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Using wildflower meadow grass as mulch?

polbpolb Posts: 198
in Fruit & veg
Hi,

I've just cut a wildflower meadow which I'm leaving to dry out for about 5 days. I'll then rake up the cuttings and I was wondering if I could use them to mulch around my blackcurrant bushes? Mainly to prevent weeds from growing through. Would I need to leave the cuttings for a period of time (rake them up and pile them somewhere else) before putting them down? I wouldn't want the grass and flower seeds to germinate there?!

Many thanks for any advice
Pauline

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think you’ll just get loads of seedlings from the meadow grass and wildflowers. I wouldn’t do it to be honest. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    No, nor would I. Wildflowers are flowers in a meadow, but weeds in a fruit or veg garden.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • polbpolb Posts: 198
    I did wonder that! So no good even if I store it for a certain period of time?
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Some of those seeds will remain viable for many years.
  • polbpolb Posts: 198
    Ah ok, that's a shame. I won't use it as mulch then! Thanks all for your replies  :)
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Saw a piece on BBC Midlands last night, that showed how they were spreading mown hay from wildflower meadows, to restore grassland damaged by modern agricultural practices, near Evesham. Said it took 3 years of added hayseeds but they got the wildflowers back :)
    So best not as a mulch!
  • polbpolb Posts: 198
     :D maybe not!!
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