Lawn care mulching versus bagging question

[Sundancefisher]

So I got to thinking...I always bag and haul away. I am thinking about composting some but that is for another thread.

Does anyone only mulch their grass in Calgary and if so... any tips or results you can share? Better lawn...thicker thatch...easier to water?

[omega50]

I bag-my neighbor mulches.

I fight the invasion of his weeds all summer where our properties border each other.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

So I got to thinking...I always bag and haul away. I am thinking about composting some but that is for another thread.

Does anyone only mulch their grass in Calgary and if so... any tips or results you can share? Better lawn...thicker thatch...easier to water?

With Calgary's dry soil and wind, it's better to mulch. It gives the lawn a layer that will hold on to the water. With no mulch, the water quickly goes deep into the soil.

The only time I bag is if I've let it go for a while and I'm cutting off a lot of grass. Other than that, I take the bag off, and mulch. Also aerating your lawn in the spring is a good idea. Loosens up the hard packed soil.

[Titan 08]

I mulched last year, did half of my lawn yesterday, took 50% more grass / thatch off it yesterday and still have to do the other half of the lawn. But my lawn was the best I ever had last year.

[Redfrog]

I use a unit that cuts, composts, spreads and packs.



In the city you should mow, let stand one day and then rake the dried grass, alteranting direction wekly. I.E. rake north/ south grid one week and east /west grid the next week.

I'll be fishing but I'll check int to see how you are doing.

[billie]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

I use a unit that cuts, composts, spreads and packs.

Holy crap! look at the size of that lawn. Good thing you use self-propelled.

[HyperMOA]

I'm in Edmonton, but we have had several wet summers in a row now. With mulching you really need to be on top of your mowing, so with all of the rain and waiting for the grass to dry has caused some mulching issues. You end up with a lot of clumps if the grass was allowed to get away from you. What I do then is set my mower to maximum height and "vaccuum" up the clumps with the bag on.

[roger]

both neighbour and I put in the same quality black soil and purchased sod from the same supplier at the same time...I mulch, the neighbour doesn't, mine is greener sooner, thicker and no weeds.

I mow north-south first; then next day or hours later I mow the dryed clippings, again east-west. it gives nice checkerboard pattern and puts nutrients back in to the soil.

grass sucks...

[AbAngler]

If you mulch, make sure you have a proper mulching mower that is working. If the grass is not mulched enough, it creates a barrier which inhibits new growth. Some of the new mulching tech is pretty good. Some decks will suspend the cuttings inside, only spitting them out when they are properly mulched. Spendy, but supposedly really good.

Mulching works well in Alberta if done properly. I bag, but thats because my old mower sucks. I'm in the market for a new one, so I've been reading lots and have decided to spend a little extra and get a proper mulcher.

[Dumbo_Dave]

I live in NE Calgary. Our lawns have a little alkali in them. I always mulch. My lawn is always much better than my neighbors on all sides. I started cutting grass for a few neighbors 2 years ago. Their lawns are starting to catch up to mine. However, I do fertilize and control the weeds - usually with Killex. Lawns on the North side of the street respond much better to regular water and fertilizer - I live on the South side in the shade most of the day. I find mulching definately worth the effort to get a mower with the appropriate power to do a good job of mulching. Mine is an 8 horse I think.

[dodgeboy1979]

i bag because i don't want the kids bringing the grass clippings in the house. Good rule of thumb with mulching, get rid of your weeds first as you in essence disperse any weed seeds you have throughout your lawn with mulching.

[Lornce]

Mulching for me also, our lawn is great and the neighbors always compliment me. Along with the nutrients it also holds more moisture longer. Bought a John Deer riding mower so the work should be a joy.

[kevinhits]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

So I got to thinking...I always bag and haul away. I am thinking about composting some but that is for another thread.

Does anyone only mulch their grass in Calgary and if so... any tips or results you can share? Better lawn...thicker thatch...easier to water?

I used to bag up till last summer....I found if leaving the mulch down, it retains moisture way better instead of the grass drying out...JMO

[Mike_W]

I compost for the most part but when the conditions are good I will mulch on occasion.

[Selkirk]

.
Calgary = Mulch.

A special mulching blade can make a 'Big' difference. There are several types, but this one is probably the most common . . .





To a certain extent, all lawn mowers can mulch, but a specialised 'mulching mower' works best (special shaped deck & blade)

Mulch On!

TF

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by billie

Holy crap! look at the size of that lawn. Good thing you use self-propelled.

Looks natural gas propelled. Bio fuel

[Mydogbark]

Nooner hav experience with this? Internet search says it’s ok to use fallen leaves (shredded is better than whole leaves) for mulch and for weed suppression, but no one says what happens in the years aftward. I am concerned that after 3-4 years, th decayed leaves become a fertile breeding ground for those Sam weeds. I ask because I am doing volunteer work for the local park; there’s no budget for hiring a weeder or buying cedar mulch to suppress the weeds. So I am hoping hat re-using the fallen tre leaves is an inexpensive way to kill th weeds around the ornamental bushes. But I don’t want to create a mess or just make the weed problem worse in the future. Thanks in advance.

[The Cook]

We eliminated our lawn and planted clover, bees love it and it's basically labour free except for watering daily for the first few weeks.

[elkhunter11]

I have done both, I am back to bagging, when I mulched, I had to aerate more often, and I had more weeds.

[MyAlberta]

I mulched. Dethatched in spring (into the compost). Fertilized through spring growing season, raising mower as summer heat set in. Rarely watered. Fall aerated and fertilized before going to bed for the winter.
I say mulched, but really just leaving the clippings on.

[pikergolf]

Mulching was terrible for my lawn. Neighbors all have weeds and I am not able to control mine any more because with mulching the seeds don't get picked up. Now I am infested with chick weed.

[Buckhead]

I have mulched only for the past 10 years or so. I would never go back to bagging. My lawn looks a lot better and takes a lot less water and care. No weeds to speak of.

[6.5 shooter]

Mulch, why would you spend hundreds of dollars to fertilize etc. then throw it in the dump? I have mulched for the last 15 years. I had to go around and find some earth worms (NOT dew worms) to throw out on the lawn the first few years, then they just took care of themselves after that. Less water and the greenest lawn on the block, so ya it is worth it. And I am no gardener!

[KGB]

I got voles so mulching is no more for me…apparently they love the mulch and burrow right thru it…

[owlhoot]

Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter

Mulch, why would you spend hundreds of dollars to fertilize etc. then throw it in the dump? I have mulched for the last 15 years. I had to go around and find some earth worms (NOT dew worms) to throw out on the lawn the first few years, then they just took care of themselves after that. Less water and the greenest lawn on the block, so ya it is worth it. And I am no gardener!

I agree with this, I always mulch, Bagging it up is just more work. I only bag when I'm picking up leaves, I like a clean lawn before winter