When Cutting the Grass, Should I Pick up the Shavings?

Causes

• Grass shavings are the result of mowing or weed eating your lawn. As the blades cut the grass, the chopped grass blades fly off and clump together. Mowing long grass typically results in longer shavings, which is one of the reasons why it's important to mow your lawn frequently. Avoid mowing your lawn when the grass is wet, since the clippings tend to clump together even more.

Benefits

• In small amounts, grass clippings provide grass with protection from the sun's rays so that freshly watered grass won't quickly lose water to evaporation. As it decomposes, the dead grass provides nitrogen to the freshly cut grass underneath it. Break apart large clumps and scatter the clippings evenly with a rake. Grass clippings act as natural fertilizer for your lawn, depending on how thick and long they are. If rain is forecasted for a few days, it is best to remove the clippings altogether.

Unfavorable Outcomes

• Thick piles of wet grass clippings are harmful to your lawn for numerous reasons. First, they block the sunlight almost completely from the grass underneath. This traps in moisture, which provides an excellent environment for mold and fungal growth. Eventually, these diseased clippings can kill the grass underneath the clipping clumps.

State Law

• Some states have laws regarding lawn maintenance. For example, in the city of Golden Valley, Minnesota, residents are required to keep their lawns well maintained. They suggest that residents leave their grass clippings in the lawn, so long as they're not diseased, wet or too long. They suggest residents only cut their grass 30 percent of its current height to avoid long clippings.