Mow Your Leaves and Grass Clippings
Don’t be in a hurry to put your mower away - it's a valuable tool for managing leaves as well as grass clippings. With the recent change in yard waste collection service, this is a good opportunity for Ypsilanti residents to experiment with additional landscape management practices. More information about the benefits of mulching your grass clippings and leaves can be found on the Michigan State University Extension website here.
Mulching leaves and grass will save residents time and effort by reducing the amount of yard waste bagged for pick-up. It also supports the City’s cost-saving efforts. To use your mower to mulch leaves or windrows of grass, run the mower across the lawn to break the them down into small pieces. This may take several passes over the lawn with the mower. The small pieces will be visible at first but eventually decompose into your lawn over the coming weeks. For best results, use a mulching mower, raise your mowing height to better accommodate the leaf piles or windrows, and mow when leaves and/or grass are dry.
Mulched leaves and grass also make an excellent addition to a compost pile and garden beds. The small leaf pieces created by the mower will quickly break down and provide useful nutrients to your lawn and garden.