Six tips for beautiful mulching results
Photo provided by the Grasshopper CompanyOne simple way to achieve a stunning lawn for your customers is mulching when you mow. A mulching package helps produce a top-notch look in less time. It creates a healthier lawn, saves on clean-up time by keeping clippings off driveways and sidewalks as well as out of flower beds, and provides greater maneuverability because of the option to trim using both sides of the deck. Mulching can also help with “green” efforts by returning nutrients to the soil and reducing the need for chemicals. The Grasshopper Company offers the following tips for great mulching results:
Follow the “one-third” rule: Never cut more than the top third of the grass.
Mow grass about 1/2 inch higher than you would normally mow when side discharging or vacuuming.
Keep mower blades sharp. Mulching tends to dull blades faster than other methods of mowing. Sharpen them more often, if necessary.
Water the lawn after mulching, not before. Dry clippings disperse easier than moist ones. Watering after the lawn has been mulched helps clippings settle better and speeds up decomposition.
Reduce fertilizer ratios. The clippings you give back to the lawn return nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil.
Use the proper blades. Don’t be fooled by discount store “mulching” blades. Only the proper combination of air flow, chamber design, deflectors and blades will produce optimum mulching results. Mulching kits are shipped with the proper blades.
— Information provided by the Grasshopper Company.