[GPI]

What to do with grass clippings in Ireland.
by GPI

Its that perennial problem which occurs to lawn owners every time a grass box needs emptying. We have tidied the lawn area but where do the untidy grass clipping go? This can be a substantial disposal task for the average lawn owner as grass clippings are thought to make up about 75 percent of all garden waste.

Never fear though, this article is here to mull over the pros and cons of the various disposal methods, from which you may find a solution to your mowing leftovers. These fall under the following headings…. Bin them, compost them, return them, hedge them, and feed them.

Bin them.
If you have compostable wheelie bin collection in your area, commonly know as the brown bin, then take advantage of this to dispose of your lawn clippings. Of course, this is limited in volume, so the average country-garden lawn owner could fill this many times over in one mowing session.

Many people will put the grass in their standard wheelie bin, but this is to be avoided. Sending clippings to landfill is an expensive and sinful waste of landfill space.

. Grass clippings, how to dispose, photo / picture / image.

Compost them.
The water content of grass is both the pro and con for the arguments surrounding grass composting. Grass clippings are approximately 85 percent water and 4 percent nitrogen, which means if composted correctly they will rapidly reduce to one tenth of their volume. Your bag of grass clippings would reduce to handful or two of compost.

However if composted incorrectly in the manner of a big grass-only silage heap at end of garden, you will quickly discover why cow manure smells the way it does and why it attracts so many flies. With composting done correctly, the wet “green” material (grass clippings, veg peelings etc.) should be roughly balanced out by dry “brown” material (newspaper, cardboard, sawdust etc.), reducing nitrogenous materials and allowing air to circulate. By adding a bag of newspaper for each bag of grass, you will ensure the clippings cannot overwhelm your heap.

Return them.
Mown grass decomposes quite quickly if left on the lawn, recycling non-toxic nutrients back into the soil, plus you will reduce your mowing time by about a third due to the lack of bag emptying. Sounds like heaven, and for the most part, it is, provided you can put up with the cons.

1. You must mow frequently (every five days) to prevent your lawn drowning in grass clippings longer than an inch.

2. Avoid mowing when the grass is anyways wet as this causes the mower to drop large clumps of grass every so often. In my experience, it’s hard to combine the wet weather and five day mowing rule due to the Irish weather.

3. Be aware that kids and dogs will track these clippings indoors possibly onto carpets.

In some cases, an adapter kit is required to allow you to safely operate your mower without a bag, or alternatively you could opt for a new mulching lawn mower itself. These tend to be quite expensive, but it may save you a lot of time and fertiliser.

Hedge them.
Grass clippings can be used for weed control at the base of your hedges, whilst retaining moisture and adding organic matter/nutrients to the soil. For best results spread no more than an inch or two depth of weed free clippings at the base of the hedge avoiding its main stems. Do not add any more clippings until the previous batch has broken down.

. The grass may be greener on the other side, but be wary, photo / picture / image.

Feed them.
Also known as over the hedge, this is a favoured disposal method for many country gardeners with neighbouring livestock. Although it seems like the easiest option, it does have possible down points, animal ill health being the main one.

A pile of grass clippings is very attractive to hungry horses, ponies, donkeys, cows and sheep, but if the animals gorge themselves on the grass, they can prove fatal. Pasture bloat and colic are the main cause of illness, then there is always the possibility of pesticide poisoning if the lawn has been treated recently. Be wary of using this method of disposal, especially if you are doing it unawares to the farmer.

So, after all that, what do I think is the best method of coping with your grass clipping. Well I suggest a rotation policy of all the methods mentioned above, possibly omitting feeding the animals. Oh, and reduce your lawn area by planting a few native trees and shrubs for your birds, less lawn equals less clippings.

Any queries or comments on What to do with grass clippings in Ireland., please post below.

Associated content.....
Basics of Composting Your Grass Clippings (Lawn Mowings)
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Remember, a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.

Garden Consultation & Design in Ireland!

[JennyS]

I use them to mulch the vegetable patch......and the shrubs and flower beds
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Irish wildflowers

[cooler]

Good in the vegetable patch alright as long as not treated with weedkillers. And if I know JennyS there will be little of that. Don't forget to add a few handfuls of wilted grass clippings to your potato planting trenches just before the potatoes go in as this helps prevent potato scab.