Whether for the lawn, vegetable or flower bed: Mulching with grass clippings can save time and effort and significantly improve the soil. We explain how you can make sensible use of the grass clippings.
Mulching with grass clippings offers these advantages!
If you mow your lawn regularly, you will keep the lawn in shape. But what should you do with the clippings? One option would be to compost the grass clippings. However, you shouldn't overdo itput in the composter, but only compost small amounts.
Larger amounts can be easily used for mulching. To do this, first scatter the grass clippings in a dry, sunny place in the garden and allow them to dry a little. Then you can start mulching. You should use the clippings in a targeted manner. For example:
- to improve the soil quality in the vegetable patch
- as a natural protective layer for ornamental and hedge shrubs
- for displacing weeds in the kitchen garden and flower beds
- In sunny places, a thin layer of mulch can prevent the soil from drying out.
Regular mulching can significantly improve the garden soil. Especially when the soil is light, it has difficulty storing water. A layer of mulch can help with this.Clayey soilscan become airier with regular mulching. Grass clippings also provide important nutrients for the soil and can make it richer in humus.
When mulching with lawn clippings, you should pay particular attention to the thickness of the mulch layer. A 1 cm layer proves to be optimalImproving soil qualityand as protection against drying. For the ornamental shrubs you can lay out the cuttings about 2 cm. If you want to push out weeds, they can be a little thicker - around 3 cm.
You should keep this in mind when mulching with lawn clippings!
There is a lot of leftover lawn, especially in the months between May and August. If it rains frequently or if there is an irrigation system in the garden, the clippings are usually moist. If it is spread too densely, it cannot dry properly and waterlogging forms. Therefore, you should really lay out the grass clippings as thinly as possible and always let them dry a little in the sun beforehand.
Grass clippings are not permanent mulch. The mulch layer must be renewed or replaced regularly. It is best to remove the old layer of mulch and lay down a new layer every 7 to 10 days
It is also important to prepare the garden soil for mulching. First remove weeds. Then check the lawn clippings for seeds and sort them out too.
If the soil is dry, you can water it the day before mulching.
Then fertilize the soil. Ideally, this should not be done once at the start of the gardening season, but rather regularly, once a week or every two-three weeks (depending on soil conditions and plant needs).
Place the mulch layer around the stems of the plants at a distance of at least 20 cm. This way the moisture can evaporate and waterlogging will not form.
By the way, you should not mulch newly planted or sown areas for the time being. Wait two weeks for the plants to emerge or for the young plants to develop their root systems. Only then can you mulch them thinly.
Destroy and displace weeds
Regular mulching can inhibit weed growth. It is very important that the mulch layer is as opaque as possible. This is how the plants can be prevented from germinating. An important requirement for this is that the mulch layer is at least 2.5 cm thick. A layer of 3 cm proves to be optimal - more would lead to the formation of rot, less would not be effective enough.
If you do thatPush out weedsIf you want to, you can't avoid weeding. Loosen the soil and pull out the weeds. Then fertilize the soil, water it and then apply the grass clippings around the plants.
Mulching against slugs: is lawn clippings effective?
Is mulching actually effective against slugs? This question fails the minds. Because there are just as many supporters as opponents. Depending on your own experience, different mulching materials are recommended. Grass clippings are one of these natural materials. Supporters of the method claim that the mulch layer with grass residue thickens over time and the snails cannot crawl under it. Opponents, however, claim that grass clippings are the perfect hiding place for the critters. They often lay their eggs there too.
Everyone can test for themselves whether mulching with lawn clippings really helps or not. But there are two tricks that could increase the effectiveness of the method:
- Snails love moisture. So first let the grass clippings dry thoroughly and only then use them.
- Change the lawn clippings once a week, collecting any reptiles you may find.
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