Grasscycling Tips

• No more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) should be cut at any one time. If grass is too long after prolonged wet weather, start with a higher cut and gradually lower it during successive cuttings.
• If clumps have resulted from cutting wet grass or making too long a cut, mow again from a different direction to break up the clump. Try to mow only when your grass is dry.

Practice good lawn care

• Rake your lawn during spring yard cleanup to remove dead grass and thatch
• Aerate your lawn (removing plugs of soil) periodically to allow nutrients, air and water to reach the grass roots
• Water your lawn. Single deep waterings (2.5 cm once every 7 to 10 days) are more effective and less wasteful of water than many light surface waterings

Frequently Asked Questions

• How long do the clippings show?
  Cut properly, clippings are virtually unnoticeable. Almost all grasscyclers find their clippings disappear within 3 days after cutting. Slightly longer breakdown times will occur later in the growing season as temperatures and the moisture content of clippings decline.
• Does Grasscycling cause thatch?
  No. Thatch is mainly grass roots and stems, not blade clippings from grasscycling. Samples taken from test lawns during an Edmonton pilot project indicated that proper grasscycling does not contribute to thatch growth.
• Does Grasscycling spread lawn disease?
  No. Watering, fertilization and mower blade sharpness have much more influence on the occurrence of lawn disease than grasscycling.
• What about leaves?
  Fall leaves take longer than grass clippings to break down. Mower shredded leaves are also more noticeable on a lawn. Leaves can be collected and used in a compost pile or as a mulch in other parts of the garden.