Mulching or Bagging?

Question

Which is better, mulching the grass or bagging the grass afterwards? Can you mulch all year round or is it only for specific times? I am interested in a small mulching lawnmower but don't know whether it is better than a small collecting lawnmower.

Thanks.

Answer 1

mulching is better for the lawn. It returns the nutrients. For the lawn to look nice you need to do it often. If you go too long you lawn will look like a mess. Mulching also required a mower with more HP.

Bagging allows you to keep a really neat lawn and picks-up all the clipping, leaves, etc... If you compost you can add the grass and use it later.

Which is better is a personal preference. At my house we bag the areas of the lawn that get lots of use to limit the amout of clippings that we track into the house. The lesser used areas get mulched.

Answer 2

I personally like to alternate bagging and mulching. It really depends on how long you let your grass grow, if it gets too long, I would bag it, but if you are cutting less than a quarter of it's length, I would mulch it.
If you have a weed problem, I would bag it, since mulching does a great job of spreading the weed seeds.

Answer 3

There are many answers. Mulching can cause thatch, which can lead to moss due to excess moisture within the soil at the grass roots, but can also stop the grass roots drying out. A common pastime in England in the Autumn is to aerate and scarify the lawn, and scarifying means to free all the thatch to create more exposure at possible growth spots on the lawn. Personally, I think you will be better bagging up your grass, which although of quite poor nutritional value, can be lightly sprinkled on your beds to create a little change in the soil structure, but as I say, only a little.

Answer 4

Our neighborhood mulches grass cutting AND leaves. Most of us have a mulcher setting on the lawnmowers. The lawns are plush and green. Mulching adds to the soil just like compost.

Answer 5

Mulching is fine, but consider dethatching once or twice a season to "open up" the base of the growing grass. The clippings can mat and prevent water from getting to the roots.

Answer 6

i bag it and put it in a compost pile for later use as mulch, grass fertilizer, etc..
leaving it lay in the grass is good at first, but it can get matted down and choke off the air causing the grass to die or thin out.

Answer 7

I prefer using it in compost! Mulching with it causes extra weeding. Composting causes it as well, but, when I put it in the compost pile I throw some weed killer on it not much and ONLY if it has some seed in it.
My theory, let it return from whence it came, back to the earth.

Answer 8

Mulching decomposes into fertilizer. It is much better & less work.

Answer 9

Mulching will help fertilize your lawn.

Answer 10

Mulching is best.