada. See the Fact Sheet here