We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to start
mulching rather than collecting.
What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?
Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?

On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to start
mulching rather than collecting.
What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?
Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?

I wouldn't call our grass 'formal' (no stripes!) - but I do mulch all of
it - about 1.5 acres. Ride-on has a pair of mulching blades - no
grass-boxes to empty.

Downsides - grass needs to be fairly dry, and reasonably short to mulch
effectively - tend to mow every 7 days. I'm in the far south-west of
Ireland - we get a lot of rain, and the grass grows quickly...

On 25/05/2018 10:41, Adrian Brentnall wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to
start mulching rather than collecting.
What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?
Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?

I wouldn't call our grass 'formal' (no stripes!) - but I do mulch all of
it - about 1.5 acres. Ride-on has a pair of mulching blades - no
grass-boxes to empty.

Downsides - grass needs to be fairly dry, and reasonably short to mulch
effectively - tend to mow every 7 days. I'm in the far south-west of
Ireland - we get a lot of rain, and the grass grows quickly...

If wet, mulched grass sticks to your shoes when walking on it and then
you walk the grass cuttings into the house.

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to start
mulching rather than collecting.

How much is a lot? I don't have a problem adding them to a hot heap
provided that I put a few shrubby prunings in at the same time. Adding
about 1m^3 at a time works for me and the heap goes hot within 2-3 days.
I have had it smouldering before now but normally it tops out at 70C.

Small amounts added weekly invariably end up as green slime.

What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?

No need to collect the grass or empty the grass box.
But short cut grass blades will get everywhere and on shoes when wet.

Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?

Not very convincingly.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

alan_m wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:41, Adrian Brentnall wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to
start mulching rather than collecting.
What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?
Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?

I wouldn't call our grass 'formal' (no stripes!) - but I do mulch all of
it - about 1.5 acres. Ride-on has a pair of mulching blades - no
grass-boxes to empty.

Downsides - grass needs to be fairly dry, and reasonably short to mulch
effectively - tend to mow every 7 days. I'm in the far south-west of
Ireland - we get a lot of rain, and the grass grows quickly...

If wet, mulched grass sticks to your shoes when walking on it and then
you walk the grass cuttings into the house.

Not our experience. We had a non-mulching Kubota which didn't collect
grass and when we'd used that there was always grass in the house.
We've just got a Stiga 'out-front' mower with a mulching deck and now
there is no grass inthe house after mowing. If mulching works well the
small cuttings drop down 'into' the lawn.

--
Chris Green
·

On 25/05/2018 13:58, Martin Brown wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to
start mulching rather than collecting.

How much is a lot? I don't have a problem adding them to a hot heap
About 2 acres worth, needing mowing at least once per week.
provided that I put a few shrubby prunings in at the same time. Adding
about 1m^3 at a time works for me and the heap goes hot within 2-3 days.
I haven't thought about the volume, but 1m^3 is probably what we get
from one full mow, before it settles.
I have had it smouldering before now but normally it tops out at 70C.
Is this mostly grass, with a waterproof cover?

Small amounts added weekly invariably end up as green slime.

What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?

No need to collect the grass or empty the grass box.
But short cut grass blades will get everywhere and on shoes when wet.

Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?

Not very convincingly.

On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass cuttings,
disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering whether to start
mulching rather than collecting.
What are the downsides and upsides of mulching?
Can mulching be used on a "formal" striped lawn?
I've just discovered that the deck on our Countax C600H can't be
converted to a mulching "mode", and a new mulching deck would be very
expensive. Looks like I need a plan B.
We do have an old Westwood T1600 without a deck - I wonder if it's
possible to pick-up a mulching deck for that ... ?

On 25/05/2018 17:38, wrote:
On 25/05/2018 13:58, Martin Brown wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass
cuttings, disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering
whether to start mulching rather than collecting.

How much is a lot? I don't have a problem adding them to a hot heap

About 2 acres worth, needing mowing at least once per week.

OK. I'd have expected you to have more problem with it getting hot
enough to smoulder inside then if you build the heap right. I have had
mine turn to white ash inside more than once.

provided that I put a few shrubby prunings in at the same time.
Adding about 1m^3 at a time works for me and the heap goes hot
within 2-3 days.

I haven't thought about the volume, but 1m^3 is probably what we get
from one full mow, before it settles.
I have had it smouldering before now but normally it tops out at
70C.
Is this mostly grass, with a waterproof cover?

