Hi, Bish here. A common question I get is whether we should be collecting lawn clippings or just letting them drop back onto the grass. It seems like a small decision, but it actually makes a surprising difference to how your lawn looks, grows, and behaves in the warm, humid subtropical climate of the Northern Rivers. After a goodly amount of time mowing lawns for customers from Casino to Alstonville, and from Modanville to Coraki, here's what I have learned.
The Case for Letting Clippings Drop (Grasscycling / Mulching)
When you leave the clippings on the lawn, they act like a fine natural mulch. As they break down quickly in our warm, moist conditions, they return nitrogen, potassium, and other nutrients straight back into the soil.
The benefits I’ve seen:
- Helps retain moisture during drier spells (very handy in our patchy wet/dry summers)
- Saves you time and effort — no stopping to empty the catcher every few laps
- Cuts down on green waste going to landfill
- Reduces the need for fertilizer
In the Northern Rivers, where grass grows fast from spring right through autumn, grasscycling can be a real winner. The clippings usually disappear within a few days, especially if you mow regularly and don’t let the grass get too long
When Bagging the Clippings Makes More Sense
There are definitely times when removing the clippings is the smarter move:
- When the grass is very long or wet after heavy rain (common here) — long clippings can clump and smother the lawn
- If you have a serious thatch problem already — excess clippings can add to it in our humid climate
- During periods of fungal issues (brown patch, dollar spot etc.) — removing clippings reduces the spread of spores
- If you want a very tidy, manicured look for a party or when selling a property
- Early in the growing season if you’re trying to reduce nitrogen levels slightly
My Approach
Here in the Northern Rivers, I do a bit of both, depending on the conditions:
- High growth - I tend to bag clippings more often during the peak wet summer months when the grass is growing like crazy.
- Low growth - Where the grass is not particularly long I prefer to let the clippings lay, providing mulch.
- After heavy rain or long growth — I bag or use the mulching setting on a higher cut first, then come back and finish properly on the next visit.
- Most of the time — I catch and remove the clippings - customers tend to prefer the aesthetic of a clean lawn. That said, when I am letting the clippings lay I will use the mulch setting on my mower along with the high speed option, so that the clippings are cut into a finer, more compostable size.
Pro tips that work here:
- Keep your mower blades sharp — blunt blades tear the grass and leave bigger chunks that don’t break down nicely.
- Never leave thick clumps sitting on the lawn — rake them up or run the mower over them again.
- If you do bag your clippings, use them in the compost or as mulch around garden beds (they’re gold for the veggie patch).
- Raise your cutting height slightly in summer — longer grass shades the soil and the clippings break down better.
The Bottom Line
For most Northern Rivers backyards, letting the clippings drop is better for the lawn’s health and easier on you. The exceptions are usually during very wet periods, when the grass is very long or when you’re dealing with thatch or fungal problems.
A healthy lawn here is more about consistency than perfection. Whether you mulch or bag, the most important things are mowing at the right height, not cutting off more than one-third of the leaf at a time, and adjusting to the season.
What do you reckon regarding the clippings — bag them religiously, let them fall, or a bit of both? I’d love to hear what works (or doesn’t) in your backyard. Drop a comment below. Happy mowing!
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