Clippings Management

Mowing a grass surface creates clippings; these can either be boxed off or Let Fly and returned to the surface. A turf manager must decide how the clippings are to be managed, especially considering that returning clippings can add many benefits, not least the return of valuable nutrients to the sward, but also many disadvantages, not least the creation of a softer and more easily worn surface. When annual meadow grass is in flower and the grass forms a significant percentage of the grass sward then it is inadvisable to let clippings fly as this leads to the spreading of this undesirable grass. Clippings may also be managed differently during different times of the year.