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Location

Message

Date Posted

Minnesota

Pros/Cons? Grass clippings for under and around their tomato plants?

6/5/2007 5:13:30 PM

Lilburn, GA

Use only if they are aged/dried:
Grass clippings used as a mulch should be built up gradually to a 1-inch layer using dry grass. Greater thickness can inhibit the penetration of moisture and oxygen into the soil, and excessive heat and foul odors may develop. Mulching thickness can be increased by mixing in a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of compost, dry leaves or wood chips with fresh grass clippings.

Personally, I don't use grass clippings for my tomatoes and other veggies. I use newspaper, either in sheets or shredded, and cover with wheat straw. Grass clippings go to the compost pile.

6/7/2007 10:30:49 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I'd vote to compost the grass clippings. I've resorted to using clippings around the walking paths but I keep them away from the plants themselves.

6/8/2007 12:03:19 AM

NEPA roller46@hotmail.com KB3QKV

They are probably correct and I am probably wrong but I always put the clippings near the tomato plants as soon as it was cut. It always worked for me. I would pile about 3 or 4 inches of fresh and by the time it dried it would be about an inch and no weeds. Been doing it for about 15 years. Remember like Tremor said, around ther walkways and and keep away from the plants themselves.

6/8/2007 9:36:00 PM

Minnesota

Thanks, Didn't even think about the walkways...

6/11/2007 11:28:21 AM

Lilburn, GA

I put on my paths once but had to cover it up with straw and pine bark because the blades and clumps stuck to my shoes especially when wet and got tracked into the house.

6/12/2007 12:55:56 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Grass clipings around you tomato plants are just fine but they definately must be dry, very dry. If they are wet you will get all kinds of things growing there and a foul odor. Fungi love it in wet grass piles. So too do all kinds of anaerobic bacteria. Using straw is much better and in the Fall can be tilled in to add organic material to the soil. Do not mulch tomatoes until they are well on their way and the soil has had a chance to warm up. Mulch lowers soil temperature by blocking the rays of the sun. You should wait at least until you see some blossoms opening.

6/20/2007 8:52:06 AM

Ontario, Canada.

I used to do the same thing with my clippings. Spread the nice fresh kind around the plants. However in researching the BES problem for AGP's I came to the understanding that this was not a good idea due largely to a couple of factors which out weigh the good ones.

Fresh clippings equal lots of nitrogen in the ammonium form. Just the kind of N that kicks out calcium from cation sites in your soil.

Ethylene, the ripening gas. Production from the decaying clippings will increase the age of plants around them and enhance senescence.

6/23/2007 11:10:08 PM