[tippben]

Does anybody do this? If so, what depth do you use, and what about weed (grass, dandelion etc.) seeds?

[tagwex]

A short cut each time and cut regularly so as you don't end up with those unsightly lines of brown dead grass. The weed seeds cannot be helped but again regular mowing will keep them in check.

[James Kilkelly]

Good question.
I posted about this before in another section.

Grass clippings can be used for weed control at the base of your plants, 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 plant, avoiding its main stems. Do not add any more clippings until the previous batch has broken down.

I wrote a piece on the topic before...... Click this.. What to do with grass clippings in Ireland.

[Blowin]

Mowings are great for a weed suppressant but, as always, there's a downside. The damp environment you create is a haven for slugs - but you can't have everything. One other potential problem is slipping. Once my adjacent rows of peas and broad beans are above ground, there's quite a waiting period before one needs access to them, so I've spread a 3-4 inch layer of mowings down the corridor between them. It works well but, being on a slope, the inviting looking carpet of brown hides a slimy underlayer which can slide from under you when walked on. Just a precaution.