Grass clippings and where when to apply?

[Ruderunner]

So for a couple years now I've been putting grass clippings in the garden. Usually I spread them in my walkways and let them dry for a few days to a week then spread it as mulch around the plants.

This year I have the opportunity to make a compost pile to have ready for next year. But, I've already got 2.5 cubic yards of clippings in that pile and am running out of room for more. So, more in the walkways.

But, I got to thinking that I could make better use of the clippings by being more selective about what gets mulched and how fresh the clippings are.

For example, leafy greens tend to like nitrogen, should I be putting fresher clippings by those?

Conversely, root vegetable might prefer something aged more than a week.

I found out that tomato plants themselves love nitrogen but it was unclear if it helped fruit production.

I accidentally planted pole beans and tomatoes together. Both varieties of plants grew huge, tomato vines approached 15 feet, beans were well over 25 feet. We harvested over 350 lbs of beans and gave up as we simply had no room to store more. The tomato plants had lots of fruits but not much got ripe enough, I suspect too much shade from the beans.

 

[YumYum]

If you spread green grass clippings out to dry like onions and they turn brown, the nitrogen has left. Your better off putting them in a pile to breakdown. Use brown material to help green break down faster. Weed seeds are the worst thing about saving grass clippings.

Till the the clippings under the soil to withhold the nitrogen content. If left on top the nitrogen can turn to ammonia and gass off unless it convert to nitrates first which flows with water and can leach out.

 

[Ruderunner]

The process before didn’t dry the grass completely, the top would but a couple inches down they were still green.

I've given up trying to prevent weeds.

I'm building a compost pile but will still have an excess of clippings.

I have permission from a neighbor to raid the woods on his property for brown materials, mostly dead leaves, twigs etc. It's just a lot of work to gather things up and this is the time of year yard maintenance burns up all my freetime. In 4 to 6 weeks I can start gathering in the woods.

Rather than till them in , can I accomplish a similar effect by say burying a handful next to a plant? Similar to side dressing?

 

[YumYum]

Rather than till them in , can I accomplish a similar effect by say burying a handful next to a plant? Similar to side dressing?

Yes but root damage to the plant may occur.

 

[Meadowlark]

FWIW, grass clippings are most efficiently used by mulching them back into your lawn with your mower. Reduces (eliminates in my case) the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Now some folks do bag their clippings and proceed to throw them out. They are a great resource for a thriving compost pile. I find they work best when layered into the compost pile with other materials. I never have and never would use them directly on plants.

 

[Ruderunner]

I don't fertilize my lawn, it grows fast enough as is!

As noted above, previously I would dump the clippings into the walkways and allow it to dry for a short period. Then spread it around the plants. I ve been doing this for 3 years now.

I've had marked improvement in soil conditions and plants do seem to be healthier. Also, my use of man made fertilizer has dropped to zero. Must be something good there.

I suppose I'll experiment for myself. I've got a couple sickly looking tomato and pickle seedlings, a short row of spinach. I'll put a pile of clippings next to the sickos and spread some fresh around the spinach. See what happens.

 

[DirtMechanic]

FWIW, grass clippings are most efficiently used by mulching them back into your lawn with your mower. Reduces (eliminates in my case) the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Now some folks do bag their clippings and proceed to throw them out. They are a great resource for a thriving compost pile. I find they work best when layered into the compost pile with other materials. I never have and never would use them directly on plants.

Gotta say wild voilet and speedwell love your thinking! It seems like every small bit can grow a new plant! In hindsight, I see why my neighbor leaves his clippings to dry on top of the grass. I could see using cut grass in a pathway but thats about all.

 

[Ruderunner]

Those are already a problem, came in a batch of manure along with chickweed and clover.

Like I said, I'm done fighting weeds and just chop and rrop.

 

[Ruderunner]

So an update. The other evening I went and spread some couple day old clippings around some plants, results are interesting.

Tomatoes perked up, and have much nicer color.

Cabbage and broccoli really took off, some nearly doubled in size!

Dill improved in size.

Pickles and okra show no or minimal changes.

Control group is unmulched plants.

Based on the above, I moved on to other crops. Corn, spinach, peppers and lettuce. We'll see how they do.

 

[Tetters]

Cor, that is encouraging news to me. I haven't been able to get hold of any wood chippings this year, and am making do with grass clippings as there is nothing else. I feel happier about it now. Thanks RR

So an update. The other evening I went and spread some couple day old clippings around some plants, results are interesting.

Tomatoes perked up, and have much nicer color.

Cabbage and broccoli really took off, some nearly doubled in size!

Dill improved in size.

Pickles and okra show no or minimal changes.

Control group is unmulched plants.

Based on the above, I moved on to other crops. Corn, spinach, peppers and lettuce. We'll see how they do.

 

[Ruderunner]

What a difference a couple days makes. The pickles that were sickly looking, have started to thrive. Much new growth and dark green leaves. Almost looking better than the healthy un mulched plants.

Some okra seems to be responding well now too.

Spinach definitely likes it. Corn as well. Peppers have darkened but no noticeable changes in size. Lettuce no appreciable changes yet. Beans seem unfazed, they're planted with the corn. Not surprising. One of the pea plants, among the Lettuce, is impressive in stalk and leaf size.

I didn't mention that after the previous results, I went ahead and mulched the remaining species that I did originally. Similar results as before.

This last round of mulching was with same day clippings.

I am noticing some bug damage on leaves, particularly cabbage. But, nothing abnormal compared to previous years. Time for Sevin this weekend.