After the winter season, the snow has finally melted, and the skies are clear with sunlight streaming in again; our lawns start blossoming, and we can see the green color.
While this is a good sign of life and growth, it becomes tiring for most homeowners. You need to cut off your grass and wonder how to dispose of the grass.
Do you bag your grass or use it as mulch? Well, mulching seems the perfect idea for most people cutting their grass.
You can turn grass clippings into mulch by putting a layer of leaves at 4 inches deep from the bottom, then cover them with 2-inch layers of grass clippings.
You can top them with coffee grounds, egg shells or vegetable remains.
Grass clippings can be used as mulch, livestock feed, liquid feed, and as raisings in beds. Additionally, grass clippings do not cause weed.
Contents
- Grass mulching pros and cons
- Pros for using Grass clippings as mulch
- Cons for using Grass clippings as mulch
- Disadvantages of Mulching Grass
- Do grass clippings make good mulch FAQ
- What is the fastest way to compost grass clippings?
- Can you put grass cuttings on flower beds?
- Can you add clippings with garden soil?
- Do you keep grass clippings out of mulch?
- Author
Grass mulching pros and cons
Once you have decided to cut your lawn, you may be asking yourself, do grass clippings make good mulch? Well, they do. You need to trim the grass to your preferred level then leave the grass cuttings on your yard.
It will help reduce the rate at which grass grows and add the desired nutrients into your lawn.
Pros for using Grass clippings as mulch
Mulching is necessary since it helps maintain a healthy yard. It is also one of the best forms of clearing lawns. It comes with the following benefits.
- It gives your grass time to grow at a slower rate. Grass clippings prevent most of the sunlight from reaching your grass. It also gives you less time to mow your lawn.
- Mulching is very easy, especially if you have a lawnmower. You only need to mow your lawn and allow the grass clippings to cover the yard.
- Grass clippings supply your yard with essential nutrients. It will benefit your soil, and you will replenish some of the lost nutrients quickly.
Cons for using Grass clippings as mulch
While grass clippings offer the above advantages, it also comes at a cost which includes;
- Mulching slows down the growth of your lawn. You need to wait longer to have that beautiful lawn again.
- Mulching can cause strain to your mower engine, especially if your yard mower is not suitable for the task. It also becomes difficult to mow if the grass is thick or tall.
- Mulching makes your lawn look untidy. Your yard will be a bit messy with the extra clippings, which do not create an illusion of symmetry on your property. During wet seasons, the clippings can get stuck on your feet and cause ugly marks on your yard.
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Disadvantages of Mulching Grass
Even with the following advantages, mulching grass comes with the following disadvantages.
- In case of over-mulching, some plants can be buried or suffocate. Flowers and other plants on your lawn will not grow as luxurious and at a steady rate. Some may wilt and die due to suffocation.
- Mulching provides a perfect hiding place for most pests that destroy your grass and other plants. Some of those pests include snails, slugs among other harmful problems to your yard.
- During the hot days, mulching will expose your plants to a lot of heat, especially if you staked grass above the recommended level. A layer of around two or four inches consists of excess grass. Your mulch needs to be thinner.
- Mulching grass does not let air or water into your plant.
- Mulching grass will also increase your mowing time. You will take longer to mow your lawn as opposed to when you had not mulched.
- It can also lead to an increase in weeds. When you mulch, you can be increasing the weed spores, which will, in turn, lead to more lawn weeds.
- It prevents you from using fertilizers or chemicals to grow your lawn. Grass that has grown with chemical fertilizer will decompose at a different rate than that grown organically. You will, therefore, have to take your property off the chemicals for some time.
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Do grass clippings make good mulch FAQ
What is the fastest way to compost grass clippings?
You need to turn your grass clippings after three or five days for faster decomposition. It can be done by turning the compost using a pitchfork or shovel. Simply dig at the middle of your pile then turn it over so that it gets aired.
Can you put grass cuttings on flower beds?
Yes. You can put grass cuttings on flower beds since they help reduce weeds, moderate temperatures in soil and conserve moisture.
You need to ensure the grass clippings are not wet since they reduce moisture and oxygen levels from penetrating the soil.
Can you add clippings with garden soil?
Grass clippings are perfect for helping you mix up your garden bed. You can mix them with soil to a depth of around 8 inches which will, in turn, add nitrogen. If you need more nitrogen, compost grass cuttings for four weeks.
Do you keep grass clippings out of mulch?
You can keep grass clippings out of mulch by creating a wall of concentrate and bricks to surround your garden. It will help catch most of the grass clippings before they land in your yard.
If you find grass on the strip, you can brush it back to the lawn. Keep your garden mulched at all times, which will keep out grass and weeds.
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While grass clippings make good mulch, you have to mulch correctly. Ensure that you stack thinner layers of grass to allow light into the soil.
If it causes suffocation or discoloration of other plants in your yard, consider re-mulching again as you monitor your plant growth.
If you need grass clippings with a healthy combination of nutrients, always ensure a balanced nitrogen and carbon ratio. With correct proportions, you will avoid the foul smell, slow decomposition and molds.
Heat retention will also be at the right level while you utilize the nitrogen in the grass clippings.
