Garden waste

Grass-cycling reduces household garden waste and benefits the environment. It is not a new concept - many golf courses and parks have practised grass-cycling for years.

How to grass-cycle

Grass cuttings contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are put back into your lawn each time you mow. If you buy fertiliser, grass-cycling will keep your lawn healthy without needing as much fertiliser.

Follow these steps to grass-cycle:

• if your lawnmower has a grass catcher, follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to safely remove the grass catcher
• mow your lawn, allowing the grass cuttings to fall on to the lawn
• use a sharp mower blade, as blunt blades tear the grass, giving it a brownish colour, and contribute to lawn disease
• mow when the grass is dry, for example early on a sunny or windy day, so the weather will dry the cuttings
• cut grass later in the day so cuttings can dry and settle overnight - this will mean people track less grass into your home
• if you have a lot of grass cuttings, do not let them form into clumps -  instead put them over soil in your garden and they'll form a mulch cover to help control weeds and maintain soil moisture
• even if you only grass-cycle occasionally, it will help reduce the environmental impact and cost of managing this waste in our recycling centres
• grass cuttings can be put in a compost bin or compost heap