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Use grass clipping as mulch to keep weeds from growing?
In article , "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. I'm in the desert, and I use grass clippings as mulch -- not so much to prevent weeds, but more to keep in moisture so seeds don't dry up before they get established. Without it, there's no getting grass started from seed (grass from turf doesn't root down well enough here). Let the grass get *thoroughly* dry before using it as mulch -- dry it in the sun, well spread out, turning it occasionally until it is completely crispy. (It will turn brown over time, but that's not critical here.) If there is any moisture left, that will mold and that's not good for your veggies. Use only a THIN layer -- just enough that you can't quite see the dirt anymore. That way the grass can dry up again after you water it, so it won't mold underneath. The finer the grass is chopped up, the more important this is. LONG grass, once dried, does not tend to mold quite like grass that's been ground up by a lawn mower. You can also use last year's DRIED dead leaves from northern-type deciduous trees (ash and elm are best) but all the same caveats apply. This has the benefit that it breaks down into the very best of soils (whereas grass, just laying in a pile, takes YEARS to break down). Squish them down to flakes for best results, then mix lightly with the top inch of dirt. If the mulch tends to get soggy and stay that way, remove it. Some soils just don't work with grass type mulches. If you don't have ground termites (which we do in the SoCal desert, YMMV), try coarse sawdust instead -- it works better than grass and breaks down into good quality soil over time. I don't mean sawdust like you'd get from a home project (tho you can use that), nor chips (which make things too soggy), but rather the stuff about 1/4" size, about like very small gravel or coarse sand, from the ripping saw pit. Sawmills usually give it away. It also makes a nice ground cover for a dog kennel. ~REZ~ |
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