I did some research on this a couple of weeks ago and most sources I found on the web agreed you should not remove clippings. Mulch it.

I would like for you to do whatever you are more comfortable with, for whatever reason you choose. That's because it's brand new sod.

That brand new sod is 'mounted' if you will, on PEAT. That peat will decompose over the next five years, more or less 1/5 each year. As it decomposes, it will give off nitrogen, and the usual stuff, as organic material rots (I'm sorry, I meant to say 'naturally decomposes'). At the end of five years, your pretty, brand new lawn will be two full inches lower than it is today. Go look at it: it's two inches up in the air, resting on peat. Five years from now, it will be sitting on the ground. (Which is why, when you see someone ask 'what do I do about the cracks between the sod pieces?', the correct answer is 'do nothing'. The cracks go away as the peat goes away. Five years.)

So you're all set, in the 'organic material' department.

What that lawn needs is fertilizer. NOT a big, boomba dose of fertilizer. Instead, how about a half dose now, and another half dose later? That would be ideal.

Leaving the clippings on the lawn leaves organic material. Leaves a little nitrogen hanging around, which is good. You're set. You've got all you need, at the moment, because it's brand new sod.

This is the perfect time for what's called Spouse Manipulation. If your wonderful spouse prefers that the clippings be bagged and removed, your comment will start out 'Of COURSE, dear...' and you will do it her way, so long as she is willing to help. By emptying mower bags into trash bags, or whatever. Especially in July, when it's hot outside. And carrying half of those bags to the curb. In the heat. No shade.

By the time five years has gone by, both you and she (please allow her to think of it first: it's the gracious thing to do) will be of the opinion that she was right all along, and that the grass benefits from leaving the clippings on the lawn, as it adds nitrogen, and it's a lot less hassle. Not to mention a lot less hot, sweaty work with those bags. Yup: leaving the clippings on the lawn is the way to go, in the long run.

And you can't get around this. And you will mention this, at the appropriate time: you've thought about it, and the fact is, she was right all along.

Thanks, both. I don't think I'll have a spouse issue either way. If we bag, it would go on the compost heap. If we mulch, not. And the mower has a lever to partially mulch/partially bag, so I can always bag a little for show and mulch the rest.

Bottom line sounds like I don't have to worry about overdoing anything early on by mulching.

You should mulch-mow, or in my case, since I don't have a mulching mower (I use a reel mower) I just leave the clippings. So Mulch mow, or leave the clippings please... Why?

a) Grass clippings are 80% water and decompose quickly releasing nutrients into your soil.
b) Mulching provides a portion of the lawnÂs fertilizer needs providing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace amounts of micronutients.
c) Mulching reduces the amount of time you spend bagging and fertilizing.
d) Grass clippings donÂt cause thatch. (over watering and over fertilizing do)
e) Mulching reduces yard waste by 20-40%.
f) Mulching reduces the amount of water your lawn needs.

There isn't a single reason in the world not to mulch the clippings, especially if you're just going to compost it anyway. Save yourself the extra step and let them lie where they fall.

The *only* reason I wouldn't mulch-mow is on the first mow, which will have a lot of clippings. I wouldn't want to dump too much on the new lawn. After the first cut, I'll be mulching, so it's only one time.

Since you seem to be so patronizing to the wife, how about being helpful instead. Since you saved so much time and energy by not bagging the grass, help her clean up all of the clippings that people keep tracking into the brand new house!!!!!! We want them picked up, not for the yard, but for our sanity..........

The man passed away a number of years ago.

This post was edited by yardtractor1 on Tue, Jun 17, 14 at 14:18