If you’re like me, you hate the look of a freshly cut lawn covered in grass clippings. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution for that, which is to add a bag attachment to your mower to collect the clipped grass as you mow.
This of course doesn’t come without its drawbacks, the main one being that you have to do something with all of that freshly cut grass. Even with a small yard, this can build up to a large amount of clippings pretty quickly.
While disposing isn’t your only option for getting rid of your grass clippings, it might be the option that makes the most sense for you. So, what is the best way to get rid of all that cut grass? Let’s find out.
What to Do with Grass Clippings After Mowing
If you want to get rid of your grass clippings after mowing your lawn, you have quite a few options. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
1- Put Them in a Yard Waste Container
If your local collection company allows it, a great option for disposing of grass clippings is to put them in your yard waste container. Note that your yard waste container is not the same thing as your normal trash bin and might be an extra service you have to pay for.
Do not put grass clippings in your normal trash bin, as this is not typically allowed and contributes to our growing landfills.
2 – Compost Them
Another great way to get rid of your grass clippings is to add them to your compost pile. Grass is rich in nitrogen and considered to be a “green” material, which can be part of a healthy carbon-to-nitrogen balanced compost pile.
Adding grass to your compost is a great way to take something that you may consider to be a waste item and turn it into something beneficial for your garden.
3- Donate Your Clippings to Local Farmers
If you live near a bunch of farms, like I do, contact a few of your local farmers to see if they’ll take the clippings off of your hands. They can use them to feed their cattle or add them to their compost piles, which you might not have space for at home.
4 – Contact Local Gardening Businesses
If you strike out with local farmers, you can also try reaching out to local gardening businesses. They sometimes take grass clippings to compost or turn into mulch, and this likely won’t cost you a dime.
5 – Give Them to Friends and Neighbors
Another way to get rid of grass clippings is to offer them to friends, family members, or neighbors. Just like the local gardening businesses I mentioned above, you might already know someone that could use your grass for composting or mulching.
6 – Leave Them for Seasonal Curbside Pickup
I mentioned putting your clippings in a yard waste bin above, but not all of us have this option (or are willing to pay for it). A good alternative is to leave your yard waste, including grass clippings, by the road during the designated pickup days in your area.
The frequency and availability of pickups will depend on your location and what’s offered in your neighborhood.
7 – Take Them to a Local Disposal Site
In our area, we have a local disposal center that takes anything from yard waste to metal to old furniture. We do have a pay a small fee per visit, but if you save up your clippings to narrow down your trips to a few loads per season, this can be a good alternative to the other disposal methods on this list.
8 – Leave the Clippings on Your Lawn
One of the best things you can do with your grass clippings is to simply leave them on your lawn. As long as you cut your grass regularly and you don’t have a diseased lawn, your clippings will actually provide your soil with nutrients, making your lawn healthier than it would be when bagging your clippings.
This is also a convenient option, since it requires no extra work on your part. You don’t even need the bag attachment for your mower.
9 – Use Them as Mulch
The last disposal method I’ll mention is to use your clippings as mulch. Using your grass clippings for mulch not only protects your plants by stunting the growth of weeds, but it also provides your soil with nutrients to help your plants grow and thrive.
Final Thoughts
While the best and easiest option is to simply leave your grass clippings on your lawn, it doesn’t always make sense, and in some cases simply isn’t desired. Thankfully, if you prefer to dispose of your clippings, you have plenty of options to choose from, as listed above.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.