by Olle Gardens
Using grass clippings in your garden can make it healthier and reuse yard waste in an environmentally friendly way. It improves your soil, provides moisture retention, and gradually breaks down into the plant food that plants need most. So let's talk about the leftovers from your weekend mowing and how best to use them for you! The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.
About Grass Chips
Grass cuttings can be used in gardens in many ways. They provide nutrients for the soil, prevent weeds from growing and retain water. They contain 4% nitrogen, 2% potassium, 1% phosphorus and a small amount of other plant nutrients. After decomposition, grass dust is also a food source for microbial life in the soil.
Why to reuse grass dust
Grass dust is too precious to waste! After mowing, the newspaper clippings will be left on the lawn, and they will usually be decomposed in place within a few weeks. Even if you want to rake them, you can add them to the compost bin or use them in other ways.
The following are some of the most important reasons why you should reuse grass cuttings.
It saves time
Cutting grass will become more convenient and fast. You don't have to use the mower bag when mowing, which means it takes less time to empty it. It's easier, easier, and doesn't take that much time to mow the lawn.
You will generate less waste
By 2017, about 35.2 million tons of courtyard decorations will eventually enter the landfill, accounting for 13% of urban solid waste. It takes a long time for the grass cuttings to decompose in plastic bags. By cycling on grass, you can reduce your contribution to waste generation while improving the soil.
You need less water and fertilizer
Although lawn bikes may not be a substitute for fertilization, covering the lawn with grass cuttings will certainly reduce your demand for lawn fertilizer. When the cuttings are broken down, they provide three main nutrients: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Newspaper clipping can meet nearly 25% of the fertilizer demand of the lawn. They also act as mulch, which means the water will stay longer and you don't have to water the lawn often.
6 uses of grass dust
Here are some good ideas for you to try out in your garden to make the most of the grass.
Use grass dust as cover
Leave mulch around flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs in the yard to help control weeds and regulate soil temperature and moisture. Grass cuttings are a great choice for mulch because they are light and easy to break down.
Lay a layer of 2 to 3 inches thick near the base of the plant. Ideally, the mulch should be about 1-2 inches long. Getting a special cover blade or using a special mower to cut grass can really help you solve this problem. The cover blade cuts the grass into smaller, finer pieces, making them easy to break down. Similarly, the cover mower is designed to trim and cut grass tips into small pieces and distribute them more evenly throughout the lawn.
It is better to use dry lawn newspaper clipping. Fresh and moist can be cushioned into a thick, almost impermeable layer, which can slow down drainage and reduce oxygen infiltration into the soil. If you use fresh clippings, be aware of them to ensure that they do not pile together, and if they do, separate them.
Before mowing, make sure your lawn is not treated with herbicides and pesticides. Covering clippings containing these chemicals can be a problem, especially if you are trying to start planting or using mulch where there are very young plants.
Gown Raised bed
Grass cuttings are also a good choice for adding to the raised garden bed as topdressing. They can help keep your bed hydrated, inhibit weeds and add nutrients to plants. You can simply spread a few inches on the surface of the bed. With the decomposition of newspaper clipping, the height of the covering will decrease. Add more as needed throughout the growing season!
Compost with grass chips
Lawn clippings can also be placed in your compost heap or trash can. They are a rich source of nitrogen, which can quickly decompose when paired with carbon rich materials.
Mix the grass with some straw, fine paper or cardboard, dry leaves or other carbon rich materials in the compost pile. To quickly decompose, use one portion of grass dust for two portions of carbon rich waste, and then layer them together. Make sure it's wet, then turn it over 1-2 times a week until you have a rich pile of dark compost. It heats up as it decomposes, so be sure to use a compost thermometer to track its progress. It also works well in composting drums!
Leave a newspaper clipping on the lawn
It is OK to leave newspaper clipping on the lawn from time to time. When they decompose, they release nitrogen and other plant foods back to your lawn. However, please be careful not to leave too much to avoid suffocating your existing grass!
Keeping newspaper clippings in place once a month should also help reduce the need for regular watering. It is like a covering around living grass. Try to remove any excess that blocks sunlight or slows lawn drainage.
Making liquid lawn flower splitting fertilizer
Grass cuttings can also be made into 100% organic liquid fertilizer. To prepare a batch, fill two thirds of the bucket with grass dust. Fill the bucket with water, set aside, and mix the contents once a day. After soaking for 3-4 days, you can filter it to remove weed solids and use the liquid as a mild fertilizer. Grass solids can enter compost directly!
Since this is a very mild fertilizer, you should not burn your plants when using it. A good rule of thumb is 1/2 to 1 cup per plant, depending on its size. Pour it around the root system of the plant, keeping it away from the leaves.
Take them to the community garden
Is there a community garden nearby? Usually, they have a public compost heap for storing all plant waste. The quality of compost will be improved if the lawn clippings are kept nearby. In addition, it can keep them away from landfills!
Save your time and money by turning this useful plant material source into a beneficial and healthy yard additive. You'll be glad you did.
