Mowing your lawn so that the blades of grass are chopped up into tiny bits and deposited back into the turf.

No more bagging yard clippings! No more buying plastic yard bags! Less time is needed for  lawn maintenance, because you no longer have to deal with the clippings at all - just mow and go! There is also less stress on your back since you don�t have to dump the mower bag, rake the clippings, or drag the bags of clippings to curb on trash day.

You may also be throwing away fertilizer that was applied to your lawn. Lawn clippings maintain nutrients and are made up of approximately 80% water, so why not recycle the clippings and encourage a healthier lawn.

Probably not. A traditional side discharge mower can work if you remove only 1/3 of the grass height, keep mower blades sharp and only mow when the grass is dry.

Most likely you already own a mulch mower or you can change out your mower blade. Refer to your owner�s manual or contact a local lawnmower dealer to find out if a retro-fit kit is needed. Some mowers are designed to mulch and also provide an attachment for bagging.

No. Thatch is mainly composed of roots, stems, rhizomes, crowns and stolons, not lawn clippings. It only takes about 3-5 days for clippings to decompose.

No. Improper water and fertilizing can lead to turfgrass disease.

You should mow often enough that you never remove more than one-third of the lawn height. You may need to mow about every five to ten days depending on how fast your lawn grows.

Try surfing the web using the keyword grasscycling. These sites provide information about the benefits of mulch mowing. Here is a link to Virginia Tech's website regarding recycling grass clippings. Virginia Tech or  The Professional Lawn Care Association of America

The advantages are great:

Localities in Hampton Roads spend millions annually to collect and recycle your yard waste. Contact your local recycling office or the Virginia Cooperative Extension office for more information.