Mulcher or Bagger

[Saddlewood]

With Fall on the horizon here in the midwest, I'm looking into the preferences between a mulcher or bagger for the Wright stander I own. I'm trying to look for pros and cons as to what you all see. I'd prefer not to buy both, and I keep leaning towards the mulching kit but because I know the leaves are going to be a huge deal to get rid of w/ a bagger, but with the mulching kit and the large amount of leaves that I know we'll have, I'm afraid the mulching kit will potentially leave a mess behind (unless I go over it multiple times).... Understand that I'm not opposed to any of these issues I've described, just trying to make sure I get the biggest bang for my buck.

[swstout]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by Saddlewood With Fall on the horizon here in the midwest, I'm looking into the preferences between a mulcher or bagger for the Wright stander I own. I'm trying to look for pros and cons as to what you all see. I'd prefer not to buy both, and I keep leaning towards the mulching kit but because I know the leaves are going to be a huge deal to get rid of w/ a bagger, but with the mulching kit and the large amount of leaves that I know we'll have, I'm afraid the mulching kit will potentially leave a mess behind (unless I go over it multiple times).... Understand that I'm not opposed to any of these issues I've described, just trying to make sure I get the biggest bang for my buck. I never bag; it’s counterproductive for the lawn. Yard trimmings can be classified into two categories according to their carbon and nitrogen content: * "Green" materials, such as fresh grass clippings, manure, and garden plants. Mulching your grass clippings into the turf replaces organic material of which 10% becomes organic matter through decomposition. Organic matter is the nutrient zone of the humus. * "Brown" materials, such as dried leaves and plants, branches, and woody materials have high carbon content but are relatively low in nitrogen. Here in South Carolina, we are lucky to see a 1% iron content in the soil. Most turf grasses need a minimum of 4% for healthy green lawns. I stress to my customers the importance of mulching over removal for lawn health, irrigation needs, stress and disease resistance, and overall cost. Usually, overall cost savings is what they hear. Adding natural ingredients to the soil increases soil microbial activity. Soil microbes fix the nutrients needed for plant growth and release them slowly as plants need them. On the other hand, petrochemical fertilizers are often high in soluble salts that are detrimental to microbes and plants alike: They decrease microbial activity and plant uptake. Although these fertilizers are high analysis N-P-K, the plant-use efficiency is very low. I have found "Gator" Mulching blades to be the best! And yes, you will probably have to go over the lawn a few (2-4) times, but that is much faster than bagging, unloading, transporting, and disposal. Steve

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[Steve]

Do you ever find yourself explaining to the customer before hand that the lawn will appear to have particles of the leaves mulched and even though it may not be visually ideal, it is good for the lawn in the fall?

Or what is the best way to explain this and go about this so you can minimize any potential complaints?