[Baz]

On my travels today, I picked up a trailer load of fresh grass clippings, first thoughts were to sling it on my "horse muckheap" up the plot, .......then I thought that maybe, it would be ok to put these clippings over my newly emerging spuds, not done that before..........does it sound ok?

[WG.]

Yes, spuds will like the acidity.  Apply an inch deep or thereby, then draw earth up over the grass cuttings.

[jackiestagg]

I do no-dig spuds...you need to keep covering them with straw until the foliage almost meets, then a layer of grass clippings to keep them damp and dark. When ready to harvest, pull off the grass and straw and pick spuds while others dig for them. It really works. need Emoticon of 'lazy' drinking a glass of booze here.

[Baz]

Good!......first job tomorrow,...i've also got another trailer load (from the same place) of last autumns/winters, leaves, these have all been chopped up by the mower

Any special use for these?.......otherwise, onto the muckheap!

[jackiestagg]

if you've got space store the leaves seperately until next spring and they are great for making your own seed and plant composts. They don't compost well in the ordinary heap anyway. If they're well chopped I would... - use them as a mulch on the potatoes instead of straw. There you are, you can have no dig potatoes this year.

[milkman]

Me too mulching my spuds with grass clippings whenever I can get hold of them.  Mulching with straw sounds a good idea too.

[shaun]

just a thought about collecting grass cuttings from anywhere and using as a mulch on your veg is they might contain weedkiller or other nastys,you never know do yer.

[richyrich7]

just a thought about collecting grass cuttings from anywhere and using as a mulch on your veg is they might contain weedkiller or other nastys,you never know do yer.

Cleverclogs !

[shaun]

your welcome ive got my gardening head on today  

[Aunt Sally]

I personally would not use grass clippings as a mulch.  

If you use them fresh they will be very moist and go mouldy so spreading fungal spores.  As it rots down it will remove nitrogen from the soil.  Fresh grass mulch will also harden and form a matt keeping air out.  If you use dry grass cuttings they will blow away.  I think the compost heap is the best place for grass cuttings  :!:

[Salkeela]

I have hay over my spuds.  I was worried they wouldn't make it through the hay.... but only one or two had rather thick sheafs over them (I did try to spread it evenly) and these I gave some assistance to.

Another layer of hay soon to ensure no light... then perhaps the grass clippings on top too....

So far so good.

[Trillium]

I agree with you, Aunty Sally. Fresh grass clippings are terrible nitrogen robbers so that they can decompose themselves. I tried it a few times just to see and the crops really suffered so I've not done it again. They're best used spread thinly in the compost heap. And as Shaun says, you've no idea if the wassuck who owned the grass used chemical sprays or fertilizers on them.

[mandycharlie]

I've heard fruit bushes like the acidity of grass clippings.  (racks brain, trying to remember where from... fails)  So I've put them as a mulch around my raspberries and blackcurrants.

[WG.]

Fresh grass clippings are terrible nitrogen robbers so that they can decompose themselves. I tried it a few times just to see and the crops really suffered so I've not done it again

?? That's not what I understand? See http://www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/GrassCuttingsFactSheet.ba6b5bcf.pdf

Interested to hear which crops you tried Trillium.  I stand by my recommendation for using on spuds - subject to knowing the source of the cuttings, of course.

[jackiestagg]

I think Aunt Sally's point explains why the no dig method says straw first - it lets air in- and then grass on top, you want it to make a solid mass on top to keep light out, and it don't go slimy then.
I use grass clippings as a mulch elsewhere but spread thin and topped up as they dry with another thin layer. And I don't have to worry about my neighbours and weedkiller, 70% of every sack I get given is moss and daisies!