What Are Mulching Blades, and What Are They Good For?

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Homeowners should mow their lawns at least once a week. Yet, depending on its type, some homeowners need to cut their grass more often.

This is why choosing suitable blades to cut the glass is crucial.

So, what are mulching blades? Are they better than the regular ones?

This article will tell you everything you need to know about mulching blades and how they work. So, let’s dive in.

What Are Mulching Blades?

Mulching blades, known as 3-in-1 blades, are used to cut, bag, and discharge grass, creating mulch while mowing your lawn. They’re more curved than the standard blades and have a bigger cutting surface.

Having more cutting power allows them to cut the grass into smaller pieces. As a result, they work best on short grass that is mowed more frequently.

Using mulching blades on a lawn that you mow every three or four days is ideal, as they won’t get clogged by clumps of grass. They won’t work for thick or tall grass, which might clog them.

How Do Mulching Blades Work?

Using a lawnmower, you can create mulch to nourish your lawn. Mulching blades do the job better because the smaller pieces of grass degrade faster, releasing nutrients into the soil.

Two blades are placed diagonally in a fashion that resembles a barber’s machine. When they move, they create pressure, cutting the grass in a specific spot.

These two moving blades create a vacuum, thanks to their curved blade. As they move at high speed, the grass clippings are pulled back.

The result is a natural fertilizer that provides your soil with organic matter to nourish plants and trees.

Do Mulching Blades Really Work?

Mulching blades do the job, especially when you use them on lawns that get mowed every three or four days.

Unlike other lawnmowers that lift the grass vertically, mulching blades pull the grass to cut it several times before it’s released back.

Do Mulching Blades Work on Leaves?

Mulching blades can work on fallen leaves and eliminate the need to collect them.

Using these leaves by mulching them back into the garden or lawn will provide your soil with organic matter. You’ll also save time because you don’t have to rake or collect those leaves to clean your garden.

Are Mulching Blades Better?

The answer to this question depends on the purpose of mowing your lawn.

Standard blades lift the grass vertically to cut it. These blades will be an excellent choice for thick and overgrown grass.

However, mulching blades are better if your goal isn’t to discharge or eliminate the cut grass.

The curved blades create suction that pulls the grass clippings inside, where they’re cut several times. This action results in grass that has been cut into tiny pieces.

Releasing this cut grass into the soil to create mulch will nourish your soil and replenish the depleted nutrients.

Thanks to this mechanism, the tiny grass clippings will break down quickly, releasing nutrients faster into the soil to nourish your plants.

Which Way Do Mulching Blades Go On?

When you install the mulching blades, the teeth edges should be facing up while the cutting edges should be facing down. This will allow the blades to cut the grass into small pieces to be used as mulch.

Do Mulching Blades Need to Be Sharpened?

Mulching blades go dull with time and need to be sharpened to cut the grass properly.

However, if you don’t sharpen the blade properly, it might lose balance or damage the cutting edge.

This is why you must follow the proper steps to keep the mulching blade in perfect shape.

Start by removing the blade from the lawnmower. First, disconnect the plug to ensure that your mower won’t accidentally operate.

You should also remove the fuel so it doesn’t drip when you move the lawnmower. After that, reach out to the nuts under the mower’s deck and unscrew them to remove the blades.

While using grinders, it’s best to wear safety gear like work gloves and safety goggles.

There are several ways to sharpen mulching blades, so choose the most suitable one.

Use a File

Use a vise to hold the blade in place while sharpening it. Trace the blade’s cutting angle and move the file toward the cutting edge until it’s sharp and shiny.

Use a Cordless Drill

You can use a cordless drill if you don’t have a metal file or need to sharpen the blade faster.

It comes with an attachment that you can use to sharpen the edge of the mulching blade. So, move the drill on the blade and swipe it several times until the edge is sharp.

Use a Handheld Grinder

A handheld grinder requires a vise where you will fit the blade to ensure it doesn’t move. Then, you should move the grinder along the edge to sharpen it.

You should sharpen the blades on both sides to keep it balanced.

Use a Bench Grinder

A bench grinder makes the job easier because it secures the blade in place, so you can sharpen your mulching blades quickly.

You must turn on the grinder and push the blade while sharpening it from both sides to maintain balance.

Can You Use Mulching Blades With a Bagger?

A mulching blade is flexible, so you can use it with a bagger to collect grass clippings.

You can dispose of the collected grass in a yard waste container or compost bin to use the clippings later.

At the same time, you can enjoy a clean and beautiful lawn as you get rid of the grass clumps, giving your lawn a fresh look.

If your grass clippings are too long, you should bag them because they don’t work as mulch. Large clumps of grass clippings can rot and kill the grass underneath.

However, due to the design of mulching blades, they won’t propel the clippings strong enough through the discharge chute. As a result, using them with a bag isn’t always the best option.

So, if your main goal is to collect and bag grass clippings, you’d better use standard blades.

Can You Use Mulching Blades Without a Mulching Kit?

A mulching kit attaches to the mulching blade to help it stay sharp for extended periods. The kit improves how the blade operates, increasing the benefits of using it in your garden.

You can use the blades without the kit, but the result might not be satisfactory. A kit circulates the air to pull the clippings and keep them in contact with the blade to be cut finely.

As a result, investing in a mulching kit will be an excellent decision if you mulch your lawn often.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Using a Mulching Blade?

Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of a mulching blade before using it in your garden is essential.

Pros

• Mulching blades create mulch to feed the grass and enrich the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients.
• Small grass cuttings degrade quickly, keeping your lawn clean.
• It’s a healthier and more sustainable option to feed your garden.
• Mulching improves water retention, especially during periods of drought.
• You will apply less chemical fertilizer.
• Your grass will be healthier and won’t suffocate under large clumps of grass.
• Shorter clippings give your lawn a cleaner look.

Cons

• The blade can clog the lawnmower.
• Mulching blades don’t work on thicker or overgrown grass.
• Due to the blades’ angle, the discharge rate is lower than the rate of standard blades.

Final Thoughts

Mulching blades can attach to the lawnmower to cut the grass clippings short. Mulch can improve the quality of the soil by releasing nutrients that benefit your plants and trees.

It will also retain moisture and keep the lawn clean.

These blades differ from standard blades because they can be used to bag or discharge grass clippings. Yet, mulching blades should be sharpened properly, or they won’t do the job.

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