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.

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.


I wouldn't use freshly cut grass for mulch. Too much nitrogen. I'd
only use decomposed grass for mulch. If nothing else, at least the
grass should be old enough to be brown.

scr

I use straw, its pretty cheap

"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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.

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~

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.



Grass clippings might grow if there are any nodes...
Might make _more_ weeds!

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 13:07:38 -0400 in
, "Stoph"
graced the world with this thought:

I use straw, its pretty cheap

it lasts longer, too... but most people have free grass clippings
readily available. I like straw around, well... strawberries.

"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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.

In article ,
"Stoph" wrote:

I use straw, its pretty cheap

"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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 use leaves, mostly picked up in bags alongside the road where other
fools are throwing them away.

It's free. ;-)

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

,,Cat's Haven Hobby Farm,,Katraatcenturyteldotnet,,

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

As long as there are no pesticides used on it.

Grass is high in nitrogen, so be careful not to use too much.

From: belly
Organization: .
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 17:52:05 GMT
Subject: Use grass clipping as mulch to keep weeds from growing?

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 13:07:38 -0400 in
, "Stoph"
graced the world with this thought:

I use straw, its pretty cheap

it lasts longer, too... but most people have free grass clippings
readily available. I like straw around, well... strawberries.

"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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.

Katra wrote:
...Grass clippings might grow if there are any nodes...
Might make _more_ weeds!...


More likely, if you don't cut it frequently enough, it will contain seeds.

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 17:58:12 GMT in
, Ross graced
the world with this thought:

As long as there are no pesticides used on it.

good point. However, if you're buying it to spread around pens, my
guess would be that it's safe to use for mulch. Best to check and know
what you're using though.

I put news paper down first then grass on top. It's a good way to recycle
the old paper.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Support American Families, Buy Made In USA!
Kentucky Rustic Barrels
http://www.KentuckyRustic.com


"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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.

writes:
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.

Under no circumstances use grass from any area that has been treated.


I can only speak to what works for me. I put literally all my grass
clippings (throughout the growing season) around my tomato plants and
other veggies as I have enough clippings. Leaving about an inch around
the stem (to discourage mildew, etc.), I place it at least 6-8 inches out
and a couple of inches high. It serves the purposes of keeping the ground
warm as it decomposes, discouraging weeds and retaining moisture. Many
people have told me that I shouldn't do it because of nitrogen issues;
however, those *same* people marvel at how well my plants grow and produce.

I cannot imagine not mulching with grass; I mow to mulch. I use grass for
mulch around trees, rhodies, etc., after my garden is advanced enough to
make it inconvenient to place it around veggies.

There has not been any disease in my garden nor have has there been in
insect problem. Surely the bird feeder and, especially, the bird bath
have helped with the insects. Each spring I purchase ladybugs for release
so even an aphid is truly rare (not so in front where there is no bird
feeder). I also purchase nemotodes for the garden to distribute before
serious planting.

All this, with on-ground watering, has produced excellent results for me
who says my garden grows in spite of me, not because of me. Perhaps it
works because of my ignorance of what I should be doing. However, I can
tell you for sure, I really don't care how ignorant others might think I
am when I'm eating those delicious tomatoes and all the other veggies . .
.. those plants seem to be as ignorant as their planter is. :-)

Regardless of what you do, I wish you a healthy and productive garden.

Glenna

"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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've done it, but ended up with lots of grass sprouting after the
mulch decomposed.

Bob

Glenna Rose wrote:
.................................................. ...
I cannot imagine not mulching with grass; I mow to mulch. I use grass for
mulch around trees, rhodies, etc., after my garden is advanced enough to
make it inconvenient to place it around veggies.

There has not been any disease in my garden nor have has there been in
insect problem........................................... ....
Glenna

Glenna, that could have been written by me. I feel the same.

I collect all the grass clipping I can get from my own yard. I use
it right out of the mower bag to mulch around my fruit trees (not
touching the trunk) and any bare ground in the garden and even the
flower beds. It works very well between my rows of corn and extra
nitrogen is certainly never a problem with corn! Actually, I find no
reason to worry about extra nitrogen anywhere else, really. I put it
on about 4 inches thick. Mostly it just gets dry and not enough
decomposes into the soil at any one time to boost the nitrogen very
much.

Steve

"lbbss" wrote in message
...
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 use grass clippings all the time without incident. The key is to use
a layer thick enough to inhibit weeds but not so thick that it
decomposes into a slimy mess. About one inch at a time is my
recommendation. With this, even freshly cut grass can be used. You'll
have to renew it several times over the summer, as grass decomposes.
Earthworms love it - when I dig where I've mulched I always find an
abundance of earthworms.

Guy Bradley
Chesterfield MO
zone 6