Do clippings left on the lawn increase disease problems?
There is no increase in disease problems when clippings are left on the lawn. Improper watering and fertilization practices have a greater influence on the occurrence of disease. Caring for a lawn can be hard work, and removing lawn clippings is one of the most time consuming, back breaking parts of the job. Why not recycle your grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn when mowing? You would then eliminate the hassles of raking, stopping every few minutes to empty the mower bag and wrestling with expensive trash bags. In addition, leaving grass clippings saves landfills and incinerators from being overburdened with organic materials that are valuable and completely recyclable! Some communities have legislation that prohibits yard waste, including grass clippings from being disposed of in landfills or incinerators. Prepared by: Robert E. Kozlowski, Department of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture, Cornell University, 9/94. Slight revision: Thomas Kowalsick, Cornell Cooperative
