Grass clippings

[sall2009]

Can I mix grass clippings with soil and compost before potting my tomato plants. Or should I let the clippings rot before I use them?

[chris]

Greens are a source of nitrogen if i'm not mistaken - which'll account for lots of leafy growth, rather than targetting fruit production. You really want a feed high in potash for fruiting plants.

Personally, I'd either use them as a mulch (to retain the moisture from the top -- are they in a greenhouse?) or use them in the compost, they're a great activator for the heap..

[roitelet]

As Chris says use them as a mulch but not too thick as they will heat up as they rot. About an inch thick is fine and then top up as necessary.

Over here they advise putting chopped nettles in the planting hole for Toms.

[rana]

I'm not a fan of using fresh grass clippings as a soil condition or mulch. Much as it is recommended I fear it encourages slugs and undesirable molds. It never seems to rot down properly either. Better to put the clippings on the compost heap for use when it has thoroughly rotted.

nb the nettle thing may be down to its high phosphorous content.

[Florence Fennel]

Last year I had loads of grass clippings that had been in bags for about a month waiting for collection by the council. I put a good few handfuls in the bottom of each tomato bucket, sank the tomato and topped up with compost (it saved me a bit of compost too). No problem with the yield, I had lots of fruit. I also use the clippings to "earth up" potato bags, but in layers with compost and shredded newspaper.

[solway cropper]

I mix grass clippings with woody stuff that's been through the shredder, add a few handfulls of pelleted chicken manure and leave it for a year. It makes a decent compost.

[evvy2]

I use grass clippings as a mulch for my potatoes.

[Two_Sheds]

I use grass clippings as a mulch for my potatoes.

Me too, and on onions, plus anything else that needs a mulch. It's great stuff (so long as it doesn't have weed seeds in it)

[Maccabee]

Me too, and on onions, plus anything else that needs a mulch. It's great stuff (so long as it doesn't have weed seeds in it)

And you don't apply too thick a layer which then begins to heat up probably cooking any tubers too close to the surface. I can't wait to dig up my jacket potatoes lol