6 Organic Ways to Reuse Grass Clippings for Better

Time for Healthier Lawn and Gardens

At The Worm Farm Portland, we know that Oregon gardeners care about building healthy, living soil — not chasing short-term fixes with synthetic fertilizers. One of the most overlooked (and easiest) ways to build your soil naturally? Grass clippings.

Don’t bag them up or send them to the landfill. Instead, put those clippings to work with these 6 organic, eco-friendly methods that protect your soil, reduce waste, and avoid synthetic shortcuts.

Composting: Build Black Gold the Natural Way

Grass clippings are a powerhouse green ingredient for compost. They’re loaded with nitrogen — exactly what your compost pile needs to balance out browns like leaves or cardboard. Unlike weedy debris, grass won’t reseed or cause problems down the road.

At The Worm Farm Portland, our certified organic compost uses the same principles but with proven, carefully monitored ingredients. If you’re DIY composting, keep the pile aerated and balanced — the heat will do the rest. The result? Dark, nutrient-rich compost your plants will thrive in.

Skip synthetic fertilizers.
Feed your soil the way nature intended.

Mulching: Quick and Dirty (and Effective)

Spread thin layers of grass clippings around your garden beds, trees, or shrubs. In Oregon’s cool, moist climate, clippings decompose fast, adding nutrients and suppressing weeds.

Pro tip: Mix grass clippings with wood chips or shredded leaves to avoid clumping and promote airflow.

If you don’t want them in your front flower beds, save them for veggie rows, fruit trees, or berry patches where soil health takes priority over curb appeal.

Soil Amendments: Build Structure Without Chemicals

We get it — synthetic soil boosters are everywhere. But they’re not the answer for true long-term soil health. Oregon’s soils respond better to organic amendments that restore life below the surface.

Mix grass clippings into your garden beds or blend them with:

Certified organic compost
Worm castings
Aged manures
Kelp meal & mycorrhizal fungi (both available at The Worm Farm Portland)

This combination rebuilds soil structure, feeds beneficial microbes, and keeps your soil healthy year after year — no chemical residue, no synthetic runoff.

Grasscycling: Mow, Leave, Done

Grasscycling means leaving your grass clippings right where they fall. No bags, no rakes, no hassle.

Frequent mowing during Oregon’s fast-growth spring season keeps clippings short enough to break down quickly, returning nitrogen and organic matter to your turf. You'll spend less on fertilizer and help prevent chemical runoff into local streams.

Less work.
Free nutrients.
Greener lawn.

Lasagna Gardening: The Oregon Way to Build New Beds

Layer grass clippings with leaves, compost, aged manure, and our premium soil blends to create lasagna garden beds that feed themselves. These layered systems warm up naturally, break down over time, and deliver unbeatable soil structure for vegetables, flowers, and fruit crops.

Ask us about Gwen’s Mix and our custom blends — perfect for lasagna gardening in the Willamette Valley.

Odor Control: Nature’s Air Freshener

Compost piles or manure bins a little ripe? Spread 1-2 inches of fresh grass clippings over the top. They’ll cover the smell while adding more nitrogen to your pile.

Works great on: