Featured Expert
Marry Meyer
Extension Horticulturist/Associate Proffesor
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Chanhassen, MN

Q: I keep getting mixed messages about picking up or leaving grass clippings on the lawn when I mow my grass. What is your opinion?

A: Well, we really advise that you leave your grass clippings on the lawn. The most important thing is that you cut your grass when it gets to be, for example, if it's three inches tall you should cut one inch off it. Cut off one third and leave two thirds of the grass there. If you ever start cutting into half of the height of the plant, that starts to injure the plant, so you always want to cut it one third the height of the plant that's there, and then leave the clippings on the lawn. They add a great deal of nutrition. Over the course of a year they add a whole fertilizer application if you leave the clippings on the lawn. You don't want the clippings to bunch up, so that the next day, you can still see them. If you can still see them the day after you've mowed, then you're cutting off too much of the grass, and that could be disadvantageous to the plant, and it could cause a shading of the grass that's there. So cut off just a third, and do it often enough so that the clippings filter down into the grass and add the nutrients that the plant needs.


images: mowing | clippings | nice lawn

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Last updated: Tuesday, February 01, 2005