On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 12:22:48 -0400, "lbbss" wrote:

I like the idea of using grass clippings as mulch around my tomatoes, black
berries, grapes, and fruit trees. I am just not sure if that is
recommended or a good idea? I want to find a cheap way to prevent weeds
from growing and keep the ground moist.
I heard that the grass clippings can spread disease to the vegetables.
My dad found the clipping breeding some kind long centipede insect in the
grass.

We used to put down grass clippings around plants as we got more and
more. Dad mowed the church grounds so we always had lots of grass
clippings and one day we decided to eat dinner before unloading the
trailer and it was steaming/smoking before we got back out an hour
later perhaps, it was charcoaled in the middle and got the pitchfork
tines hot enough to scorch my skin when I bumped it into it. That was
when I learned that green vegetation piled up heats .. I was about 14
and I figured out why there were so many haystack fires.. stacking it
too soon.. not dried enough..

Anyway, we didn't have much trouble with it causing too much growth
from the nitrogen as after the first bunch of grass spread out between
the plants and it dried to a tanish brown shortly after It's spread
out. The point is not to put it down thick enough that it heats.
Older grass shields the newer grass and the nitrogen it might
contain.. I mention this because someone was concerned it may have too
much nitrogen.

The only thing you can do is try it on part of a planting, try
something else in another spot. I know Do not put fresh wood shavings
down ;-)

The main problems we had with using any kind of mulch was that the
slug population exploded. The little reddish centipedes are predators
and your friend. Same for the fast moving ground beetles! The ground
beetles supposedly eat slugs!

If you have some kids around and ponds with toad tadpoles, get a bunch
when they grow their last legs and start hopping out of the water.
Bring a bunch home and put them in your garden, supply them with
shallow pans sunk in the ground up to the rim.. of NON CHLORINATED
water .. put some water in a bucket and let it set Uncovered for 24
hours.and use that.. and just provide them with a little rock to climb
up on and water to keep moist as they make their transition to out of
water full time. Provide hiding places all over the yard, broken pots
turned on their side if the rest of the shell is rounded.. to provide
the toads houses.. a few might stay around and they'll eat slugs and
other bugs!

Janice