Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 07-05-2013, 09:25 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2012
Posts: 459
Default Mulching with grass clippings

I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales
  #2   Report Post  
Old 07-05-2013, 09:45 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: May 2012
Posts: 2,947
Default Mulching with grass clippings

On 07/05/2013 20:25, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?


Try a little and often, just a couple of inches at a time.
  #3   Report Post  
Old 07-05-2013, 10:27 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2007
Posts: 793
Default Mulching with grass clippings


"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 07/05/2013 20:25, Roger Tonkin wrote:
I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?


Try a little and often, just a couple of inches at a time.


Said the actress to the vicar
--
Pete C


  #4   Report Post  
Old 07-05-2013, 11:15 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,907
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.


Plant new ones, preferably somewhere else. Mulching won't
help worth a damn in such a case.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
  #5   Report Post  
Old 08-05-2013, 11:00 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2012
Posts: 459
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article , nmm1
@cam.ac.uk says...

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.


Plant new ones, preferably somewhere else. Mulching won't
help worth a damn in such a case.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


Yeah, I know that is what I ought to do, but there are
a couple of problems:

1) Space - there is no where for a new fruit cage to
go, apart from the lawn, and swmbo will not allow
that!

2) The possibility that we move, age, remoteness,
large garden and family pressures!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales


  #6   Report Post  
Old 08-05-2013, 11:08 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2013
Posts: 116
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article ,
says...

On Tue, 7 May 2013 20:25:45 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?


Most of my grass clippings go straight onto the beds around shrubs,
except where the compost heap is nearer to hand.


I use them on all beds, and regularly add a thick duvet-layer to
compost bins to heat them up/ keep them hot. Several neighbours donate
their clippings,so we have a constant supply.

They are applied
fairly thinly, i.e. probably 2 inches maximum, go brown within a few
days so cease to be noticeable, and disappear after a few weeks. They
suppress weed-seed germination, but won't stop weeds that are already
established: these just grow through the mulch. They also improve the
soil and help to retain moisture. Birds turn the mulch over, looking
for worms etc.


I was about to say.. birds do the work of preventing the coagulation
problem; so encourage birds in your garden, especially ones that forage
for worms and insects (blackbirds, robins, thrushes and starlings. If
you can employ pheasants, even better :-)
Throw a few crumbs or scatter some wheat on the clippings mulch and
they'll soon get the idea.

Janet
  #7   Report Post  
Old 08-05-2013, 12:23 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,907
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.


Plant new ones, preferably somewhere else. Mulching won't
help worth a damn in such a case.


Yeah, I know that is what I ought to do, but there are
a couple of problems:

1) Space - there is no where for a new fruit cage to
go, apart from the lawn, and swmbo will not allow
that!

2) The possibility that we move, age, remoteness,
large garden and family pressures!


Then plant new ones in the same location! I really do mean
that there is no hope of any of the Rubi recovering once they
have started to go downhill. They haven't adapted to recovery
from fungal root-rots, viruses etc. and rely on new plants
taking over. Longer-lived and more woody plants have some
recovery mechanisms, but Rubi are not like that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
  #8   Report Post  
Old 08-05-2013, 08:05 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2012
Posts: 459
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article , nmm1
@cam.ac.uk says...

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Plant new ones, preferably somewhere else. Mulching won't
help worth a damn in such a case.


Yeah, I know that is what I ought to do, but there are
a couple of problems:

1) Space - there is no where for a new fruit cage to
go, apart from the lawn, and swmbo will not allow
that!

2) The possibility that we move, age, remoteness,
large garden and family pressures!


Then plant new ones in the same location! I really do mean
that there is no hope of any of the Rubi recovering once they
have started to go downhill. They haven't adapted to recovery
from fungal root-rots, viruses etc. and rely on new plants
taking over. Longer-lived and more woody plants have some
recovery mechanisms, but Rubi are not like that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


That's encouraging, but I understood you should not
use the same patch, partly because of the problems you
outlined.

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales
  #9   Report Post  
Old 08-05-2013, 09:20 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: May 2012
Posts: 2,947
Default Mulching with grass clippings

On 08/05/2013 19:05, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article , nmm1
@cam.ac.uk says...

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Plant new ones, preferably somewhere else. Mulching won't
help worth a damn in such a case.

Yeah, I know that is what I ought to do, but there are
a couple of problems:

1) Space - there is no where for a new fruit cage to
go, apart from the lawn, and swmbo will not allow
that!

2) The possibility that we move, age, remoteness,
large garden and family pressures!


Then plant new ones in the same location! I really do mean
that there is no hope of any of the Rubi recovering once they
have started to go downhill. They haven't adapted to recovery
from fungal root-rots, viruses etc. and rely on new plants
taking over. Longer-lived and more woody plants have some
recovery mechanisms, but Rubi are not like that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


That's encouraging, but I understood you should not
use the same patch, partly because of the problems you
outlined.

