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Using grass cuttings as mulch
derekp
Posts: 36
As we're heading towards Autumn, I've been thinking of mulching my flowers ano veg beds. I have leaf mould to do about a third of this. I also have a huge pile of crass cuttings. Can I use this to mulch to keep the weeds at bay?
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Posts
Personally I wouldn't Derek. They tend to either dry out and blow everywhere, or, if it's wet, they form a sludgy,unpleasant barrier. They can often start growing as well which creates another issue.
Others may disgree with me though
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
DerekP: Fairygirl got it right; additionally they can act as a terrific 'mollusc' haunt!! Best mixed into the compost bin & stirred frequently to incorporate with 'brown' stuff (imho).
I would compost the grass cuttings first with some coarser material to prevent it turning into a green, slimy mess and then it will make a good mulch. Fresh green material, such as your grass, if applied to the soil will remove nitrogen from the soil as it decomposes, thus degrading the soil for growing other plants.
If the pile of grass cuttings is rotten and old (and therefore black and non-smelly - if it's been there ages then this is possible - years ...!) then it is pretty much home made compost. Any slimey, stinking stuff is not good.
If it's green and recent then I agree as above that it will dry and blow about and make a mess or it will spread dandelions, daisies and grass all over your border defying your efforts to provide a weed suppressing mulch.
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