[catarama]

Was wondering if it's ok to mulch (mostly grass cuttings) around me cabbages and sprouting broccolli now or will I just end up housing lots of slugs over the winter.

Also, if it is ok why is it - and if it's not, why?

Sorry for all the whys but it's all so new and interesting!!

[Trillium]

Personally, I don't use fresh grass cuttings to mulch anything - it takes the nitrogen from the soil to decompose and the veg plants suffer. Older, dried up cuttings are fine. Straw, shredded leaves, bark chips, etc can be used at any time. As for mulching for UK winters, that's not my field of expertise - someone else will have to advise on that.

[muntjac]

the grass is ok in summer but no point in winter as the sun doesnt dry the earth as much .also more frequent rain etc comes . compost it  

[WG.]

I agree to a point - IMHO mulching is to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.  However, I do apply 2" of manure on the surface of the garlic bed since it feeds the garlic and suppresses spring weed growth.

Lawn mowings are basically finished for the season anyway but I don't agree that they rob nitrogen.  These Ontario folks agree ...

The nitrogen component of grass clippings can provide about one-third of the yearly nitrogen requirement of a lawn. On the other hand, bagging clippings robs your lawn of these valuable nutrients from your grass.

[Trillium]

Hey, WG, those guys are talking about lawns, not veg patches    Not sure what else you grow up there at the end of the earth, but it can't be grass  

[WG.]

They are talking about mowings.  Here, I've put it in red to make it easier. "On the other hand, bagging clippings robs your lawn of these valuable nutrients from your grass. "

 

[Trillium]

I read that part before your red marker WG - the original post was whether or not to mulch cabbages with grass clippings - nothing about lawns    I'm too lazy to rake clippings off my lawns, but I don't mulch veg with them anymore. Tried it once and all the plants suffered.

[WG.]

Personally, I don't use fresh grass cuttings to mulch anything - it takes the nitrogen from the soil to decompose and the veg plants suffer.

An inaccurate statement.

I rest my case.

[Trillium]

I rest my case.

If it's malt whiskey, you should be sharing with the rest of us  

[DellDGM]

We mulch all year round here in Australia - it does get cold contrary to popular belief - and the mulch helps keep the warmth in in winter and the water in summer - to combat the slugs I leave a small circle around the plant free of mulch and surround it with broken egg shells - slugs and snails don't cross them because they get shredded on the sharpness - also a beer trap works wonders - a small jar or container with beer in it on it's side attracts the slugs/snails but they then die after drinking the beer - hope this helps

DellDGM

[catarama]

Thanks for the advice peeps.  

I guess I was thinking if I added a mulch to the soil now then it would rot down slowly and add to the soil in much the same way as adding compost before planting, but I suppose it would just sit on top and only keep in moisture.

I had also wondered if like DellDGM suggested whether it is beneficial to try to keep heat in the soil with a mulch around brassicas through the winter, or would I be doing more harm than good?

[muntjac]

mulch over winter is no use to keep anything warm if anything it will hold moisture around the stems of plants thus causing it to freeze and may result in rotting off.. you can add mulch to soil instead of compost  compost etc but its better composted first  

[catarama]

Excellent thanks for that Munty.

Love this forum, it's such a help. I've read books about growing your own veg but sometimes just a simple answer to a daft question saves the day.

Next project - composting!!  

[Trillium]

We have a different kind of cold in Canada, the long term freezing of roots kind. I winter mulch my valuable flower plant crowns (roses, French lavender, crocosmias, etc) with straw after the first ground freeze. This keeps the soil from freeze/thawing throughout the winter and killing the roots. The ground stays uniformly frozen through the winter. In late March I pull away all the mulches to let the ground warm up and once the plants begin growth, compost goes on first, then mulches shredded leaves, straw, bark chips - no grass ) to retain moisture.

[DellDGM]

Trillium probably explained the reason for mulching in winter better than I did - but thats what I was getting at.  I always use straw as well and It will slowly break down and add to the soil.  I Have just done this with my Broccoli (We have just finished winter) and in conjunction with the eggs and beer trap and not a single slug/snail in site, however I ran out of straw and didn't put ity around my cauliflowers and the were a disaster.  Some keeled over and died ( I think the frost did it) and the snails got the rest (I had my kids doing the eggs and they were only doing the brocoli and I didn't realise this until it was to late)