Grasscycling

Grasscycling is a method of handling grass clippings by leaving them to decompose on the lawn when mowing.

The term combines "grass" and "recycling", and had come into use by at least 1990,[1] as part of the push to reduce the huge quantities of clippings going into landfills, up to half of some cities' summertime waste flow,[2] as 1,000 square feet (93 m2) of lawn can produce 200 to 500 pounds (90 to 225 kg) of clippings a year.

[3] Because grass consists largely of water (80% or more[4]), contains little lignin,[4] and has high nitrogen content, grass clippings easily break down during an aerobic process [5] (comparable to composting) and returns the decomposed clippings to the soil within one to two weeks,[3] acting primarily as a fertilizer supplement and, to a much smaller degree, a mulch.

Grass cycling can provide 15 to 20% or more of a lawn's yearly nitrogen requirements.

[6][7] Proponents also note that grasscycling reduces the use of plastic bags for collecting yard waste and reduces trips to the curb or landfill to haul waste.