What is Grasscycling?
Grasscycling is leaving grass clippings on the lawn to decompose. Grass clippings are 75% to 85% water. When you mow regularly, clippings quickly decompose and release nutrients to fertilize the lawn. Grass care may include downsizing and adding mulch beds.  

Grasscycling Brochure: English

Why Grasscycle?
There are many benefits – both financial and ecological – to grasscycling. You can:   Reduce yard waste by 20% - 40% or more. (North Carolina legislation prohibits yard waste from being discarded in landfills.)

• Save time, trouble and expense of bagging or putting yard waste in cans
• Save gas and energy required to transport and process grass clippings
• Reduce the need for fertilizer by one-third
• Reduce the demand for water
• Reduce negative impact on water quality from erosion and pesticide application
• Provide moisture and nutrients to the soil and cushioning layers to reduce wear

Using grass clippings as a source of fertilizer for your lawn can save time and money and help protect the environment.   Leaving grass clippings on your lawn can generate up to 25% of the lawn's yearly fertilizer needs and reduce the amount of time and money you spend fertilizing and bagging. Lawns stay greener and healthier when clippings are left on them.   Grass clippings don't cause thatch.   Thatch is caused by excessive growth from over-fertilizing; by allowing grass to get too high before mowing; or by incorrect watering. Too much thatch leads to uneven mowing, scalping, and drought stress.  

Mowing
Any mower that is in good working condition and has a sharp blade can be used to grasscycle. Mulching mowers may be better than traditional mowers for those who can not mow on a regular basis. These mowers tend to cut grass into finer pieces, allowing it to filter down among the standing plants. With either mower, best results can be expected if the lawn is dry.  

Tips for Mowing
Mow at the appropriate height - see table:  

 

(Warm season grasses will go dormant in the winter, cool season grasses will go dormant in the summer if not watered)  

• Keep the blade sharp. A dull blade tears the grass tips instead of mulching them. Dull blades can give the lawn a ragged appearance and may increase disease problems.

• Keep the deck clean. Wash the underside of the mower after each use. A clogged deck won't mulch or discharge well.

• Cut as often as necessary to insure that only 1/3 of the blade needs to be removed. During times of rapid growth, you may need to mow every 5-6 days.

• Cut when the grass is dry in order to avoid a wet, sticky mess on your lawn and inside the mower deck. Mowing the lawn when the grass is dry will allow better distribution of the clippings and less chance of clogging the mower.

• Be safe. Always keep others, especially children, at a safe distance while mowing.

• Mow regularly. A basic rule is not to remove more than 1/3 of the growth at one time. Tall grass stems stimulate deep root growth, since grass roots grow as deep as the blade grows high.

Occasionally, prolonged rains make it impossible to mow regularly. In these cases, raise the mower for the initial cutting and gradually lower the mower to the proper height. You can mow just once and recycle the longer clippings if:  

• the clumps of grass are spread evenly over the lawn to allow them to disintegrate; or

• the clippings are allowed to dry for a day or two, then mowed again to distribute them evenly.

• you have not been able to mow for awhile and the quantity is too great to leave on the lawn, clippings can be used as mulch in tree and shrub beds. Mowing frequency will vary with temperature, fertility, moisture, season and natural growth rate of the lawn.

Tips for Mulching with a Non-Mulching Mower
Preferences for mowers and lawn treatment vary among individuals. It's possible that the mower you now own can be used for mulching. (Before using your mower for mulching, consult your local equipment dealer or your owner's manual concerning safe operational practices.)  

• If you have a mower with a trap door over the discharge chute, you may be able to use it for mulching. A mulching blade or adapter kit may be available for your mower (typical cost: $10 - $40). Never remove the bag from the mower without assuring protection from flying rocks and sticks or other materials.

• Manual push mowers with easy-roll wheels do not use gasoline or discharge fumes into the air and are popular for use on small lawns. Use hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment whenever possible. If you must use gas-powered equipment, wait until after 6:00 p.m.

• Tune up your mower once a year. Well maintained engines are more fuel efficient and emit less air pollutants.

