Drying Out Grass Clippings for Mulch
jcrowder
10 years ago
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sweetquietplace
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Dry grass mulch & very dry underneath - suggestions??
Comments (0)I read the post on watering basics and it was very informative....I didn't want to take over the post though. I've mulched with grass clippings which are very dry right now. I've been watering but I'm sure that I'm not watering deep enough. I put 2 soaker hoses meandering thru my garden. It's planted in a sq ft style and the plants are too large for the hoses to be moved. I realized that the 2 hoses are 2 different diameters. The smaller diameter is thru the tomatoes, squash, beans & broccoli....and they aren't getting nearly enough water. The larger diameter hose goes from the main garden to the cuc patch...and the water just nourishes the weeds in between the 2 gardens. Even though I watered the garden, I picked up the grass mulch and the soil underneath is as dry as a bone. Should I pick up the clippings and water without them? (Oh, that's gonna be lotsa work!) The lawn needs to be mowed again & I can put fresh clippings down on the soil or over top of the dry ones. Oh geeze, I'm rambling.... anyway, the forecast says it'll be at least a week before rain. We'll be coming out of a few days of mid 90 temps and the garden's looking a bit wilty. We're going away for just a few days....Monday-Wed. What should I do when I get back? Pull out the mulch? Water with a sprinkler? Spend the day outside with the hose? Try to lay the other 1/2 of the soaker in the garden? With the exception of a few squash & pumpkin plants that are wilted flat, the rest of the garden seems to be managing very well. Thanks for any advice or tips you may have!! LC Grace...See MoreGrass clippings okay for mulching blueberries?
Comments (11)When I did landscaping in Central California I had 10 acres with lots of fruit trees and other ornamental trees. We generated almost a full pickup load daily during the spring and summer. We would spread it around the trees. When It got 12" deep it would mold. If we only spread it 3-6" it wouldn't. This was almost a desert climate of 30% humidity. Before I got enough customers to bring in that quantity of grass I had a problem keeping enough moisture to keep the trees healthy. Afterwards, not so much. Granted that was about 2 years later. This was in a rural area with the trees far enough from my house so the visual effect was not like in a suburban area. Now I'm in central Missouri and live in a small city. I use wood chips that I get yearly from tree trimmers who keep the power lines safe. What you have available makes a difference in what you use. ,...See MoreShould I mulch or bag my grass clippings?
Comments (38)>>You guys are great. Thanks very much. If I put my 3 lb all in the fall, half just before winter, how big a time gap before that for two more feedings to handle the remaining 1.5 lb? A pound of N a month is the maximum under normal circumstances. So if winterization goes around December 1, and given that November tends to be a low growth, low demand month, I'd feed 1 pound of N in early September and 1 pound of N in early October. Skipping any feeding in late October and November isn't a problem. Growth has slowed, the grass isn't particularly demanding, and you don't really need to feed. Regardless of circumstances, a small boost in late May is a good idea. If avoiding fungal issues, use 0.5 pounds of N per thousand square feet. If not, go to the full pound. Roots are tapped of carbohydrates by that time (partially) and trying to restore them for summer. In this case, growth doesn't stop like it does in fall, but it does noticeably slow from spring's high point. Usually that's around Memorial Day, and exact timing isn't important here. Applied organically, all these dates will differ a bit. Generally speaking, most dates back up about three weeks--except winterization, which is done synthetically and doesn't change....See MoreGrass clippings as mulch or compost?
Comments (13)Mulch is a good think to help moderate the soil temps and moisture. Grass clippings can be great or bad depending on the situation. If it is full of grass and weed seeds, it might not be great in the veggie garden. If it is cut from one of those lawns with no weeds or seed heads, it will probably be much better as mulch though you want to get it spread quickly before it can mat together into nasty clumps (grass left sitting for much time in plastic bags can turn into ugly stuff.) As to bugs in mulch, well it does offer habitat to bugs. The first season of organic gardening after many seasons of chemicals in a garden, the bad bugs might be overwhelming. With some time, the populations of creatures should even out a bit so the good will balance the bad and the garden can grow healthier. I've not gardened in hard clay soil but I've heard many people who have made their clay more workable by keeping it mulched and moist. I can say my sandy soil is greatly improved by keeping it mulched and moist. In my hot humid climate, organic matter breaks down quickly so I have to add lots of mulch often to keep a good thick layer going. Here is a link that might be useful: www.TCLynx.com...See Morejcrowder
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