5 Ways to Use Grass Clippings in the Garden

Most homeowners have grass lawns that need to be mowed. Much of that grass is bagged and sent to the landfill or even burned. However, grass clippings are a great organic resource for gardeners, useful in various ways. Best of all, it is free!

If you do not have much grass yourself, it is likely that some of your neighbors have bags of clippings that they will give away. It is important to find out if the grass has been sprayed with chemicals, herbicides, fertilizers, or insecticides. It is best to stick with clippings that are natural.

1.) Use grass clippings to fill holes and gullies and prevent erosion. Construction companies use straw to hold back the soil after it has been stripped of sod. Clippings can be use the same way though they are lighter and more likely to blow around or wash away after heavy rains. To fill large gullies you may want to leave the grass in the bags and cover with a thin layer of soil.

2.) Grass clippings make fine summer mulch. Place a couple inches of clippings around the garden bed to prevent evaporation, cool the soil, and control weeds. Leave a gap of an inch or two around the stem of each plant to discourage disease and insects.

To further discourage weeds, spread several layers of newspapers on the ground then cover with a thin layer of grass clippings. Poke a few holes in the paper to allow rainwater to drain into the soil.

The grass will have to be replaced every couple of months as it rots away. Of course, the decomposing clippings improve the texture and fertility of the soil.

3.) Grass clippings are also useful as winter mulch, keeping the soil beneath from freezing. It can be used around shrubs, perennial flowers, and even newly planted trees.

In addition it keeps the plant roots from drying out in dry spells. Winter mulches need to be removed in the spring, allowing fresh growth to peek out. The old mulch can be added to a compost pile or used as summer mulch.

4.) Make a compost pile with the clippings. The most common use of grass is to add to a compost heap. Often it makes up more than half the bulk of the pile and adds much of the nitrogen to the eventual compost.

When making a new pile, add grass clippings in layers a few inches thick. Alternate with layers of tree leaves, garden debris, and table leftovers.

5.)Dig grass clippings directly into the soil before you plant to improve the texture and fertility of the soil. The grass will quickly rot and add organic material to the soil. This is sometimes known as "sheet composting".