A mulch kit control lever 150 with a detent plate 154 attached to the top surface of a mower deck 100, and a vertically oriented pivot pin60 extending through the detent plate and through the mower deck and engaging a mulch gate 130. A pivoting handle 152 connected to the pivot pin moves the mulch gate between a side discharge position and a mulching position. A detent pin 174 on the handle abuts a first stop 180 on the detent plate in the side discharge position and a second stop 182 on the detent plate in the mulching position. The detent pin may be adjustably located in a slot 176 in a first end of the handle. In another embodiment a coil spring 168 is positioned around the vertically orientated pin and the pin may extend through a hole 162 in the detent plate. In a further embodiment the kit comprises a mulch gate, pivoting handle and a pivot pin connecting the gate to the handle.
