Every homeowner with a garden, regardless of its size, knows how essential it is to mow grass regularly to make sure it looks neat.
However, mowing your grass regularly means there will be excessive clippings you will need to throw away.
Keep reading for tips on how to dispose of all those grass clippings efficiently.
When Should You Dispose Of Grass Clippings?
Smaller grass clippings that are up to an inch long can be left in the garden only and do not need to be specially disposed of.
This is because they will blend in with the lawn and quickly decompose underneath the soil.
However, longer grass stems should always be removed as they will restrict sunlight for the rest of the grass. The sunlight deficiency for the remaining grass will likely ruin the garden.
If your lawn is infested with any diseases such as leaf blight or dollar spot, it is advised to immediately dispose of the clippings to discourage the spread.
Smothering is another issue that gardeners often complain about. This happens when the grass is too long or too wet when you’re mowing it.
In either situation, the clippings get tangled and suffocate the rest of the grass. If this is the case, you should dispose of the clippings.
Grass clippings can also negatively impact and clog water drainage systems, such as storm drains. Therefore, make sure that you appropriately dispose of it to prevent damage.
Grass clippings may also be used as compost; therefore, see if you can utilize them before discarding them as waste.
How to Dispose of Grass Clippings?
There are many different options on how you can dispose of the grass clippings that have been collected.
Keep reading to find out how.
Option # 1: Dispose of Grass Clippings through Yard Waste Collection Services
It is not advised to throw off your grass clippings in the normal trash container. Therefore, utilize the yard waste container to dispose of your trimmings regularly.
In most areas, there are special services for yard waste.
So, contact your local waste collection centers, and utilize the service. You might have to pay extra for yard waste disposal services.
Option # 2: Use Your Leftover Grass Clippings for Composting
Instead of just throwing grass clippings away, use them as compost to use them in a way that will be beneficial to your garden.
Since grass is extremely high in nutrients and rich in minerals, you may add it to your compost pile, which will be highly favorable for your lawn.
Option # 3: Dispose of Glass Clippings by Giving them to Farmers
If you have acquired a lot of grass clippings, contact local farmers near you and donate these leftover grass clippings to them.
Grass trimmings are rich in nutrients, and they are very useful to use as a compost product.
Therefore, donating them to local farmers will help them use them in their farms for compost or to turn them into mulch. This way, you won’t be wasting your trimmings.
Option # 4 – Dispose of Glass Clippings via Local Gardening Businesses
If you live near local gardening services, ask them if they will take the grass clippings off your hands.
They will be able to utilize it during composting, and this will be an easy way for you to dispose of them.
Option # 5: Dispose of Glass Clippings by Giving them to Your Friends
Since grass trimmings are highly beneficial for lawn care and can be used for compost or to make mulch, you can ask your friends or neighbors if they wish to utilize them in their gardens.
This will work well as you can dispose of them easily, and they will benefit from adding these grass clippings to their compost.
Option # 6: Dispose of Glass Clippings through Curbside Pickup Services
If you do not wish to utilize and pay for a Yard Waste Pickup service, you consider curbside pickup services for disposal.
All you have to bag your grass trimmings and leave them on the curb along with your trashcans. Your local Garbage Disposal Service can then pick them up on the appropriate days.
Make sure to check what days are garbage pickup days in your neighborhood, and only place them outside on those specified days so that they do not disturb anyone.
Option # 7: Dispose of Glass Clippings at a Local Disposal Site
If you do not wish to leave the grass trimmings out on the curbside for pickup services, you can also contact your local disposal sites.
Find out if they are located near you, and drop them off at the disposal site. Please remember that some disposal sites might charge a small fee for discarding the trimmings.
Option # 8: Recycle Glass Clippings at Home
If your grass trimmings are smaller than an inch, you can also use them on your own lawn.
Just double-check and ensure they are not infested or diseased, and then spread them out over your garden.
