Marco Bitran: How To Recycle Grass Clippings

The snow shovels have been put away. The grass is starting to turn green and grow and, before you know it, lawn mowing season will be here.

This year do your lawn or your garden a favor: don’t bag and send those grass clippings to the landfill.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that yard waste accounts for 18% of the refuse sent to the landfill. Therefore, it is time to start to rethink clipping removal.

Instead of bagging, grass clippings should either be left on the ground – a term commonly know as “grasscycling” – or collected and added to an ongoing compost pile.

Some homeowners bag and discard grass clippings out of habit or because it’s a common practice in the neighborhood. Others don’t like to see globs of cut grass on top of the lawn. There is also a misconception that grass clippings cause turf disease or form a thatch layer.

The idea that grass clippings result in thatch in not true. It has been refuted for many years. Consider golf courses. They mow fairways and greens almost daily and return clippings back to the turf. In cases where clippings are removed, they re-used in manure spreaders; in garden beds and around trees.

If you opt not to participate in “grasscycling” and want to bag your clippings, you should consider starting a compost pile. Although a compost pile is more labor-intensive, the long-term rewards offer a rich soil amendment for your garden and flower beds.

Marco Bitran: Tips When Beginning a Compost Pile

With the attention brought to maintaining a green lifestyle, more people are turning to composting as a way to provide additional nutrients to homeowners’ soil. Marco Bitran, who was the founder of Al Exchange, spends time during the summer composting with his family, and they utilize the nutrient-rich soil for planting.

Compost bins are available at home improvement stores, or individuals can make their own with a barrel or open yard space. Homeowners can use a variety of materials to begin their compost pile, including vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and filters, and yard debris. However, they should consult with their township, as some areas prevent homeowners from adding food scraps unless the compost bin has a lid.

Management of the compost pile determines when the compost will be available for use. If homeowners turn the pile every week, keep the pile in a cool, shady spot, and shred or grind the organic products, the compost will be ready to use in a month or two. If left alone, the compost may take longer to reach readiness.

Marco spends a lot of time working the garden with his two children, Isaac and Dalia. It’s a great activity for kids and teaches them about the environment, about growing plants and foods, and about the bio life cycle.