Uses of Grass Clippings

The fantastic nutritional benefits in lawn clippings are often underestimated and so they just get tossed out with the garbage but that’s a shame really. Daleys Turf has some great uses for your grass clippings:

Grass clipping represent a great natural fertiliser and despite popular myth, do not create additional thatch in your lawn. In fact, if you mow on a weekly basis and remove all the clippings then you run the risk of creating a nitrogen deficiency. You should only leave them on the lawn if they are very short and remember to break up any clumps to allow sunlight to reach the plants underneath and to avoid damage caused by rotting vegetation.

Note – never leave clippings on the lawn if the grass shows signs of disease or is full of weeds

Grass clippings provide a readily available source of green material and perfectly complement the brown material component of any healthy compost heap.

Add any grass clippings to the garden beds as you mow and empty the catcher. Use a spade to lightly dig the clippings into the soil as this will allow the organisms within the soil to enter the clippings and speed up the deterioration and composting process.

Grass clippings act as a natural defence system against weeds with the added benefit of containing valuable water which will enter the soil. Add approximately 3-4cms around the base of the baes and the hedges, avoiding the main stems.

Dry out the grass clippings and add in thin layers around the vegetable to deter snails and slugs.

Don’t burn grass clippings – it releases unwanted carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Don’t use grass clippings from diseased lawns or lawns with lots of weeds – place these in your green bin or take to the refuse station.
Don’t use grass clippings if weeds are present – particularly if the seed heads have already formed as this will cause the seeds and weeds to spread.
Don’t use grass clippings if you have recently applied a weed killer
Don’t add to your general waste bin – as the clippings break down in the container they create methane which in large quantities can ignite.

Learn more about lawn care on the Daleys Turf blog page or article page.