Question about grass clippings and horse poop

14 years ago

I want to add grass clippings to the soil in my garden. My husband thinks I need to compost them first b/c of all the weed seeds. Is he right? His suggestion makes sense but I've read a lot about adding grass clippings and don't remember anyone saying they need to be composted first.

Also, we are starting a manure pile from our horse poop. If the grass clippings need to be composted, can I just throw them in with the poop? Does one need to be composted longer than the other?

I need some guidance. My goal is to improve my soil. It's sandy in some places, clay in others.

Thanks!

Comments (9)

berndoodle
14 years ago
Lawn grass? It is usually mowed before it goes to seed. Other grass clippings? I wouldn't put it on my garden until it had been composted at really high temps, and even then, I probably wouldn't put it on my garden. I'm surrounded by thousands of acres of grazing land, and grasses are the bane of my gardening existence. I'd hate to add more. Horse manure is a fabulous amendment.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
14 years ago
I would mix the grass clippings with the manure and let it all compost. You will end up with some really prime compost and really happy roses. If you have any fallen leaves from last fall to mix in, it will be even better.
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anntn6b
14 years ago
I've had a problem with grass clippings burning when they are really fresh and lumped into a mass eight inches or more high.
First I noticed heat waves above them and when I opened the mass up, some of the grass was charred to grayness and fell apart to ashes.

Hoov's suggestion to mix it with something else would solve my problem.
rosepep
Original Author
14 years ago
Ok thanks!!!
kstrong
14 years ago
You also need to consider the source of the horse poop. Many horsemen feed their horses, when they are boarded, a daily dose of wormicide. If your poop comes from a boarding stable, you need to ask them. The wormicide stuff comes with the poop, but it can be composted out. But I wouldn't put fresh horse poop containing the wormicide directly in my garden (unless I wanted to lose all my worms).

Kathy
rosepep
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you all for your thoughts.

I need to clarify my earlier post. I meant to say that I'm starting a COMPOST pile using the poop from my own horse. :)

Kathy, I don't use the daily de-wormer in his feed, but that's a great point. I would not have thought about that!
karl_bapst_rosenut
14 years ago
Use a mulching mower and mow often, leaving the clippings on the lawn. That's what I do and my lawn is the best looking one in the neighborhood.
Use the horse manure to fertilize.
roseman
14 years ago
Well-rotted horse manure with whatever else you add to it would be fine. Actually, horse is better then cow, because horses are more discrimanating about what they eat, and there will be less invasive weeds. Be sure all composts are well rotted, because putting them down fresh causes them to take nitrogen from the soil as they breakdown. Not a great idea, since more nitrogen will need to be added to replace what was removed.
dennisb1
14 years ago
if you mound grass clippings much more that 3-4 inches high they will generate enough heat to cook what they touch. Same thing with manure. Where there is considerable distance between plants I mulch in place to save time and labor. I've gotten more weeds from horse manure than grass (the hay from the bedding sprouts) but it's easier than a compost pile. This has always worked for me. I don't have the time or space for a compost pile.

I use grass clippings a lot around my tomatoes but as a mulch between the plants (about 6 inches from the plant with a smattering closer to it. )

Question about grass clippings and horse poop

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Question about grass clippings and horse poop

Comments (9)

berndoodle

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23

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