Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: Jai on May 29, 2010, 11:33
-
I've managed to get an unlimmited supply of grass clippings and I want to use them for mulching. What are the do's and don'ts i.e can I use them around brassicas and is there a method for putting them on compost heaps?
-
Have a read of these two threads which are already live this week
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=57594.0
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=35725.0
And if you search for 'grass mulch' in the search facility you'll find loads more too.
-
Thanks
-
I use them all the time. Must say I've never considered they might not suit some things but never had any problems.
I find you must use them straight after being cut, left for even a short time in a big heap they get very hot. If you want them to suppress weeds they need to be in a really think layer. If its too thin the weeds come through and it then difficult to hoe.
I'm trying using them for earthing up potatoes, just on a few plants to see how they go.
I once heared Bob Flowerdew say that when planting potatoes if you line the trench with grass clippings it prevents scab.
I've never put them in the compost.
-
Why have you not used them in compost?
-
I always use them (I never use chemicals on my grass) in my compost but must be watchful to never add more than an inch at a time or they mat and go slimey. Same when using as a mulch.
-
Why have you not used them in compost?
I dont need to, no other reason :)
They do sometimes go a bit slimey as a mulch but if you build up the layer over time its not too much of a problem.
Last year i put unfolded newspapers under them first when the soil was well damp and that really stopped weeds around the cutting roses :)
-
I use them as far as possible by giving a small pile to the hens (not too many) On a fine hot day I would spread them on the ground and dry them out to make "browns" for the compost bins and then add it to the daleks but not in thick layers. It's good for earthing up spuds with and as a mulch round veg plants. I earthed up my spuds with it and leaf mould :)
-
They're Great.
I've done loads with them, I use lay them around trees/shrubs in thicks layers, I lay them on newly planted beds or beds with stuff growing to stop the soil drying as quickly.
I've used them to fill in holes in the garden, not brilliant but it'll fill it eventualy.
I've filled in old veg patches that have sunk with grass clippings and now its some of the best in my garden.
I just dump them in a pile and kick them about every now and again if I have nothing specific to do with them.
-
They're Great.
I've filled in old veg patches that have sunk with grass clippings and now its some of the best in my garden.
Yes, I've found that :)
I have a patch in my veg garden where the soil is total rubbish, even tho its mucked. So this is where we are tipping the grass cuttings this year. I can use what i need and the rest will go into the rubbish soil and hopefully improve it a bit.
-
Remember to avoid using grass clippings if the grass has been treated!!!
-
Grass clippings mixed with shredded paper makes awesome compost :D :D :D
-
I've been topping up my earthed-up potatoes with grass clippings - hopefully will stop any new spuds that grow near the surface from seeing any daylight - and turning green
-
I use grass clippings around my brassicas every season and with great results. I make sure there are no slugs congregating in them first and then tuck the clippings right up to the base of cauli,cabbage and broccoli (calabrese). I dig whats left at the end of the season back into the ground!