Clippings do not contribute to thatch development. Collect the clippings from diseased lawns to help prevent the spread of the disease. Also collect excessively long clippings to prevent them from piling up and shading spots of grass. Dull mower blades shred the grass blades rather than cut them. The shredded ends dry out giving the lawn a brownish cast.
Dead grass appearing in the tire tracks from riding lawn mowers can be a hot weather problem.
These occur when the lawn was mowed during a time when it was dry. The injury is most evident where the mower turned corners or on slopes. The lawn will recover once it starts growing again. This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.