Mulching is a real alternative to mowing the lawn. We show how to mulch the lawn and take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages.
Mulching the lawn is an interesting option, especially for ecologically oriented gardeners, because it closes the natural nutrient cycle. Nevertheless, there are also reasons against mulching and for mowing.
Mulching the lawn: the difference to mowing the lawn
With lawn mulching, the clippings are not caught in a grass catcher, but are shredded by the special mulching mower and distributed directly on the lawn. The nutrients contained in the lawn clippings are thus broken down (mineralized) on the spot by soil organisms and are then available again for the soil and lawn. This nutrient cycle is the biggest difference to lawn mowing, where the lawn clippings are collected in the grass catcher. In most gardens where the lawn is "mowed", the clippings are then transported to the public compost heap. In this way, valuable nutrients disappear from the garden with every lawn cut and are lost to the lawn forever. As a consequence, the mowed lawn then has to be supplied with new nutrients in the form of fertilizers. Mulched lawns, on the other hand, need to be fertilized much less frequently.
Mulching the lawn: how often and when?
The basic rule is that the mulch should be chopped relatively small and only small amounts should remain on the lawn. The lawn clippings must be able to fall through the mowed lawn onto the soil surface where it can be broken down most quickly by soil organisms. If too many and too long blades of grass are spread over the lawn as mulch, they remain as a layer on the surface of the lawn, take away the light and rot badly. The grasses then suffocate under the mulch layer. It is therefore best to mulch the lawn once a week and set the mulching mower so that only two to three centimeters of grass clippings are left as mulch.
Depending on the season and the growing conditions of the lawn, sometimes it is better to mulch every five days (for example in May) and sometimes onlyafter ten days (rather in midsummer). It is also ideal to shorten the lawn to four to five cm with a mulching mower when it is six to seven cm long. The lawn must always be dry for mulching, so care should be taken that there will be no precipitation for about 24 hours after mulching.
Mulching the lawn: Also with a normal lawn mower?
So-called mulching mowers, which are used for mulching the lawn, are modified cylinder mowers. They not only mow the grass, they also shred it. Because the small chopped grass residues can be broken down better and faster. A normal lawn mower cannot chop the grass small enough and is therefore not suitable for mulching. If you do not dare to buy a mulching mower because you fear that the lawn could quickly become too long, combined mulching mowers are suitable. Probably developed precisely for such cases, these devices can both mow normally and mulch - ideal if the lawn has grown too high during the holiday.
Mulching the lawn: Are the soil and location suitable?
In most locations, mulching is a great way to nourish the lawn and soil and create a natural nutrient cycle. However, there are locations and soil conditions where mulching does not work as well. This includes gardens with very heavy, impermeable soil, as well as shady and very rainy locations. Under these conditions, the mulch rots more poorly due to the lack of sun and, in the worst case, even promotes the formation of thatch and moss. Mulching is therefore not advisable, especially in a combination of shade, heavy rain and poor soil. If you still want to use the nutrients in your lawn clippings, it is worth composting them and using them later as fertilizer for flowers and vegetables.
Even in regions with moderate rainfall, there can be extremely rainy periods. Keep in mind that these wet conditions are less conducive to mulching. It is better to mulch with only two instead of three cm of grass clippings, switch your combination device to the mowing function or borrow the normal lawn mower from the neighbour.
By the way: On very sandy soils, which are rather rare in our country, mulching works because of thelow biological activity in the soil.
What soils and locations are not good for mulching?
- Heavy, very loamy, poorly aerated soil
- Shady locations
- Regions with a lot of precipitation, especially in combination with heavy soil or shady grass
- Very sandy soil
- Any other common soil and site conditions with regular rainfall are excellent for mulching
Mulching the lawn: advantages and disadvantages
What is meant by lawn mulching and how it differs from lawn mowing has already been clarified. Now the question arises as to what advantages lawn mulching brings with it or whether there are also disadvantages for the lawn. First, let's start with a well-known myth about lawn fertilization.
Mulching the lawn: Do I no longer have to fertilize?
When a lawn is mulched, it regains a large part of the nutrients it lost when it was cut. However, some of the nitrogen contained in the mulch is also lost to the soil organisms that do the mulching work. After all, they also want to eat something. Therefore, you should also fertilize mulched lawns from time to time. Less than a mowed lawn, of course, but still at regular intervals. Look for signs of various nutrient deficiencies, such as weed growth in the lawn.
What are the advantages of mulching?
- From an ecological point of view, mulching offers a major advantage: the natural nutrient cycle is closed. Mulched lawn and soil fares better than mowed lawn under common soil and site conditions.
- The lawn is better nourished and has a nice green colour.
- Soil life is promoted and the soil structure is improved in the long term.
- In summer, mulching helps the lawn withstand drought better.
- Anyone who finds the disposal of the lawn clippings time-consuming can save work and time by mulching, as the green clippings can simply be left behind.
What are the disadvantages of mulching?
- In very humid conditions, in very shady or very sandy and dry locations, mulching can be a challenge.
- A major disadvantage of mulching is the time it takes. The lawn grows a lot, especially in mild, humid seasons such as late springfast and you have to start the mulching mower at least once a week. This can be quite annoying for larger areas.
Mowing the lawn or mulching the lawn? We'll walk you through the pros and cons of both methods.