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I get about 3 cu metres of grass cuttins each time I mow. I understand that it does not compost well on its own, but all my other compostables are a tiny percent of my grass cuttings. Can anyone suggest how to deal with it, or how I can treat it to compost it?

JeremyB

I always mix mine with shreds of the local free newspaper ...

... in equal quantities, 
... you can also bung in loads of card board,
... and nettles are very good for composts!!

That put down in layers with the day to day household rubbish should do the trick.  :)

Hope this helps  ;)

You can buy Biotal's liquid Compost Maker for grass, from your hardware store, B&Q etc.  Don't need to add anything else.

It will rot down on its own, but it takes a longer time than when it is mixed with other material. Also you need to turn it at leat once a week to let oxygen into it, otherwise the process changes to anerobic decomposition which is much much slower.  You could buy a bale of straw and mix that in with it, that would help, or even sawdust or wood chippings.

My partner keeps two ginea pigs. I add the straw & poops to the compost, but not the under-paper or sawdust (I thought that this did not compost well, and added cellulose to the soil). Do you think that I should now add this as well?

JeremyB

I add the woodflakes from my guinea pigs' hutches, and some of the newspaper too. It rots down well if mixed with other things. Combine it with grass and your compost heap will cook nicely!

 :-\

Sawdust takes an age to break down, so I would compost that separately if you want to use it. "underpaper"????? what's that? If you mean the newspaper under the straw/sawdust etc, I think that would be ok to use.
Not a GP expert, so maybe others can advise

;)

Use it as a mulch; it's tremendous stuff.

Hi Robert

Do you just spread the grass cuttings around the plants?
Would it be suitable for Peas, Dwarf French and Runner bean?
also for spreading around Brassics?
How thickly spread?
Do you need to water it ti stop it blowing around?

(Sorry its so many questions but this seams a really good use for my grass cuttings)

Quote from: Svengali on June 09, 2006, 17:28:17
My partner keeps two ginea pigs. I add the straw & poops to the compost, but not the under-paper or sawdust (I thought that this did not compost well, and added cellulose to the soil). Do you think that I should now add this as well?

JeremyB

Jeremy use the paper as its full of ammonia to get the compst going.  The sawdust/shavings is fine too esp if sodden in pig urine - it will take a while to rot down so put in plenty of green/wet compost (kitchen waste, green manures).

Also there is a product called Hempcore also known as Aubiose (its a horse bedding)- £7 but a HUGE bale. Its chopped hemp obviously but it keeps my pigs much cleaner for longer, it soaks wet up immediately rather than shavings it just runs off so less smell... its better for the environment and also rots down really quickly to give a FAB compost!

I mulch by runner beans and late spuds with grass clippings.

Make sure the soil is moist before your mulch so you trap moisture in.

Jerry

I mulch everything in sight, with the exception of seedbeds and patches of ground I'm using to grow on small seedlings. The more you mulch, the fewer weeds get the chance to grow, and the more goodness gets put into the soil.

I'm with Robert too - would add that mulch conserves moisture! ::)