![]() “Every 1 percent of SOM holds 1/3 gallon of water per cubic foot of soil,” Hentschel explains. The higher the percentage of SOM, the more nutrients and water the soil can retain. ![]() Soil organic matter (SOM) is measured as a percentage of organic matter in the soil and is the primary indicator of soil health and therefore the health of the lawn growing in the soil. That’s nitrogen you didn’t have to buy and apply.” Removing the clippings means also removing those nutrients from the system.īesides nutrients, clippings return carbon to the soil, which helps build soil organic matter by feeding the microflora that decomposes that organic matter. “Leaving clippings on the lawn provides the equivalent of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. “In the lawncare industry we’re realizing that rather than feed the lawn synthetically with fertilizers we can choose to do it more organically by mulching grass clippings and leaving them on the lawn to sift in,” says Richard Hentschel, University of Illinois horticultural extension educator. Fortunately, for the sake of aching backs and nutrient-hungry lawns, it’s best to forgo the bag and opt to mulch lawn clippings and leaves instead.Įach little bit of plant material is full of nutrients and being organic matter, when left in place, can improve the overall health of the soil which in turn, better supports the turf and potentially decrease inputs. ![]() Who loves lugging a heavy bag of lawn clippings to the compost pile or yard waste bin, or endlessly raking leaves in the fall? Pretty much nobody, that’s who. Mulching returns valuable nutrients and organic matter to soil and can even help prevent weeds. Mulch lawn clippings and leaves for better lawns.
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