Due to the rich nutrients present in the grass clippings, these will be highly beneficial for your garden if left on the lawn.
Option # 9: Recycle Glass Clippings by Using them as Mulch
You may also use the grass clippings as mulch to utilize in your garden. This is because the high nutrient properties in the grass will be favorable for the soil and can help your garden.
Ensure the grass is not diseased and that it is not wet as this will cause matting and smothering of the healthy grass.
Why Should You Consider Recycling Your Grass Clippings?
It is always a better option to reuse or recycle items to avoid wastages, especially something like grass clippings.
It is imperative to look for grass recycling options as grass clippings are extremely rich in nutrients and highly beneficial for the soil.
Grass clippings work as a natural fertilizer, and you can reduce the usage of nitrogen-based fertilizer if you recycle your grass trimmings instead.
However, make sure that the recycled trimmings are an inch or less in length, and make sure to check for weed infestations as well. Otherwise, it could damage the lawn.
DOs and DONTs of Grass Clippings Disposal
While disposing of grass clippings, here are some things you need to keep in mind.
DO NOT – Recycle Diseased Grass Clippings
Do not use or recycle grass trimmings if they have been infested recently with any weeds or diseases such as ‘dollar spot’ or ‘fairy rings’.
This will harm your garden, as these may spread to the healthy grass and damage it.
If you have recently used any pesticide or herbicide in your garden or on your grass, it is advised you dispose of it immediately instead of recycling it.
These chemicals might harm healthy grass if mixed with it.
DO NOT – Bag Grass Clippings
Excessive amounts of grass clippings can contribute to landfills. This is why many cities and towns have banned the disposal of grass trimmings in garbage disposal.
Furthermore, some cities also have laws regarding the disposal of Yard Waste within landfills.
If you belong to a city where it is banned, then you may bag and send your clippings to a regional composting facility instead.
You may also use a mulching lawn mower so that it may be used as mulch to decompose. This is beneficial to the soil.
DO NOT – Encourage Build-up of thatch.
Thatch is a problem that you might face regardless of if you leave your clippings in the garden or not. Using trimmings as mulch does not lead to excessive thatch build-up.
In order to help with thatch problems, try vertical cutting, high nitrogen fertilizers and make sure that the grass is appropriately watered and infestation-free.
DO – Use a Mulching Mower
Due to the grass clippings being highly rich in nutrients, they can effectively work as a natural fertilizer.
Grass trimmings are high in nitrogen properties. Therefore, using a mulching mower will help reduce the need for a nitrogen-based fertilizer as you can use the trimmings instead.
DO – Use a Rotary Mower
Mowing regularly using a rotary mower can also help achieve the same effect as a mulching mower.
Rotary mowers, used with a sharp blade, means the trimmings can be left in the garden to decompose and be used in the soil due to their high nitrogen nutrients.
DO – Invest in Lawn-care
Leaving the trimmings in the garden can be highly beneficial to lawn care.
In Texas, people involved in the ‘Don’t Bag It’ program claimed that their gardens looked 30% healthier when they left their trimmings in the garden rather than bagging them.
DO –Consider Raking
If you want to collect the trimmings rather than leave them on the lawn, you may rake the clippings from the garden.
Instead of throwing the clippings away, you may use them as compost and make mulch due to its benefits for the soil.
How to Store Grass Clippings?
Chemical products such as herbicides may damage the remaining healthy grass and any crops in the garden.
This is why if you have recently used these products in the garden, you should wait for a minimum of 3 mowings before you can start using the clippings as mulch in your garden.
The Bottom Line
We hope you enjoyed reading this comprehensive guide answering the question, ‘How to dispose of grass clippings?’
It is worth mentioning that disposing of grass clippings is not always required. Grass clippings have been proven to be extremely beneficial if left on the lawn.
However, if you need to dispose of your grass trimmings, you can utilize any of the options highlighted in this article to discard them easily. Good Luck!
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