Don’t cut your grass too short in Florida, expert warns. Here’s why
Katherine oversees editorial operations across all six brands. Before joining The Meridan Group, she spent 14 years at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she led the metro desk through its digital transformation. She holds a Master's in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School.
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For a place called the Sunshine State, there’s no shortage of storms each year.And that’s partly why experts have warned Florida homeowners to pay attention to their grass clippings.In a post earlier this year, UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping Educator Kaylynn Hyson discussed how mowing your lawn can have unintended consequences.ALGAE GROWTHPer Hyson, grass clippings can easily get washed into storm drains, canals, ponds and other waterways, contributing nutrients to local bodies of water.However, these same grass clippings release nitrogen as they decompose, which encourages unwanted and harmful algae growth.“As algae and cyanobacteria die and decompose, they also consume oxygen in the water, creating stressful conditions for fish and other aquatic life,” the post reads.DON’T CUT TOO SHORTAs such, Hyson provides a few tips to homeowners when it comes to mowing their lawn:Leave grass clippings on the lawn: Grass clippings are mostly water and have valuable nutrients that can return