20-04-2004, 10:02 AM
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Does old cut grass help?
writes:
Are you sure of that? My understanding (and experience) is that grass
clippings will add nitrogen to
the soil. I used fresh clippings on tomatoes many years ago and I had
giant plants with few fruit.
Also, they matted down a lot and I had trouble with blossom end rot.
Wow. You all have given me something to think about!
I have in past years loaded my garden with aged horse manure and
surrounded my plants with fresh grass clippings for mulch. It has worked
very well in the past, huge plants and mighty good bearing as well on
everything. (BTW, my clippings did not mat but composted providing heat
to the soil and helping retain moisture, showing, once again, mileage does
vary.)
This year, I may not be able to get the *good* manure as in the past and
it seemed best to do something else just to get it done. Though the
garden would probably produce well just on the *leftovers* from years
past, today I asked my favorite nursery person what to do.
He told me that horse manure puts *too much* nitrogen into the soil and
that he doesn't like it for that reason. He advised me to put a handful
of sweet lime at the bottom of each tomato hole and then throw in a some
of the fish fertilizer they use at the greenhouse (no chemicals, all
organic). Now tonight I read that grass clippings rob nitrogen. If that
is true, perhaps the grass clippings I used for mulch balanced the horse
manure. Then you say the clippings add nitrogen. confused sigh
On the other hand, many sources have told me that barkdust will rob the
soil of nitrogen as it breaks down, and it's better not to use bark dust
on rhodies since they are surface feeders.
I seem to have been better off without knowing anything and just digging
in the manure, mulching, watering, and enjoying the harvest!
Glenna
just call me confused!
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