Allotments 4 All

Ladles and Gentlespoons, I have 2 questions as I have never really been one for mulching but am now considering it due to lack of rainfall:

1) Is fresh grass clippings OK to use as mulch or do they have to be left a while?

2) Do you wet the ground prior to mulching to keep water? I ask this as the ground is bone dry and rock hard at the moment. Or water over the mulch one time once applied, or do you just place it down and leave it?

hi ktlawson, I use the grass clippings for my fruit tree's, you can use them strait away and the more the better. I think your going to have to give water anyway but it don't matter much if its before or after, perhaps after is a little better because it can hold more warer, gl

use mine on the greenhouse tommies and it soon rots away

Lawn mown this afternoon. Clippings will be between spuds tonight. Next lot for the tomatoes & peppers. ;) When the brassicas get up a bit more - they can have some too I guess, along with everything else in the plot.

Do you mix in shredded paper or just use it neat?

What about lawn daisies? Do they seed too much? I filled a wholegreen bin from my dad's lawn on Monday but it was full of daisies.

we water then put down grass clipings on spuds, peas, beans..keeps the moisture in and the weeds down  ;D

my old neighbour used to use grass clippings as mulch for his raspberries and they were the best ever.  I now use them on everything, not only do they retain moisture, they suppress the weeds.  Don't use them after spring and autumn weed and feeding 'tho.

I was going to use mine on my onions, is that OK because I don't want to keep hoeing between them.  ;D ;D ;D

I use it neat in vast quantities, the fresher the better for most things. The old stuff goes really srodgy, won't spread properly, and kills most plants long before they get through it. It's good for putting round the bases of shrubs or trees, or on top of a few really tough things like rhubarb.

I have been putting the clippings over my potatoes. It does rot down quickly. I don't know if it is the best method but it is free and there is a good continous supply.

This is an interesting thread. 

Having spend many hours finding the vegetables in my weed beds.  I was definitely going to mulch between the plants once they were more established.  The soil where I live dries out very quickly, so I was thinking of using straw.  I have a big lawn, which has has been 'covered' by ironically dandelions, and daisies. 

I am correct in thinking that these clippings could be used as mulch on the beds without causing anymore weed problems?

This is my first year in growing my own food so any advice would be appreciated.

as long as there's no seeds in it, I think so  :)

I can't get enough lawn clippings so I'm going to ask my neighbours for theirs as well. I've started putting in around my raspberries and other fruit bushes. i also bought some straw to mulch with as I'm not going to get enough grass clippings in time.
I weed dandelions out of my lawn before I cut. Each little bit of dandelion will grow a new plant. Of course that will be the problem with getting someone else's lawn clippings.

just make sure they haven't used weed and feed, some of our neighbours have  :-\

Oh yes thanks for telling me that. I've had quite enough disaster for one day.