Re: Value of grass
- Subject: Re: Value of grass
- From: D* G*
- Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 10:45:48 -0500
At 09:35 AM 1/29/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 1/29/02 7:24:26 AM Eastern Standard Time,
>nmarrison@chartertn.net writes:
>
>
>>Would each of us not really miss the smell of a new cut lawn on a summer
>>day? That is one of life's many enjoyable things. The other thing is, when
>>you smell it, you know it's been mowed another time.
>
>
>Not to mention what a great addition it makes to the compost pile. And I
>often just pile the clippings on beds as mulch.
>Bill Lee
Well, knowing how erudite Bill is - I'm surprised he removes his lawn
clippings from the lawn. These clippings contain approx 30% of the
available Nitrogen in the plants and simply leaving them lie is the single
best thing you can do for the lawn. Moving them around is like robbing
Peter to pay Paul - - not to mention the amount of work it takes to do so.
This Nitrogen is why they "make a great addition to the compost pile" - -
clippings contain an almost perfect Carbon:Nitrogen ratio for immediate
decomposition. They also work as mulch given a thick layer tends to
collapse on itself and smother out anything beneath it. No arguments as to
their value in the compost and garden as per Bill's post. Simply a waste of
energy and short changing the turf.
And before anybody goes on about thatch. Let me simply say that thatch is
NOT caused by leaving clippings on lawns. It is a result of poor lawn
management practices such as overfeeding, poor mowing practices etc.
Doug Green
Author - The Everything Lawn Care Book
Author - How to Successfully Grow Organic Lawns at www.gardenbrew.com
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