Grass cuttings

[weltweit]

My oh so clever landlord has set the front to fast growing turfed lawn getting rid of trees and flower beds and places to hide lawn cuttings. And he removed the hedge at the back where I used to dump my cut grass.

Now I have nowhere to dump the grass. It seems now when I cut it, which will be a lot more often than it used to be, I will have to fill bin bags and take trips to the local dump.

What a pain!

Does anyone have an idea if grass cuttings would compost down if I built a composing box?

 

[Greebo]

<snip>Does anyone have an idea if grass cuttings would compost down if I built a composing box?

Yes they do, but they'll compost down even better if you add shredded paper/torn card and urine (do it in a bottle, then add, if you're not an exhibitionist).

 

[Greebo]

BTW if you're wondering why, paper and card will make the heap drier (so more able to rot without turning into slime), and urea and ammonia speed up decomposition, AFAIK partly by changing the pH balance.

 

[weltweit]

BTW if you're wondering why, paper and card will make the heap drier (so more able to rot without turning into slime), and urea and ammonia speed up decomposition, AFAIK partly by changing the pH balance.

Hi Greebo - I don't mind peeing on it - prob late at night when fewer neighbours are about but I wonder if it would compost down enough for me. I will probably create quite a lot of cuttings which I will need to reduce in volume quite a lot to take the fresh stuff.

As to paper, I have a weekly free one that can certainly go in. Plus junk mail and the like.

 

[Greebo]

Hi Greebo - I don't mind peeing on it - prob late at night when fewer neighbours are about but I wonder if it would compost down enough for me. <snip>As to paper, I have a weekly free one that can certainly go in. Plus junk mail and the like.

It needn't be a lot of urine or paper (and other dry stuff) but every little helps. If you know anyone keeping rabbits, guinea pigs, or hens, the used bedding etc is even better than human urine.

There's loads of information on the net and in print about the ideal balance for composting and which things you can add to perk it up, but bear in mind that it's a counsel of perfection. A large heap of cuttings will hold its heat better than a small heap, so that ought to work in your favour. BTW some councils sell compost bins at a discount because they want to reduce landfill - might be worth checking.

 

[Wilson]

Have you got neighbours who do gardening? if so try asking them if they want it.

 

[weltweit]

Have you got neighbours who do gardening? if so try asking them if they want it.

Unfortunately my neighbour is also a tenant of the same landlord, she does not want them either. In fact the front lawn is shared with her but it seems it will be down to me to cut it, and deal with the cuttings. What a pain.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I just leave my grass cuttings on the grass where they lie. Feed the lawn.

I should probably add some card and piss to my compost though.

 

[existentialist]

One option you have is simply to cut the lawn but leave the clippings on it, as a mulch. Americans are very fond of this, Brits less so, perhaps because our damper climate means that the mulch can tend to encourage growth of things like moss. Personally, if it wasn't my lawn, and my landlord wasn't falling over himself to help, I'd be inclined just to do that. It is, after all, what the Council do when they cut the verges, and they don't end up looking too bad.

ETA: snap, AS

 

[gentlegreen]

For the lawn to remain in good shape, you'll have to feed it - or clover will arrive to do that job.
Leaving the clippings will counteract that slightly, but as existentialist says, that will cause its own problems - fine on a playing field, not so on an ornamental lawn.
My neighbour had a handkerchief sized lawn out the front - I was constantly amazed at her hauling the mower through the house.

 

[geminisnake]

There's nowt wrong with mossy grass. Makes it nice and bouncy/soft for bairns playing on Keeps it green in times of drought too
OP, do your council not do green bins?? A compost box is easy to make but like Greebo says you need more than just grass for it to break down well.

 

[19sixtysix]

Just mow it regularly without the grass collecting bucket on. I like grass to grow a bit. Daisies, butter cups and clover are all part of a good lawn.

 

[existentialist]

Just mow it regularly without the grass collecting bucket on. I like grass to grow a bit. Daisies, butter cups and clover are all part of a good lawn.

I've got all that going on on my lawn, and I do collect the clippings!

 

[gentlegreen]

I've got all that going on on my lawn, and I do collect the clippings!

Taking all the food away.
Give the lawn some nitrogen (assuming there's plenty of rain) and mow more frequently.

 

[existentialist]

Taking all the food away.
Give the lawn some nitrogen (assuming there's plenty of rain) and mow more frequently.

Hey, I quite like all the clover and daisies. And so does the rabbit. I probably do need to do a weed'n'feed on it, but I've stopped doing that since the lagomorph has been playing lawnmowers.

 

[Greebo]

Hey, I quite like all the clover and daisies. And so does the rabbit. I probably do need to do a weed'n'feed on it, but I've stopped doing that since the lagomorph has been playing lawnmowers.

If you've got the rabbit outside a lot of the time, you probably won't need to feed the lawn - they (and guinea pigs) graze and fertilise as they go. Maybe not evenly, but if you move their pen around it evens things up.

 

[Firky]

Murder your wife and concrete it. Brookside style. No more grass cutting or kipping in the huffy bed

 

[KeeperofDragons]

Murder your wife and concrete it. Brookside style. No more grass cutting or kipping in the huffy bed

Even better murder the landlord