Bag or Mulch ?

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

I just finished mowing. My landscaper quit the business and I'm left mowing my own lawn. It's not bad it's about an acre of flat mowable land. I have a JD self propelled push mower. I used to do it myself and I bagged it. What a PITA go two passes dump the bag. So now I just put the mulch thing on and let the grass fall were it may. Is that a bad thing? Gets me through the job lickety split. So what do you all do?

[Phillip Allen]

such mulching depends on the type of grass...some golf course grasses are particular, most are not.

[huisjen]

I've read that if you bag, dump it in large plastic bags with a little salt, suck the air out with a shop vac, and leave it in a cool place until you need it in the winter, it makes fair baleage, which is sort of like silage. When you only have a half dozen animals or less, the yard could provide a significant part of winter feed. That's why I'm switching to bagging.

Dan

[Brian Palmer]

I use an electric mulching mower.

Yes, we also drive a Prius.

And we compost.

And we don't use lighter fluid to start our grill.

And we don't put any chemicals on our lawn.

To each his own.

-- Brian

[capt jake]

I typically bag and then place it in the compost pile. I have about 3/4 acre of lawn. Today, since I was only cutting a little off, I let it fly (I don't have a mulching cover).

The front portion of the property I just cut and let it lie. ;) This equates to about 1 1/2 acres.

Mulching is supposed to be extremely good for the overall health of a lawn. Trick is, don't let it get too long between mowings. ;) Hard to do for me, and I mow at least twice a week. :)

I guess I will add:
It's a big 24hp V twin rider
I fertilize
I use lighter fluid
Drive a Metro (better mileage than a Prius)

[Ken Hutchins]

With the high fuel prices the heck with mowing, let it grow, put up a sign declaring the fact that you care about conserving fuel and providing better habitat for wildlife by not mowing.:D

[capt jake]

With the high fuel prices the heck with mowing, let it grow, put up a sign declaring the fact that you care about conserving fuel and providing better habitat for wildlife by not mowing.:D
:D:D:D

[Ken Hutchins]

Capt Jake you said

"I mow at least twice a week."

ROFLMAO You need to get a boat and a fishing rod, there are much better things to do with the precious time we have to live than be a slave to a lawn.

[huisjen]

I haven't mowed yet this year. I've got two push mowers, both in need of work, that have bags. I've got another push mower that works but has no bag. And I've got the riding mower that used to have a bag, I think, but we left it behind when we moved, because we never bagged before and the truck was full.

Dan

[capt jake]

Well looky there, I am 'visible' to somebody. ;)

It only takes me a couple of hours. It is good 'therapy' for me.

Between work and the part time job at the boat shop, I do get out sailing every couple of weeks.

I don't think I even have a fishing rod anymore.

[Mrleft8]

Build yerself a compost bin and use it for next year's fertilizer.

[Paul Girouard]

Like Capt. Jake I mow about ever 10 days , PNW rain / weather, grass really grows :eek: :mad: .

I have about 1/2 acre or so of grass / lawn. Jee I just PM'ed Lt. Dan about a sheep I wish I could have , and here's this thread.:rolleyes:

I bag and compost the clippings.

Joe you got to bag it man , your to anal retentive to let that mess lay on your lawn :eek:

Maybe a new gardener, you'd rather be sailing wouldn't ya;)

I voted for bagging :o

[Ed Harrow]

The first thing you do is to get rid of some of your lawn. SWMTMH is an expert at that. Anyway, give that serious consideration.

After you've got your lawn down to a reasonable size, mulch it.

[adampet]

MOW? I'm sure I've got better things to do!

[Phil Heffernan]

Build yerself a compost bin and use it for next year's fertilizer.

Leave it on the lawn, and it's THIS YEARS fertilizer, Joe...

Lawn labor has a rule: Easier is better;)

PH

[geeman]

I have about 3 acres to mow.I dont waste time tryin to bag it.I just let it fall where it falls,and the damn yard always comes up green and lush.With the trees we planted years ago,,our yard always reminds me of a park when we're sitting on the porch ,looking at it,watching it grow ,and grow,,,,,,

[WX]

In Summer we have to brushcut every 10 days or so, you can watch it grow.
I alos have a large stand of Golden Bamboo (Phyllastachys aurea) up the backyard, when that starts pushing up shoots it's not safe to sit on the lawn :-)

[Ron Williamson]

Mow?Maybe
BAG?Never
Our yard full of Forget-Me-Nots is just starting to look ratty enough that SWMBO is talking about getting out the mower.
I've still got a week or two.
R

[Mrleft8]

Of course, if you got yerself a Polo pony with a vacuum attachment, this wouldn't be an issue now would it?

[geeman]

Down south here we talk of getting a goat.

[huisjen]

Paul and Geeman, you two keep talking singular. These are flock animals. You've gotta have at least two.

Hey, does this count as a mower with a bag attachment?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/huisjen/udder.jpg

Dan

[Meerkat]

I mow at least twice a week. :)
If you have to mow that often, you're cutting it too short. Too short grass browns much more readily in dry weather. Needs more water too.

[capt jake]

If you have to mow that often, you're cutting it too short. Too short grass browns much more readily in dry weather. Needs more water too.

Nah, if I leave it any longer, it looks poohey. ;) If I go higher, I am near the end of the height scale on the mower. I cut it much shorter for the winter (keeps the mildew and moss out, at least sort of). :)

[botebum]

I mow about once every two to three weeks. Even then I have to push the damn mower through the sand from one patch of grass to the next. The yard's looking a little better this year- fewer, larger patches. I'll probably do the first mowing week after next... unless I can think of something better to do...like anything at all.

Doug

[John of Phoenix]

I second (third?) the goats. They'll get everything, poison ivy and oak included.

[capt jake]

I mow about once every two to three weeks. Even then I have to push the damn mower through the sand from one patch of grass to the next. The yard's looking a little better this year- fewer, larger patches. I'll probably do the first mowing week after next... unless I can think of something better to do...like anything at all.

Doug

Cutting it actually promotes 'sistering'. The action of sending off other plants. At least, that's what the turf farm told me. It did speed up the thickening of the lawn after planting three years ago. I was mowing it in three weeks after planting. :eek:

[botebum]

Yeah, Capt Jake, but there's a lot to be said for letting it go to seed too:D

Doug

[Meerkat]

I mow about once every two to three weeks. Even then I have to push the damn mower through the sand from one patch of grass to the next. The yard's looking a little better this year- fewer, larger patches. I'll probably do the first mowing week after next... unless I can think of something better to do...like anything at all.

Doug
Got Mole Crickets? :D

[botebum]

Mole crickets-no, sand spurs are the evil in my yard. I'm not kidding about the sand. You can dig stright down and you'll hit tidal groundwater or hardpan before you find anything that even nearly resembles dirt.

Doug

[brad9798]

Typically, I mulch ... but if I am lazy and let it get too tall... well, I have to bag ... no two ways around it.