The question of whether you should mulch or not really depends on the current state of your lawn. More often than not though, it’s not a clear “yes” or “no” answer.
If the grass is tall for example, mulching is not usually a great idea. But there are a few tricks that you can implement to get decent results in less-than-ideal scenarios.
I’ve learnt how to get the best results when mulching tall grass based on years of trial and error. Obviously the best thing to do is to just not let your grass get too long in the first place, but sometimes it’s unavoidable (taking a long summer vacation for example), and I’m going to share a few of the little nuggets of wisdom that I’ve picked up over the years that should ensure you get the best results possible.
For Beginners: Mulching Tall Grass Might Not Be The Best Idea
Just moved from the city to a house in the suburbs and still finding your feet on your journey into lawn care? In that case, if your grass is currently what would be considered tall (3-4 times its normal length…or more), I’d recommend you hold off on any ideas to mulch for now.
For the next 1-2 cuts you should simply focus on preparing the lawn for mulching in the future by bringing down its length gradually. And here’s a bit of advice for doing so…
Regardless of your lawn’s overall length currently, never cut more than ⅓ of the grass’s total height in any one mowing session. It can be tempting to think “I’m just going to plough through it and get my lawn looking somewhat respectable in a single session” but you’ll pay for it in the long run, as doing so can seriously damage the health of the lawn and it will be less resistant to weather, soil, and water changes.
After you’ve brought the lawn’s height down with this initial cut, simply wait 3-7 days and then wheel your mower out again and start mulching.
But let’s say the inlaws or some friends are visiting, and you want to impress them and cannot wait an entire week to properly mulch. Follow the advice below when mulching tall grass.
How to Successfully Mulch Tall Grass
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Make Sure You Have the Right Equipment– Most mowers these days have a “mulching mode” but you might want to check that yours definitely does, otherwise you’re going to need to buy a new mower if you plan to mulch.
But let’s assume your mower is capable of mulching clippings. The only other equipment check you need to do is that you have the correct type of blade.
Mulching blades will feature some sort of projections or teeth, which helps ensure that your clippings are chopped down into much finer mulch as they are passed through the cutting cycle several times. And that’s what you want, especially if mulching tall grass, as larger clippings deposited back onto your lawn will take longer to decompose and “feed” your lawn. The shape of the blade is also quite different when you compare mulching blades vs regular blades.
Do Not Try to Rush– If you want to mulch tall grass, you’re basically already skipping a step. So if you’re not going to cut the lawn down to size first, at least go slowly when mulching.
Like trimming hair, you need to have some patience and go slow and steady to give the blades time to grip and cut properly. This is especially true with longer grass. Rushing will only lead to an uneven cut and potentially larger clippings. You are more likely to experience clumping too.
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Raise the Cutting Deck – We’ve already mentioned the golden rule of mowing any lawn, but it’s so important that it’s worth repeating: always cut a maximum of ⅓ of the total length in any one cut. With that in mind, remember to raise the cutting before you start!
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Drier is Better – Damp grass blades will clump together, which is not ideal for mulch as it will take longer to decompose and may also lead to yellow spots and fungal issues on your lawn, as these piles of clippings will prevent sunlight from reaching the grass. These problems are made even worse when the grass you’re mulching is tall.
If possible, avoid mulching an overly damp lawn. If it has rained, try and wait a day. If it is summer and your lawn is coated in morning dew, wait until a little later in the day when the heat has evaporated this moisture.
What If I Notice that the Clippings are Clumping?
A small amount of clumping can be expected if you’re mulching tall grass, simply because of the volume of clippings being cycled through the deck.
Damp grass and going too fast are two of the main things that will cause clumping. So if you’re seeing clumps, try going a little slower and/or if it’s wet, try coming back when it’s dry. These simple changes will go a long way to helping keep grass from clumping when mowing.
Mulching Tall Grass: A Summary
Mulching tall grass is a challenge. There’s no doubt about it. Your best bet is to reduce the length of your grass first following the ⅓ rule. Wait a few days, and then start mulching.
But if you are in a hurry and you absolutely have to mulch tall grass, follow this simple but effective advice:
- Raise your cutting deck to its highest setting
- Go slow and give your mower time to work its magic
- Make sure that your mower has the correct type of blade
- Do not attempt to mulch wet grass
Good luck!
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