I would try a good high nitrogen feed now and then a potash feed in
August, and give a good mulch of grass clippings once the new growth is
about 12 inches or more.
Nothing to loose.
  #10   Report Post  
Old 08-05-2013, 10:39 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,907
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:

Then plant new ones in the same location! I really do mean
that there is no hope of any of the Rubi recovering once they
have started to go downhill. They haven't adapted to recovery
from fungal root-rots, viruses etc. and rely on new plants
taking over. Longer-lived and more woody plants have some
recovery mechanisms, but Rubi are not like that.


That's encouraging, but I understood you should not
use the same patch, partly because of the problems you
outlined.


Ideally, you shouldn't. However, in the wild, they often tip-in
or sucker into areas where other canes have just died. I find
that young plants (not raspberries, but others) often thrive
even where and old one has been dying horribly.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


  #11   Report Post  
Old 16-05-2013, 10:34 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2008
Posts: 762
Default Mulching with grass clippings

On Tue, 7 May 2013 20:25:45 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?


If you dry them (rake them up rather than collect them) then they
won't heat up when you apply them as a mulch.
Thin layers regularly of fresh clippings is the way to avoid it
heating up.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk
  #12   Report Post  
Old 16-05-2013, 11:47 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,520
Default Mulching with grass clippings


"mogga" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 7 May 2013 20:25:45 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?


If you dry them (rake them up rather than collect them) then they
won't heat up when you apply them as a mulch.
Thin layers regularly of fresh clippings is the way to avoid it
heating up.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk


Two things that help make mowings work well as a mulch are 1 cut grass
regularly, keep it short, this cuts down on seed heads, 2 apply it at the
right thickness, too much and it heats up, to little and it doesn't do its
job, couple of inches works for me.

It goes without saying that if you are using the mowings as a mulch don't
use weed n' feed type products!!


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

  #13   Report Post  
Old 17-05-2013, 09:06 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2012
Posts: 459
Default Mulching with grass clippings

In article ,
says...

"mogga" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 7 May 2013 20:25:45 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

I have tried this technique once or twice without much
success. Either I get masses of weeds coming through,
or the grass clippings coagulate into a sticky mess
(as they do in a compost heap if you put too many in
at once).

I would really like to use the clipping to mulch
around my respberries as they are getting old and weak
and I was hoping that would help next years canes
develop.

Any tips please?


If you dry them (rake them up rather than collect them) then they
won't heat up when you apply them as a mulch.
Thin layers regularly of fresh clippings is the way to avoid it
heating up.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

Two things that help make mowings work well as a mulch are 1 cut grass
regularly, keep it short, this cuts down on seed heads, 2 apply it at the
right thickness, too much and it heats up, to little and it doesn't do its
job, couple of inches works for me.

It goes without saying that if you are using the mowings as a mulch don't
use weed n' feed type products!!


Thanks for the warning, I was aware, and at the moment
have just done the second cut following weed & feed.
All the cuttings gone into bin bags to go down to the
recycling at some stage.

Probably start using 4th cutting for mulching, unless
anyone throws uo their hands in horror


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales
  #14   Report Post  
Old 19-05-2013, 10:50 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jan 2008
Posts: 762
Default Mulching with grass clippings

On Fri, 17 May 2013 20:06:26 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:


Any tips please?

If you dry them (rake them up rather than collect them) then they
won't heat up when you apply them as a mulch.
Thin layers regularly of fresh clippings is the way to avoid it
heating up.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk


Two things that help make mowings work well as a mulch are 1 cut grass
regularly, keep it short, this cuts down on seed heads, 2 apply it at the
right thickness, too much and it heats up, to little and it doesn't do its
job, couple of inches works for me.

It goes without saying that if you are using the mowings as a mulch don't
use weed n' feed type products!!


Thanks for the warning, I was aware, and at the moment
have just done the second cut following weed & feed.
All the cuttings gone into bin bags to go down to the
recycling at some stage.

Probably start using 4th cutting for mulching, unless
anyone throws uo their hands in horror



I'd have the rest in a big heap in a corner for growing worms.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Grass clippings as mulch? Sam United Kingdom 4 19-05-2004 11:15 PM
Grass clippings John DeBoo Gardening 9 15-08-2003 07:07 AM
Leave grass clippings on site? (not composting this year) pgh Gardening 3 17-04-2003 02:32 PM
Grass Clippings Paul Smart Australia 7 05-04-2003 07:37 AM
Grass Clippings Paul Smart Australia 7 29-03-2003 05:32 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:43 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017