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Lawnmowers

Pauline-19Pauline-19 Posts: 11
in Tools and techniques
Is it worth paying extra to have the option of grass mulching on a new petrol lawnmower?
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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I would rather have one that picks up the grass so I can mix it in with my compost. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
    I had a petrol mower with the same option, but tbh as Lyn has stated placing the grass cutting in a compost bin and mixing it in would be better imo
  • ColinAColinA Posts: 392
    Mulching is very good in hot weather as the clippings are cut very fine and dropped onto the lawn to feed the grass and control evaporation
  • UpNorthUpNorth Posts: 376
    I have a mulching/bagged self propelled, haytor.  The mulching is nothing more than a large plug in the hole, that ordinarily the grass would go through to the bag.    it's only suitable to do this sometimes, i don't think I mulch more than once or twice a year.    However it's really handy to have the mulch PLUG to put in, when cleaning the mower after having cut in a slightly-too-damp grass....as you sometimes have to do.    By cleaning i mean running a hosepipe and directing the jet under the running mower...the plug saves getting your bag really soggy....and when it's made of cloth, that's very handy.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    I've never understood the concept of mulching. It's unsightly, produces thatch which you have to scarily away. I suppose it has its supporters, lazy gardeners, as it saves the work of taking the grass cuttings away to the compost. ;)
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    My dad's mower does mulching. The mulched grass gets everywhere. There's more lawn in the house than in the garden for days afterwards.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Pauline-19Pauline-19 Posts: 11
    Thanks for all your comments, think I’ll be saving my money 👍😊
  • glasgowdanglasgowdan Posts: 632
    There are a few replies above that siggest people don't know how to use a mulch mower, or are using rubbish ones. 

    Mulch mowing is a perfectly good way to cut grass in the UK. IDEALLY it's something you'd do weekly rather than fortnightly. It DOESN'T necessarily create thatch and doesn't affect moss levels at all. 

    I have mulched some lawns fortnightly for 5+ years and they are in excellent condition.

    However, if you're talking about a collection mower with a mulch plug....then just no. A mulch mower needs a mulch blade AND a deck designed for it. Mulch plugs leave recesses in the deck area that impede the process and collection blades are useless at mulching. 

    To "Up North", why would you clean the mower deck with the bag still attached? Take the bag off so you can cleanthe deck AND the chute properly. PS you NEED to clean the bag regularly to keep the holes clear and maintain decent collection performance due to airflow.


  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Papi Jo said:
    I've never understood the concept of mulching. It's unsightly, produces thatch which you have to scarily away. I suppose it has its supporters, lazy gardeners, as it saves the work of taking the grass cuttings away to the compost. ;)
    Please read scarify, not scarily.
  • UpNorthUpNorth Posts: 376


    To "Up North", why would you clean the mower deck with the bag still attached? Take the bag off so you can clean the deck AND the chute properly. 


    Its a safety feature, the mower won't run unless either bag or plug is attached (magnets). ☺

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