My gardener, after having screwed up once again by not bringing enough
mulch for the vegetable garden, wants to put the grass he cuts in the
garden to prevent weeds.

For some reason I feel like this is a terrible idea. I don't like the
look and what if there are weeds with the cut grass that take root?

What do you all think?

Alan

"Alan" wrote in message
...
My gardener, after having screwed up once again by not bringing enough
mulch for the vegetable garden, wants to put the grass he cuts in the
garden to prevent weeds.

For some reason I feel like this is a terrible idea. I don't like the
look and what if there are weeds with the cut grass that take root?

What do you all think?

Alan

I don't see a huge problem with it Alan. You may not like the look, that is
your prerogative absolutely. As for weeds, if you have a weed freeish lawn
there is not much to worry about probably. Unless your grass is seeding the
chances of grass seed is virtually nil. Grass will not regrow itself from
clippings. It will need a root system that is very intact and fresh. I will
add a rider there, the grasses I am familiar with like ryes and fescues.
Lets say some seed does get down to the soil level, if the grass is thick
enough it will smother most things trying to come through. If you have the
garden constantly mulched there will be little growth of weeds. The odd one
that pokes through can be hand pulled. I have used grass as mulch on gardens
in rental properties before and did not have too much problem at all. The
lawns were not that well tended and had who knows what growing in them.

rob

On Fri, 19 May 2006 05:58:07 -0400, Alan wrote:

My gardener, after having screwed up once again by not bringing enough
mulch for the vegetable garden, wants to put the grass he cuts in the
garden to prevent weeds.

For some reason I feel like this is a terrible idea. I don't like the
look and what if there are weeds with the cut grass that take root?

What do you all think?

Alan

We have used grass clippings for the last 25 or so years on our
vegetable gardens. The only thing to worry about is whether or not an
herbicide has been used on the grass. The grass decomposes well and
provides nutrients to the soil.

If you do no like the look, that is another thing altogether.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

In article ,
Alan wrote:

My gardener, after having screwed up once again by not bringing enough
mulch for the vegetable garden, wants to put the grass he cuts in the
garden to prevent weeds.

For some reason I feel like this is a terrible idea. I don't like the
look and what if there are weeds with the cut grass that take root?

What do you all think?

Alan

I have a some questions of concern. It is not using the grass as mulch
or the weeds that bother me. It is the chemicals that people use on
their lawns that I wonder about. That is why I do not put grass in the
mulch pile. I do use "weed and feed" on my lawn (I know, I am a sinner).
Questions:
Does weed killers in my grass clippings harm my mulch, therefore my
veggies, therefore me?
Does the herbicides brake down and does no harm?
Does walking on a nice weed free lawn harm me
Dan .....

--
No email or junk mail please. The address above should not work (I hope).

Andy comments:

If you have Bermuda grass, don't risk it.... if it manages to get a
foothold in your garden from the seed, you will sorely regret it.
Other types -- fescue, St Aug, rye -- should be no problem as long
as seeds aren't there, and in those types it's easy to spot......

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( where there are NO brothels inside the city limits )

I posted recently about this - I'm using grass clippings from the
neighbors' yards as mulch. Someone wonderful mentioned that the issue
of seeds pertains only if the grass is uncut long enough to form mature
seeds - which a regularly cut lawn isn't. So I've been delighted with
grass clippings mulch so far. We'll see how it goes.

"Alan" wrote in message
...
My gardener, after having screwed up once again by not bringing enough
mulch for the vegetable garden, wants to put the grass he cuts in the
garden to prevent weeds.

For some reason I feel like this is a terrible idea. I don't like the
look and what if there are weeds with the cut grass that take root?

What do you all think?

Alan

The only problem that I have found is that fresh cuttings tend to form a mat
as they first decompose which repels water, this can lead to difficulty
getting rain or applied water to penetrate. I find it better if you can
allow the cuttings to dry and rot to some extent before applying.

David