Leave the clippings, leave the clippings, leave clippings on the lawn. We can't say it enough. There are turf trials at Rutgers University and at Organic Turf that show when grass clippings are left on the lawn (not bagged) the lawns are thicker, greener and have less weeds. When grass clippings are left on a lawn they return nutrients, increase organic matter, help make the lawn drought resistant and inhibit weed germination. Powerful mowers with mulch blades chop lawn clippings very fine as to be hardly noticeable. If grass clumps on the lawn, as it may when grass is cut wet, the large clumps must be dispersed with a leaf blower.
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Ideally grass likes one inch of rain per week during the growing season. If it has not rained and irrigation is available, apply one inch of water one night per week (never water during midday sun, as this can burn the lawn). Irrigating between 6pm and 9pm are ideals times. Put an empty can on the lawn to calculate how long it takes to apply one inch of water. Applying water in this way causes the soil to be irrigated deeply causing grass roots to grow down deep into the soil producing a drought resistant lawn. Watering for short periods of time produces a shallow root system. If the irrigation system cannot be changed to accommodate one inch at one time per week, any watering will be appreciated by the grass. If unable to water during dry weather, cut grass less frequently, every other week or every third week as needed and cut the grass no less than 5 inches high for drought, 3 inches when moisture is sufficient. Leaving the grass high during dry weather will shade the soil lessening evaporation of soil moisture and will produce a green lawn even during a drought while your neighbors lawns are turning brown. Our best lawns follow these instructions.
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