I have a Toro 20333. When you mulch and the discharge door is closed. Grass clippings escape past the discharge door and make a mess in the path that you have just cut. Looking at the discharge door you can see that the door is way to small for the chute that it fits in and grass can get blown by the door. I have put door and window molding to try and seal this off and it works pretty well. I have talked to toro and they say there is nothing wrong. Any ideas?? Tom Pietras [email protected]

when was the last time the blade was sharpened, sharpening the blade, improves cutting and mulching.

Mulch plugs are typically a cover that is affixed to the discharge chute of a mower deck. As blades spin, they cut grass, and lift them up into the swirling air above the cut grass and below the mower deck. The clippings are suspended until they are blown out of the chute.

Mulching, is the process where grass clippings aren't simply discharged out of the chute after cutting; rather they are kept under the mower deck and spin around suspended in the blades resulting in repeatedly being cut. Instead of long clippings exiting the chute, much smaller clipping result from multiple cuttings and settle back on to the lawn under the deck. The smaller clipping allows them to decompose much quicker and return nutrients to the lawn.

Long clippings take longer to decompose and can turn into thatch on top of soil between blades of grass - effectively smothering the lawn. Long clippings can sit on top of cut grass and choke off sunlight, etc. and cause dead spots. Thatch can occur with mulching too - but takes longer to accumulate.

I nearly always mulch

Rope it off

Mulching loads the engine much greater than collecting or side ejecting as the grass cannot escape, maximum revs should not exceed 3600, there will be a stronger govenor spring available, or bending the arm that connects to the spring, but do not exceed 3600

Change the blade from the mulching blade to a conventional discharge blade. They are quite different in design. Also, a cover plate on the deck will have to be removed in order for the new blade to work (plus the grass has to discharge somewhere,,,eg ,,,side or back.

Insert the rear plug if mulching is desired. The key to mulching is to mow the lawn frequently.You want to keep the mower deck height high enough to cut the grass and allow the mulching blades to work, but just low enough to actually cut the grass in a smooth uniform height. To low of a cut setting will clog the mower and create a mess. 2 times a week is a good frequency to start with.

there is a product called mowease that you apply to the blade and mowing decked after a good cleaning. it helps keep the grass from adhereing to the deck

When you mulch you can only cut 1/3 of the grass off. If the grass is 3" high you can only cut 1" off.If you are cutting more grass of than you are leaving there is no place to hide the clippings.A general rule is if you notice clippings and clumps beginning to lay set the mower up one notch at a time until the clippings are hardly noticeable.If you like a real low cut then mulching is probably not for you,you will probably want to bag the grass instead.Hope this helps.

True Mulching mowers have a specific deck design to them, but I would say yes to your question.It's been quite a few years, but I have done this little conversion myself - replace regular blade with a mulching blade. Just make sure the mulch blade does fit your mower. Also, use something substantial in terms of strength to close the discharge opening. There can be a good deal of force placed at the opening from flying debris. You'll also want to make the cover removable, so you can mow damp grass without the cover.

Most lawn mower mfgs offer a mulching kit which usually consists of a metal plate to block the discharge opening and a mulching blade which just has a longer sharpenned cutting edge.
With a little labor you can make your own.
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