Do Mulching Mowers Work?

Process

• While standard lawn mowers cut grass once and blow the clippings into a bag or discharge them through a port, mulching mowers cut and then recut the clippings. The design of a mulching mower's deck and blades suspend the clippings, allowing them to be chopped again and again until they are in tiny pieces that fall through the grass to the soil evenly instead of leaving clumps as many standard mowers do.

Uses

• A mulching mower is valuable for chopping other garden refuse, too. In fall, it can finely chop leaves for the compost pile or to create leaf mulch. The more finely chopped the ingredients for compost, the faster compost will result. You can save the cost of a chipper if you spread your leaves on the lawn and simply chop them with the mower.

Benefits

• Leaving the clippings on the lawn adds nutrients, which reduces the need for fertilizer and water. Fertilizer use can be cut by 25 to 40 percent. Lugging a bag of clippings to the compost pile or disposing of them in a landfill isn't necessary when they are being recycled on the lawn, saving additional energy. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no significant difference in the buildup of thatch when using a mulching mower; soil microbes decompose the clippings.

Considerations

• Mulching mowers work best on dry grass that is regularly mowed; they don't cut tall grass well. Wait until dew or water on the grass has dried before you mow. Maintain the mower by sharpening the blade at least once per season and cleaning under the deck after each mowing.