Basic Watering Checklist

• Don't water fescue, bluegrass, or ryegrass lawns in the summer unless you plan to do so all season. Be consistent with your watering routine; your lawn can't go on vacation with you. Do not be alarmed at brown, withered leaves as a result of drought. These are normal signs of dormancy on cool season grasses. Lawns allowed to go dormant should only be watered every three weeks in the absence of rainfall.

• Water your lawn, if needed, at night.
  To maximize the efficiency of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities water system, water your lawn between 9:00pm and 4:00am. The least water will be lost to evaporation at this time.
  Note: This watering schedule can increase the incidence of brown patch disease in tall fescue.

• Give lawns grown on heavy clay soils a total of 1 inch of water per week. Lawns on sandy soils should get 1/2 inch of water. Measure irrigation water by placing a can or two on your lawn to catch the water. Compacted soils may take several shorter periods of irrigation to allow the water to be absorbed. Avoid surface runoff.

• Don't water until you see first signs of wilt.
  Wilted lawns have a blue-green appearance, leaf curl, or footprints that remain on the lawn. Look along sidewalks or roadside surfaces for first signs of wilt. Light, frequent watering promotes shallow roots and weakens turf.

• Don't over-water. This promotes diseases and excessive growth. Make sure that sprinklers are watering only the yard, not the street, driveways or sidewalks.

Fertilizing
Fertilize according to recommendations.
Have your soil tested, and refer to the table below.

Determine the amount of fertilizer needed.
Follow directions on the fertilizer label, or follow the procedure described below. Guard against over-fertilization.

To apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet:

100 divided by the first number on the fertilizer bag equals the amount of product to be used per 1,000 square feet.

Example: A 16-4-8 fertilizer. 100 divided by 16 equals 6.25. Therefore, 6.25 pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet will deliver 1 pound of nitrogen.

• Apply fertilizer when grass is dry.
  This prevents the foliage from being burned and allows the fertilizer to fall around the plants where it can be watered in.

• Utilize natural management controls. Use heavy mulch for weed control. Buy pest and disease resistant plants; and encourage beneficial insects and wildlife.

• Reduce potential for surface and groundwater contamination. Select the least toxic fertilizers and pesticides; choose products that are least persistent in the environment; and opt for liquid as opposed to granular compounds.

• Use products responsibly. Always follow label directions. Never apply before a rain, adjacent to storm drains or ditches, or within 50 feet of lakes and streams. Keep pesticides off pavement and other impervious surfaces. Store pesticides and fertilizers in a locked, dry place safe from flooding and accidental spillage; and dispose of them properly.

Use Grass Clippings in The Yard
If it's necessary to collect grass clippings, recycle them in your yard. Spread clippings over a layer of newspaper in the vegetable or flower garden. Use clippings as mulch under bushes.

(Never allow grass clippings to be released into the storm sewer system that discharges directly to creeks and lakes in Mecklenburg County. Surface water quality is negatively impacted when trash and organic materials (grass clippings, leaves, limbs) are left along creek banks or dumped, blown or washed directly into storm drains and creeks. Grass clippings and leaves contain residual pesticides/fertilizers; clog storm drains and grates; and decompose slowly, which decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen available to aquatic life.)

Yard Waste Pick Up
The City of Charlotte collects yard waste from the curb once a week on your scheduled collection day, provided it meets the following City ordinance requirements:

• Limbs: Limbs must be no longer than 5 feet in length and no larger than 4 inches in diameter. Limbs should be separated into piles small enough for one individual to handle.

• Stumps/Logs: The City will not collect tree stumps. Logs larger than 4 inches in diameter will not be collected.

• Contracted work: Limbs placed at curbside for collection resulting from a commercial landscaping service will not be collected.

For yard waste collection specifications in Mecklenburg towns, call the following numbers:

Cornelius - 704-892-6031
Davidson - 704-892-7591
Huntersville – 704-875-6541
Matthews – 704-847-4411
Mint Hill – 704-545-9726
Pineville – 704-889-2291

Information Sources:

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Michigan State University Extension
The Turfgrass Council of North Carolina
Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities 704-399-2221
City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services 704-336-2673
 

For more information, call 704-336-5359 x 5 or  Email