When it goes hot it is almost all grass with whatever woody pruning
stuff I want to be rid of mixed in the middle somewhere. I don't cover
it and accept that the top surface won't compost until it gets buried.
No covers although if I have some dead ferns or rhubarb leaves I toss
them on at the start of the season the help keep the heat in.

The trick is to not compact the grass and have enough air space inside
so that it can really get going. I originally seeded mine with Garrotta
compost accelerator but have never needed to since starting it.

It goes hot about 3 days after cutting and smells a bit peculiar of
short chain fatty acids so you want it well away from the house.

I give it a quick turn before adding the next lot a week later. There is
always room by then. Bays are about 2x3m with three of them maturing.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 25/05/2018 18:28, Martin Brown wrote:
On 25/05/2018 17:38, wrote:
On 25/05/2018 13:58, Martin Brown wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass
cuttings, disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering
whether to start mulching rather than collecting.

How much is a lot? I don't have a problem adding them to a hot heap

About 2 acres worth, needing mowing at least once per week.

OK. I'd have expected you to have more problem with it getting hot
enough to smoulder inside then if you build the heap right. I have had
mine turn to white ash inside more than once.

provided that I put a few shrubby prunings in at the same time.
Adding about 1m^3 at a time works for me and the heap goes hot
within 2-3 days.

I haven't thought about the volume, but 1m^3 is probably what we get
Â*from one full mow, before it settles.
I have had it smouldering before now but normally it tops out at
70C.
Is this mostly grass, with a waterproof cover?

When it goes hot it is almost all grass with whatever woody pruning
stuff I want to be rid of mixed in the middle somewhere. I don't cover
it and accept that the top surface won't compost until it gets buried.
No covers although if I have some dead ferns or rhubarb leaves I toss
them on at the start of the season the help keep the heat in.

The trick is to not compact the grass and have enough air space inside
so that it can really get going. I originally seeded mine with Garrotta
compost accelerator but have never needed to since starting it.

It goes hot about 3 days after cutting and smells a bit peculiar of
short chain fatty acids so you want it well away from the house.

I give it a quick turn before adding the next lot a week later. There is
always room by then. Bays are about 2x3m with three of them maturing.

Thanks, that's very interesting. We moved here about a year ago so
having this volume of grass clippings is a relatively new experience.
Currently the grass just goes into a huge heap and eventually to the
bonfire - wasteful and environmentally poor.
I recognise that I need to build some composting bays - what do you use
for the walls? railway sleepers, pallets, bales, ... ?

On Fri, 25 May 2018 19:12:15 wrote:

On 25/05/2018 18:28, Martin Brown wrote:
On 25/05/2018 17:38, wrote:
On 25/05/2018 13:58, Martin Brown wrote:
On 25/05/2018 10:29, wrote:
We have three areas of lawn and generate a *lot* of grass
cuttings, disposing of them is always a problem so I'm wondering
whether to start mulching rather than collecting.

How much is a lot? I don't have a problem adding them to a hot heap

About 2 acres worth, needing mowing at least once per week.
OK. I'd have expected you to have more problem with it getting hot
enough to smoulder inside then if you build the heap right. I have had
mine turn to white ash inside more than once.

provided that I put a few shrubby prunings in at the same time.
Adding about 1m^3 at a time works for me and the heap goes hot
within 2-3 days.

I haven't thought about the volume, but 1m^3 is probably what we get
*from one full mow, before it settles.
I have had it smouldering before now but normally it tops out at
70C.
Is this mostly grass, with a waterproof cover?
When it goes hot it is almost all grass with whatever woody pruning
stuff I want to be rid of mixed in the middle somewhere. I don't cover
and accept that the top surface won't compost until it gets buried.
No covers although if I have some dead ferns or rhubarb leaves I toss
them on at the start of the season the help keep the heat in.
The trick is to not compact the grass and have enough air space
inside so that it can really get going. I originally seeded mine with
Garrotta compost accelerator but have never needed to since starting it.
It goes hot about 3 days after cutting and smells a bit peculiar of
short chain fatty acids so you want it well away from the house.
I give it a quick turn before adding the next lot a week later.
There is always room by then. Bays are about 2x3m with three of them
maturing.

Thanks, that's very interesting. We moved here about a year ago so
having this volume of grass clippings is a relatively new experience.
Currently the grass just goes into a huge heap and eventually to the
bonfire - wasteful and environmentally poor.

In France I have probably about the same amount of grass as you (around
a couple of acres of cider apple orchard. I am lucky in that I can take
my clippings down to the local council tip where I empty them into a
huge container.

Is there no council in the UK that will do the same thing?

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK