Mulching the lawn: Procedure & professional instructions

Mulching is a real alternative to lawn mowing. 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 that speak against mulching and for mowing.

Mulching the lawn: difference to lawn mowing

With lawn mulching, the grass 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?

Basically, 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 on 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 mulched.

Depending on the time of year and the growing conditions of the lawn, it is sometimes better to mulch every five days (e.g. in May) and sometimes only after ten days (closer to mid-summer). 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?

For most sites, 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 later using them as fertilizer for flowers and vegetables.

Extremely rainy periods can also occur in regions with moderate rainfall. 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 your neighbor.

By the way: On very sandy soils, which are rather rare in our country, mulching also works less well due to the low biological activity in the soil.

What soils and locations are not good for mulching?

• Heavy, very loamy, poorly aerated soil
• Shady locations
• Very rainy regions, especially in combination with heavy soil or shadow lawn
• Very sandy soils
• All 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 what the difference is to lawn mowing has already been clarified. Now the question arises as to the advantages of lawn mulching and 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 mulch from time to time fertilize lawn. Less than a mowed lawn, of course, but still at regular intervals. Pay attention to the signs of various nutritional deficiencies, such as the proliferation of weeds 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 supplied with nutrients and as a result has a beautiful 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.
• If you find it difficult to dispose of the lawn clippings, you can save time and work with mulching, as the clippings can simply be left lying around.

What are the disadvantages of mulching?

• Mulching can be a challenge in very wet conditions, in very shady locations, or in very sandy and dry locations.
• A major disadvantage of mulching is the time it takes. The lawn grows very quickly, especially in damp and mild seasons such as late spring, and you have to start the mulching mower at least once a week. For larger areas, this can be quite annoying.

Mow the lawn or mulch the lawn? We present the advantages and disadvantages of both methods.