Mulching Lawn Mowers - A Buyer's Guide
Posted on: 30 June 2016
If you like the idea of recycling in your garden, you may be wondering about buying a recycling or mulching lawn mower. Here's a brief overview of mulching mowers, outlining their advantages and disadvantages, so that you can make an informed decision on whether this type of mower would suit your requirements.
What are mulching or recycling lawn mowers?
Mulching or recycling lawn mowers are designed to be used without a clippings box. Instead of collecting the waste as you mow for later disposal, the grass is double-cut, forming very fine clippings that are then distributed over the lawn, where they act as mulch.
The clippings produced by mulching mowers are so fine that they don't form ugly clumps on your lawn, as can happen if you just leave the grass collection box or bag off an ordinary lawn mower.
Disadvantages of mulching lawn mowers
The main disadvantage of mulching lawn mowers is that they can encourage the growth of weeds in your lawn. This means that you may need to apply a weed killer to your grass every spring, entailing extra cost and making more work for you. Alternatively, you could just collect the clippings in the springtime when weeds and grasses are seeding as a preventative measure.
All that lovely, fresh organic matter also attracts worms. This can leave your lawn littered with worm casts and may also encourage moles to take up residence in search of food, leaving your lawn damaged by mole hills.
Advantages of mulching lawn mowers
One big advantage of mulching mowers is that they can save you a lot of time that would otherwise be spent collecting and disposing of grass clippings. They are also great if you are keen to manage totally organic lawn care and aren't bothered by a few daisies popping up here and there in your lawn.
If you have a very large lawn, it may not be practical for you to collect and dispose of all the grass clippings that are generated every time you mow, and using a mulching mower will save you the job. A layer of clippings is also a good way of retaining moisture in your grass during the warm, dry summer months. When used in conjunction with an aeration and raking system, mulching mowers can help to control thatch in your lawn.
In conclusion
As you can see, there are a number of advantages to using mulching or recycling lawn mowers. If this form of mowing sounds like it would suit you, have a chat with your local lawn mower supplier to see what's available.
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