[Elaine G]

Hi

Hubby put weed and feed on our lawn 
He has been putting the cuttings in the council bin, but how many times does he need to mow before it is safe to use as a mulch please?

Thanks

Elaine

[DD.]

It should say on the bottle or carton.

I'd hate to guess and tell you wrong.

[slowcompost]

I think if you let it rot down in the compost bin its ok. I wouldnt use fresh grass cuttings as a mulch anyway.

[DD.]

That's the point I'm trying to make. With herbicides, we shouldn't be guessing.

The full instructions come with the product.

[Jakell]

That's the point I'm trying to make. With herbicides, we shouldn't be guessing.

The full instructions come with the product.

 I wouldn't trust them to tell us stuff we don't want to hear. They want us to use as much of their product as possible, and then rush out and buy some more. A lot of 'gardeners' I know consistently exceed the amount recommended for application and/or apply it at inappropriate times.

[DD.]

That's the point I'm trying to make. With herbicides, we shouldn't be guessing.

The full instructions come with the product.

A lot of 'gardeners' I know consistently exceed the amount recommended for application and/or apply it at inappropriate times.

And who's fault's that?

[Ivah]

I hope it is going in the land fill bin not the recycle bin. It is probably the irresponsible use of the green bins for appallingly contaminated stuff that is giving people a host of problems with composts that contain a proportion of this recycled stuff.
One of the commonest lawn weed killers is Verdone containing clopyralid which is one of the chemicals implicated in the contaminated manure scandal. The instructions for that are:
"All grass clippings may be left in place on the lawn. The first mowing after application must not be used as mulch, either fresh or after composting since it may damage desired plants. Dispose of via normal household waste. Do not dispose of via council composting schemes. The next three mowings should be used as a mulch only after composting well for at least 9 months".
I would err on the side of caution and isolate more mowings and put them in landfill.

[Yorkie]

Thanks for that, Ivah - really useful info.  Can't remember where I put my grass cuttings after feed n weeding the lawn ... doubtless I'll find out in due course 

[solway cropper]

feed the lawn ? 

the only feed my lawn gets is dog pee

probably why it's not much of a lawn

[John]

But our council would fine you for putting the lawn clippings in the normal waste....

Perhaps it's best to avoid the weedkiller 

[Zippy]

Why wouldn't you use fresh lawn mowings as a mulch?

I use them fresh around my potatoes to exclude light, cut down the amount of watering and to eventually give a good nitrogen feed as they  break down.

I don't understand the problem?

[SarahB]

Why wouldn't you use fresh lawn mowings as a mulch?

I use them fresh around my potatoes to exclude light, cut down the amount of watering and to eventually give a good nitrogen feed as they  break down.

I don't understand the problem?

If you use weed and feed on the lawn, the chemical weedkiller is still taken up by the grass, even though it doesn't kill it.  If you then cut that grass and use it as a mulch, the absorbed weedkiller can potentially affect the plants that you mulch with it.  I suspect there's also a potential for the chemical to be taken up by a mulched food plant and for that to have a negative effect on you if you eat it.

[DD.]

Did you perhaps skip past the first - and critical - part of the thread Zippy?

[Zippy]

Did you perhaps skip past the first - and critical - part of the thread Zippy?

Thanks DD - no, what I should have done was to address this specifically to Slowcompost who said,

I wouldnt use fresh grass cuttings as a mulch anyway.

I just wondered why not.

I don't personally use weed and feed so my lawn mowings are safe to use on my allotment. I don't mind weeds in my lawn.

Re: OP - I agree with DD; read the label.

[DD.]

Understood.

Yes, I see no reason why you can't use them as a mulch if you've not dumped chemicals on them.