to bag or mulch?

   / to bag or mulch? #1  

65cobra

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Joined
May 24, 2005
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25
Which is better/less work?

Bagging kits are expensive, around $500 Mulch kit is $70

I have plenty of room to dump the baggings but wonder if that is just going to be more time consuming with the dumping and plugging up and what not.

If I did get a bagger are they good enough that they clean up the extra clippings that end up on the driveway and sidewalk?

The yard is 2/3 an acre.
 
   / to bag or mulch? #2  
65cobra said:
Which is better/less work?

Bagging kits are expensive, around $500 Mulch kit is $70

I have plenty of room to dump the baggings but wonder if that is just going to be more time consuming with the dumping and plugging up and what not.

If I did get a bagger are they good enough that they clean up the extra clippings that end up on the driveway and sidewalk?

The yard is 2/3 an acre.

I don't do either one, just let the clippings discharge and make a final pass down the driveway to blow them off. But if you have to do something different, go with the mulching - my neighbors bag their grass and they spend more time emptying than they do mowing. Also, if you're bagging, on net you will be removing topsoil over time. Maybe you have enough topsoil so that doesn't matter, but I don't.


Tim
 
   / to bag or mulch? #3  
I would have to say, get a set of gator blades and cut your grass and enjoy a nice cold drink afterwards
Jim:)
 
   / to bag or mulch? #4  
"Better" and "Less Work" rarely go together.

IF you mow on a very regular basis, mulching or simply discharging should be fine. But, in the Spring and if you water, that means twice a week. If you can see cut grass lying on top of your mown lawn, you have a problem in the making. Cutting more than one third of the plants' height will cause thatch --- not from the cut material, but from killing some of the plants. Cut material lying on top of your grass also blocks the sun and water.

I have a collection system, and I use it when my schedule gets in the way of regular mowing. If I can only mow once a week or every 10 days, then I collect it. If I can mow every 4 days, I discharge.
 
   / to bag or mulch? #5  
You're going to have healthier grass if you cut it regularly and leave the clippings on it. The clippings return quite a bit of nitrogen back to the grass and will give you a healthier lawn. Someone mentioned not leaving a bunch of clippings on the grass and that is a good point. But when you aren't able to mow as often as you should you can always increase your mowing height to compensate.

Bagging will leave the lawn looking prettier. Mulching will leave it healthier.
 
   / to bag or mulch?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Thanks guys, I found the mulching kit at a few places for $120 and then thought I found a deal for $60. At that price I expected blades and a plug but turns out it was just a plug. I guess it was less work though. But kinda felt ripped off for a pound of plastic. I had a quite a bit of mess by discharging it but after mowing a couple of times with the plug and watering the extra clippings have disappeared, thanks guys!
 
   / to bag or mulch? #8  
I had a mulching kit on my JD. Hated it. If you didn't cut frequently (like every 4 days in spring), the grass looked awful. I often had to go back over it to make it look half descent. I eventually gave up. Took the mulching kit off and now simply discharge. I still can't let it get too long. But at least I don't have to cut every 4 days.

If you can get a large capacity bagging system that lets you easily dump from the seat of the tractor and doesn't get in your way, then I'd think that would be a better choice than mulching. Else, just let the clippings drop.
 
   / to bag or mulch? #9  
I could never get over the belief that logically putting the clippings back; i.e., mulching has to fertilize and help the lawn. But I also know, from both personal experience and observation, that the prettiest, nicest lawns are mowed with a grass catcher.:eek: So, as of last week, I decided "no more mulching"! I'm pretty sure I'll be using my grass catcher from now on.
 
   / to bag or mulch? #10  
65cobra said:
Which is better/less work?

Bagging kits are expensive, around $500 Mulch kit is $70

I have plenty of room to dump the baggings but wonder if that is just going to be more time consuming with the dumping and plugging up and what not.

If I did get a bagger are they good enough that they clean up the extra clippings that end up on the driveway and sidewalk?

The yard is 2/3 an acre.

I think the answer is BOTH - depending on the mower you have and whether or not it is set up properly, and also depending on what type of grass you are cutting. I prefer to mulch if just cutting grass (fescue) and bag if heavy leaves are present. If cutting bermuda or other sod, I think bagging is the best bet.

I have had mowers that do a great job mulching, but average job bagging. I have also had good baggers that do a poor job mulching. I currently have a JD LX277 and whoever designed the bagging system for it probably never even cut a blade of grass. Therefore I mulch mostly with it. If the grass is too high and residue is obvious after cutting I hit the clumps with my blower and, poof, looks like it was just bagged. :)
 
 
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