Mulch: Leaves/Grass Clippings
Farmers and gardeners know that what is considered waste to many can be the true gold of farming and gardening. Leaves and grass clippings are no different. The leftovers from mowing and raking can be key to your production process, with these byproducts being used as a mulch to enhance your plant growth. With so many mulch options to choose from, this blog will target the use of leaves and grass clippings, including the benefits and disadvantages.
To get started with the basics of mulching, Why to Mulch and Best Natural Mulches is a video that goes over the pros and cons of different mulches, why to mulch, and how to mulch. Weed suppression, moisture retention, and using waste products as mulch are just a few of the benefits this video goes over.
To learn more about grass clippings as mulch, these two resources are a great place to start. A Complete Guide to Using Grass Clippings as Mulch: 4 Benefits, Examples Using Other Mulches and More is a video focusing on how to use grass as mulch, and how best to limit weeds. The video does have examples of other mulch varieties and how to incorporate grass into those systems. The second resource, Using Grass Clippings as Vegetable Mulch goes over how to properly apply grass clippings to vegetable beds.
If you are interested in leaf mulch, Don’t Bag It! Leaf Management Plan helps create ideas to properly compost and apply leaf mulch to reduce waste. Leaf Mulch Info - Learn About Mulching With Leaves shows the value leaves can have, including tips for application and composting. Using Leaves as Mulch and Compost (and Why Leaves Change Color and Shed) builds on using the leaf method for mulch. This article is a great introduction to the process leaves go through from changing color to breaking down, as well as answers specific questions on leaf types.
Overall, mulch offers numerous benefits to your crops and soils, from slowing the growth of weeds to retaining moisture in the soil. Using leaves and grass clippings can be an effective and cost-efficient way to gain the benefits of mulch in your production. Check out the other blogs on various mulch materials, including wood chips and cardboard.
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This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program