It’s a sunny day (relatively speaking) and you’ve finally gotten to mowing the lawn. It’s fresh, clean, and smells like a Sunday morning job well done. The grass clippings are heaped in piles and you’re about ready to toss them into your garden bin. But wait! You don’t have to let those grass clippings go to waste. Instead, we’ll lay out the best uses for grass cuttings, so your garden can be even greener and lusher.
What can I do with grass clippings?
Okay, there aren’t any crazy grass recipe we want you to try (please don’t eat grass!) and grass clippings aren’t that useful in your home (no, you can’t reuse it as loo roll – that’s what Who Gives a Crap are for!), but they do have some practical uses for your outdoor spaces. And, since you’re able to reuse the grass clippings in your garden, you don’t have to worry about filling your garden bin to the brim, and instead can get rid of grass cuttings in an easy way.
Compost them!
Can you compost grass clippings? Heck yes! (If you can’t tell, we’re really passionate about composting). Grass clippings make great ‘greens’ for your compost and are full of vital nitrogen to get things heated up and speed up the composting process.
How to compost grass clippings
New to the world of composting? Be sure to take a look at our comprehensive guide to composting to help get you started. For all you composting regulars, just add in some grass clippings to your heap with the rest of your food waste and greens.
If needed, take a shovel and give it a good toss to let the old stuff move to the outside, and the newer stuff go to the inside where it will heat up and begin to decompose.
And don’t forget your browns! The great thing about grass clippings is they mix in really well with brown materials like dried leaves and newspaper. These are also really handy for when your grass cutting are a little too wet and need to be dried out (otherwise you get soggy compost!). If that happens, just add some more browns and you’re good to go!
Mulch them!
Mulch is a layer of material spread at the top of the soil. It keeps the soil underneath it moist and fertile, which is why you’ll see mulch in garden beds. It’s thicker than soil and made up of larger materials, so you may find that people use it for aesthetic reasons as well. Either way it’s a great addition to your garden.
The great thing is that grass cuttings can be used as mulch! Just apply a thin layer (1 to 2 inches thick at most) on both your flower and vegetable gardens. The best kind of grass clippings for mulch is the dry kind. If your grass cuttings are too wet, it’ll create a barrier that’ll repel water.
Just leave it on the lawn
This is by far the easiest way to use your grass clippings, so if you’ve mowed your lawn and want to call it a day, this is the best option for your grass clippings!
Yep, just leave them on your lawn.
Sounds a bit lazy, we know, but grass clippings actually do wonders for your lawn! They’re the perfect free fertilizer and help with regulating soil temperature, and provide a home for insects, earthworms, and microbes.
When the grass clippings start to decompose, they provide valuable organic material to the soil, and even help your grass grow deeper and healthier roots.
Just make sure the grass clippings are spread out in a thin layer, so they don’t suffocate the grass underneath. As well, if it’s too wet outside, it might be best to try one of the other grass clipping methods, as leaving clumps of wet grass could result in damaging your lawn.
You grow girl!
Whether you’ve got a green thumb or looking to take your outdoor space to the next level, we hope these tips will keep your garden looking lush while helping you save on garden waste.
Who knew grass clippings were so valuable?
Got the itch for more?
How to Make Your Own Compost Bin
Bee and Pollinator Friendly Flowers
Designing Your Garden for Wildlife
