Will spread grass blades over grass helps lawn or just bagging them is good?

[Old fiddler]

I mulch - the nitrogen is good for lawn growth. If the grass is very long, I cut 1/3 of grass blade length, then go back at 90 degrees and cut another 1/3 blade length. If the length of the grass is still too long, I repeat the procedure in a few days.
Then I try to maintain the length of grass I want, without letting it get too long again
Fertilize 3-4 times a season with appropriate fertilizer- seems to give good results.

Keep your underside of your deck pretty clean, it will not clump as much if at all

 

[Always Learning]

Ongoing debate between a friend and I. I believe not bagging puts the nutrients it took to grow the grass back into the ground. Agree with the 45 degree discharge chute. The Scott's fertilizer instructions specifically say not to bag. Good enough for me!

 

[ybor]

This may be old information for some, but I've never seen it anywhere. I have a zero turn and after making 1 or 2 perimeter passes (fence row) with the discharge toward the center, I move to the center of the lawn and spiral outward with the discharge outward. This allows you to recut the clippings from the previous pass (more mulching), but it also distributes the clippings to a larger area with each pass. The advantage of the approach it that you don't wind up with clippings building up at the center of the lawn while still allowing for good mulching. I do this about every other mowing. I never bag, rake or collect clippings.

 

[farmerdave1954]

Aren't you just blowing all your clippings to the outside of your lawn instead of equally distributing them over the lawn? Or am I misunderstanding your method? It sounds like you are mowing and re-mowing the cuttings multiple times as you move the cuttings to the outside of the lawn. I always make the first pass around the outside with the discharge chute blowing toward the middle of the lawn, then reverse for the rest of the passes, blowing the cuttings onto the cut portion. I think that's how most people mow.

 

[barny57]

Thank you all for the kind replies, it is best to use mulching blades instead of bagging for the task of spreading it over lawn soil. Also, the height of the grass matters, I got that point.

Just put whatever blades on either or you’re not really going to see a big difference

 

[ybor]

Aren't you just blowing all your clippings to the outside of your lawn instead of equally distributing them over the lawn? Or am I misunderstanding your method? It sounds like you are mowing and re-mowing the cuttings multiple times as you move the cuttings to the outside of the lawn. I always make the first pass around the outside with the discharge chute blowing toward the middle of the lawn, then reverse for the rest of the passes, blowing the cuttings onto the cut portion. I think that's how most people mow.

Good point and I do mix it up depending on conditions. In the Spring and Fall, when the grass easily grows 2+ inches between weekly mowing, I find that my Scag coupled with Gator blades leaves clippings that are very noticeable. This method helps in that situation. If the grass is short, I blow everything toward the center and rarely have excess clippings left. If the grass is out of hand, I do exactly what you suggest, just to knock it down, knowing it will look better after the following mowing. I call the method of starting at the center and working a spiral outward the NASCAR method...turn left, turn left, and so on.

 

[Back44L&G]

I have OEM mulch blades on my mowers that do a good job of grasscycling. And if I have to equip one mower with side discharge and it happens to make clumps (usually in the backyard) then I'll blow the clumps with the blower to disperse.
Guide on grasscycling:
https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1031

 

[GrumpyCat]

Thank you all for the kind replies, it is best to use mulching blades instead of bagging for the task of spreading it over lawn soil. Also, the height of the grass matters, I got that point.

Mulching is good, but if you cut too short or wait too long with tall grass the mulching deck will clump. Clumping is bad wether mulching or not.

I have mulched for decades with self-propelled push mowers. Recently stared using a Country Clipper zero-turn and decided to give the stock deck a chance before ordering the mulch kit. It throws clippings a very long way, I almost never see any accumulate. So I haven't ordered the mulch conversion kit.

When it has not rained much for grass to grow, but it grows seeds, I used to bag to capture the seeds. Then dump the bags on bare spots under trees.