Grass Clippings & Cutting Tips

Public Works

Grass Clippings
Grass Clippings will be picked up with your regular trash on your regular trash day.  Clippings must be placed in open bags or containers and be out to the curb by 6:30 a.m.  They should not contain any yard waste or debris.  Bags or containers must not weigh more than 50 pounds or they will not be picked up.  

Cut It and Leave It
Under a new "Cut It and Leave It" program, Robbinsville Township now encourages you to cut your grass and leave it on the lawn to help fertilize it and retain moisture.  This process is also known as "Grasscycling", meaning a natural recycling of grass clippings.  Grasscycling saves time and money, as you no longer have to purchase and fill bags for grass, the lawn stays healthier, it lowers your need to fertilize by up to 30%, and it reduces the cost the Township pays to dispose of solid waste, currently $125. a ton. Landscapers are also encouraged to Grasscycle properly.

Cut Your Grass High:  Longer blades of grass mean the root system below the ground will also be longer (deeper) and healthier.  Longer blades of grass tend to collect more light and grow healthier and higher blades often help block out crabgrass and invading weeds.

Cutting Height:  Don't remove any more than on third of the grass leaf a any one cutting.  If circumstances arise that a lawn gets too tall and you just have to lop off a bunch to get caught up, bite the bullet and break it down into several mowings to get caught up, with three or so days between cuttings.

Mow Only When the Grass is Dry:  When you mow your lawn when the grass is wet, you're just going to get clumps of grass, uneven cuts, and invite all sorts of fungus to grow.

Mow Only When the Grass is Cool:  Try to mow your grass early in the morning, not in the middle of the day, especially if you're going through a dry period or your grass is wilting.

Don't Use a Bagger:  By cutting your lawn without a bagger and leaving the clippings on the lawn, you're adding extra nitrogen, water, and nutrients back in the soil as those clippings decompose.  Contrary to popular opinion, grass clippings do not add the thatch buildup.

Change Direction Each Time You Mow:  When you cut your lawn in several different patterns you'll avoid creating ruts or pathways in your lawn from repeatedly going over the same spot each week.  If you're leaving your grass clippings on your lawn and you have some small clumps, try going over your lawn again quickly in another directions to disperse them.  For a rectangular lawn, you have lots of cutting pattern options like concentric circles, "up and down," "back and forth," on a diagonal (left and right) or even a combination.

Mower Maintenance: Keep your mower in good working order. Always clean out grass clippings and debris when you're done, keep the fuel and oil relatively clean and fresh, and keep the blades in good condition.  It depends on how large your lawn is, but generally I find that buying new blades once a season or having my existing blades sharpened several times a season works for me.  Keep an extra blade around so you'll always have a sharp one on hand.

-DPW-

© 2024 • Robbinsville Township, NJ • 2298 Route 33, Robbinsville, NJ 08691 • (609) 259-3600
Regular Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Monday - Friday)
Construction Department: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Monday - Friday)
www.robbinsville.net

Powered By Revize Login