Re: Grass clippings (was Advice on shredders)

"Richard F. Dufresne" wrote:

> Nancy:
> 
> Grass clippings, especially from a well-fertilized lawn, can have so much
> nitrogen in them that large piles of them that have become too wet decay
> anaerobically and emit as bad a stench as any manure I've ever experienced
> (I grew up on a dairy farm).

This is the main reason I put them straight on my beds as mulch (largely
on the veg garden, but on ornamental borders also if I have any to
spare). By spreading them in  successive thin layers one avoids this
unpleasantness, even with lush spring growth.
> 
> One good way to use them is to mix them with dried leaves as a quick
> compost.  This will make good use of the extra nitrogen, and the heat of
> fermentation will help kill off grass and weed seeds.

The grass/leaf mix is one I apply  extensively to beds which will be
unused over winter and it does produce a splendid quality humus by
spring. As to the weed problem, I question how much seed is likely from
a lawn that is mowed regularly. Even if there are weed species present,
few are likely to have time to produce seed before the heads are sliced
off. I don't seem to get any weed troubles from my mowings anyway.

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, 
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
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