[kentishgal]

it seems that grass clippings are always mentioned as being great for making compost but do you need to add them?? Thing is I dont think my astroturf will be too productive!
At the mo my compost heap gets food waste, cardboard, paper and old compost/plant roots.
It would be easy enough to just take a plastic bag with me when Im walking the dogs and just bring home some cut grass from a park or verge....
Should I be adding grass??

[savbo]

you don't need grass, it's just a useful source of 'green' matter to balance the 'brown' matter. A carrier bag now and then won't contribute a significant amount of green matter whereas a weekly 2 or 3 mower-basket-fuls would... but you can just make sure everything green apart from pernicious weeds (and even them if they're drowned) goes in the compost.

no grass goes in my allotment compost bins and they're still lovely

sav

[DD.]

Did you mean to underline everything?  

I tried to click on the link! 

[spuriousmonkey]

My allotment is next to a large public park and the previous year I have been actively collecting grass clippings from it. Bags and bags and bags full of it. On many separate occasions. Many hours were spend collecting it.

I used it to mulch my plot and to fill up my compost heap.

Considering the effort I put into it I now wonder if it was worth it. I spend countless hours collecting this stuff and my compost heap is quite low after a long winter.

My point is that you would need quite a lot for it to have a visible effect.

This year I am a bit more lucky. I am temporarily working at a play park which also has a petting zoo in the summer. And I already asked if I can collect the animal manure for my allotment and I can.

And I would try to avoid to collect grass clippings from the areas where people walk their dogs. There might be some contamination.

[RuthLG]

I find grass clippings tend to turn into a slimy mess. Is there some way to stop it doing that? [I have lots of lawn and have to do something with the clippings].

[mattwragg94]

hi ruth - when you add glass clippings add brown material like shredded/newspaper- so that your greens/browns are balanced   - this is probably why you compost bin has gone slimy - not enough brown material

[RuthLG]

hi ruth - when you add glass clippings add brown material like shredded/newspaper- so that your greens/browns are balanced   - this is probably why you compost bin has gone slimy - not enough brown material

Thanks for the info

[shokkyy]

I always think kitchen compost is a bit inbetween though. I mean, green veggie waste is kind of green, but coffee grounds and tea bags are very definitely brown

The coffee grounds tend to create more sliminess in my compost bins than grass clippings, and we do have an awful lot of grass clippings because we've got 3 big lawns. But if I put a lid on top to keep the heat in, the clippings seem to break down really fast. It's the twiggy stuff that's hard to get rid of.

[Bing]

Grass are the only thing horses eat. So, compost them is the same as get manure?

[DD.]

No.

There's more goes on in a stomach than just rotting down!

I also think you'll find most horses are fed more than just grass.

[Kirpi]

Be careful you are not adding grass clippings to your compost bin which have been treated against broadleaved weeds - this could be clippings from formal gardens or sports fields.

Recreation areas and verges are usually ok.

[savbo]

Did you mean to underline everything?  

I tried to click on the link! 

oops

teach me to try to be sophisticated

[compostqueen]

Kitchen bin compost is fine as it is, no weed seeds in it for a start, so don't bother adding grass clippings.  It rots down fast and cooks quickly once the weather warms up.