Save on Fertilizer By Making Your Own

Autmow Thatch illustration

Everyone dreams of having a luscious, thick green lawn around their home, and some people are willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. In most cases, people are spending loads of money in lawncare service, grass stimulants, and other expenses in order to maintain a lawn that they are proud of. What if there was a way to save some money on these costs? We have a proposal – make your own fertilizer!
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No, we aren’t suggesting “making fertilizer” in the smelly way…we are suggesting using lawn clippings as nourishment! Clippings are a great fertilizer for lawns. They have exactly what grass needs from a natural fertilizer: water and nutrients, specifically high levels of nitrogen, and when left to decay on the lawn, these nutrients are released and left for the growing grass.

Do Grass Clippings Contribute to “Thatch”?
Many people question if grass clippings contribute to thatch and if they can be detrimental to your lawn over time. The answer is a little complicated, so bear with me. Thatch is a common term used for the layer of dead plant life that often builds up on top of soil. Thatch can cause a problem for your soil by reducing airflow and nutrients that reaches it. Thick thatch can cause yellowing and dying grass. However, thatch is typically made of roots and stems, not grass clippings.
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Grass clippings from robotic mowers DO NOT contribute to thatch. Cutting a large percentage of the blade of grass stresses the grass and leaves those ugly brown dead clippings which eventually become thatch. However, since robotic mowers run more often, they cut smaller proportions of the grass and therefore provide the ideal clippings for fertilizer.

Best Practices for Using Clippings as Fertilizer

1. Don’t Stress: Yes, we mean this literally (use a robotic mower so you don’t have to mow yourself), but we also mean don’t stress your grass. When a robotic mower runs more often and clips smaller sections of the grass blade, they stress the grass way less, and they constantly feed the lawn with each cut. Less stress means less water and fewer chemicals needed. It also means better drought tolerance, a thicker lawn and fewer weeds.
2. Let Nature Do The Work: Grass responds to being cut– it must grow to maximize the photosynthesis process. As a result, the grass will focus energy into the blade and runner growth and become denser and healthier. And, did you know, the best weed control is a thick, lush lawn?
3. Keep it Sharp: Keep your lawn looking it’s best with sharp blades that rotate mowing directions. Sharp blades provide for a more even mow and a better distribution of clippings, while mowing in various directions helps for better clipping distribution as well.

 
How Autmow Can Help
Autmow robotic mowers are the perfect tools to provide for the best fertilization with clippings. Our mowers have the sharp blades necessary to best distribute the clippings. In addition, a consistent mowing schedule is easy to set and robotic mowers can mow as often as you would like them to, which adds to clipping distribution. They work hard, so you don’t have to.
Autmow is North America’s first, largest and fastest growing network of robotic lawn and turf-care specialists. Contact Autmow today to get started in finding the right robotic mower for your lawn and your needs.

External Resources
Rodriguez, Amy. “Does Cutting Grass Promote Health?” SFGate, 14 December 2018,             https://homeguides.sfgate.com/cutting-grass-promote-growth-70036.html
“Are Grass Clippings Good For My Lawn?” Lawn Doctor, 8 June 2016,             https://www.lawndoctor.com/blog/grass-clippings-for-lawns/

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