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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – When mowing your lawn, the City of White Plains says you don’t have to bag the grass clippings for disposal. Instead, you can "grasscycle."
"Grasscycling" is the organic recycling of grass by leaving grass clippings on the lawn after mowing rather than bagging and leaving them curbside for pickup, according to a pamphlet the city posted on its website. On the pamphlet is a tear-off card that residents can mail to their gardeners saying, “Please start grasscycling on my lawn.”
Grasscycling helps reduce water use and reduces the need for fertilizers, because grass clippings are 75 percent to 85 percent water and decompose rapidly. The clippings return that moisture to the soil, promoting better lawn growth. They also contain nitrogen-rich nutrients providing 25 percent to 80 percent of your lawn's fertilizer needs, according to the pamphlet.
Additionally, the practice can save money if your gardener charges for disposing of the cut grass.
The idea is to cut only one-third of the grass height at a time, and no shorter than 3 inches high. The pamphlet, prepared by the city’s Department of Public Works, says this height smothers weeds and holds moisture.
Attached: City of White Plains grasscycling pamphlet (grasscycling_pamphlet.pdf)
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