[Mrs Jean Owen]

Hi Everyone,

My Neighbour has about 25years of grass clippings stacked up and she has offered it to me for my allotment as compost.  I don't know whether it is worth having as it is just grass clippings (as far as I know no weed killer) would there be any goodness in it.  Does anybody know please?

[Yorkie]

You can by all means use them sparingly in your compost bin, but make sure you layer them with other stuff.  They are very sappy, and will turn into slimy mush if there isn't enough woody stuff.

[Mrs Jean Owen]

Thanks Yorkie,

It will take ages for my neighbour to get rid of her grass clippings if as you say not to use just grass.  It must have broken down though as it is so old.

[compostqueen]

it's good stuff for a plastic compost bin as it causes the contents to heat up and gets the composting process really working well.

I like to spread it out on the ground in the sun so it dries it, then you get less problem with it all going yakky and smelly. 

As Yorkie says, adding it in thin layers is best

[Paul Plots]

A friend of mine runs a grass cutting business and puts nealy all of the mowings in my huge compost bin. I add shredded paper and anything else compostable that I can get my hands on. Although it can either go heavy and solid in the heap or remain light and dry just below the surface the material is great for improving the general structure of the soil.

Any grass that has had a year or more to decompose would be worth digging through to see what it is like. Add it to your compost heap - it certainly won't do any harm in my humble opinion   

[sunshineband]

We have all the mowings from our school lawns in our compost bins, with loads of shredded paper too. It heats up really fast and it gets turned regularly (treat for the childen to do -- strange but true  ) Used lots of this mix in the bean trenches with some rotted down leaves 

Sounds too good an offer to turn down to me 

[Gardeningguru]

Hi Everyone,

My Neighbour has about 25years of grass clippings stacked up and she has offered it to me for my allotment as compost.  I don't know whether it is worth having as it is just grass clippings (as far as I know no weed killer) would there be any goodness in it.  Does anybody know please?

They'll be fantastic!  Definately use them!   Just as the others have said, make sure you inter-layer with plenty of browns, and you'll be fine.  Otherwise you might end up with a slimey mess, thats the worst that can happen.   Certainly will be nitrogen rich, I imagine....

[Sue33]

you could use it as a mulch around your plants as well...............

[Kristen]

I would just remove all this year's clipping off the top of the pile, and everything underneath will be fantastic - an average of 12.5 years is "well rotted" in my book!

I have a grass-clippings-only heap and I use that after a year.

I wouldn't worry about any selective lawn weedkiller for anything that 12 months or more old

[Paul Plots]

I agree with Kristen - after one year any grass feed / weed killer will have disipated so there will be no problems there.

If you are intending to use fresh/fresher grass mowings as a mulch (which I frequently do) avoid any that may have been treated with "weed & feed" until it has stood / composted for a year. 

It really is good stuff - full of nitrogen and, with time, it will help lighten the soil. 

[Oliver]

... 25 years of grass clippings

If this stuff is indeed 25 years old, and not a hyperbole, because it's a huge pile, use it by all means. Compost does not only add nutrient to the soil, it is a soil conditioner too, so do as Yorkie says and mix it in with other stuff.

If it's fresh - therefore sappy - it will get slimey and very hot and take a while to rot down, but rot down it will. Just add other stuff between the layers and turn it from time to time (the same goes for leaves - these take ages to compost, so a separate bin which you can leave to get on with the business for some time is a good idea. This is usually a good soil conditioner).

He puts all his grass cuttings from the paths on the plot on our compost heaps (we have 4) which we use in rotation. It takes a bit of bashing before it goes on the plot, but it makes the soil friable.
Oliver

[soya-bean]

Trillium... my fav flower.  I have tried desperately to get them to grow here in the UK but no luck.

Any way, grass cuttings.  A number of allotment holders put a thick layer in the bottom of their bean trenches, a layer of newspaper on top and then back-fill with soil.  The cuttings retain moisture, provide compost as they rot down and will help condition the soil the following year.

[Paul Plots]

Trillium... my fav flower.  I have tried desperately to get them to grow here in the UK but no luck.

Any way, grass cuttings.  A number of allotment holders put a thick layer in the bottom of their bean trenches, a layer of newspaper on top and then back-fill with soil.  The cuttings retain moisture, provide compost as they rot down and will help condition the soil the following year.

I use similar in my bean-trench.... compost from grass cuttings after a year of sitting composting.
Does make the soil very much better!  :happy: and the beans seeem to like it but no reading matter in mine.... should have thought of adding a layer of paper! Nice tip...thanks. 

[Dominic]

I just tend to dump mine wherever I empty the box, or if I want to kill something, bury it in grass.
Doesnt always work, but seems to help.

At the end of the day, its neatly packaged nutrients from someone elses soil, and they're giving it you.

[Mrs Jean Owen]

Thanks everyone for you replies - I will definitely use the grass clippings.  Good idea for the runner beans.