Most of us can agree on one thing -we'd all like a healthy-looking, green lawn. And, the perennial question that comes up is: which choice is better for my lawn, bagging my grass clippings or mulching them? Mulching is actually best choice for most lawns, with a couple of exceptions.

When to Bag

• If you've been out of town or it's been quite a while since you last mowed, you may have very long grass clippings. If you find the clippings are an inch or longer you should consider collecting them and composting on your own property or at your local recycling center. You'll find a great selection of baggers here at Eis Implement, including the MCS 20 bushel dump from seat that fits John Deere X700 Signature Series and some compact tractors.
• If you notice disease in your lawn, it may be best to bag your clippings so you don't spread the problem to other areas of your lawn.

Why to Mulch

• Mulching your grass clippings and leaving them on the lawn will save you time and energy. There's no need to repeatedly lift heavy bags and move the clippings from place to place.
• Grass clippings return essential nutrients to your lawn, like nitrogen and potassium.
• Clippings return carbon to the soil, which helps build soil organic matter (SOM). A higher level of SOM in your lawn means it's able to hold more water and keep your lawn healthier.
• When finely-cut clippings sift down through the layers of your lawn, they prevent weeds from taking hold.
• Mulching is more earth-friendly because it acts as a natural fertilizer, reducing the amount of synthetic fertilizers you may use, and keeps clippings out of the landfill - depending on your municipality.

A Few Hints

• Here are a few hints to maximize your mulching effectiveness
  • Keep your mower blades sharp by bringing them into Eis. We'll ensure finely-cut clippings can more easily sift down through your lawn. We offer walk-in, same-day, and next-day blade sharpening for $6.50 per blade, plus tax. Or, if you have your mower serviced by us, blade sharpening is included with tune-up.
  • Mulch when your grass is dry, so that your clippings don't clump together.
  • Consider the MulchControl System by John Deere to make the process of mulching even easier. With the push of a button, you can adjust your clippings from side-discharge to bag and back again in seconds, if needed.

Interested in learning more about the MulchControl System? Contact us at (800) 474-0281 or stop by Eis Implement in Two Rivers and talk with one of our helpful staff members.  

Here's to a long season of beautiful, healthy lawns!