RE: [compost_tea] Lawn Cutting Compost

From: Stephen Steyn <ssteyn_at_wcaccess.co.za>
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2011 12:41:13 +0200

Tudiscomat:

That is a difficult question to answer as the answer depends on many things=
.

My personal opinion is that, if you just want to get rid of your clippings,=
 prunings and weeds you have pulled, then you can just make a pile and give=
 it water now and again. Maybe put an old carpet over it, or some hessian, =
to keep the moisture from evaporating too fast. Also try and vary the mater=
ials in the pile if you can. Some twigs, some grass etc. You can even add e=
ggshells, any organic kitchen waste etc. etc. Meat is seldom a good thing a=
s it brings flies and smells as well as attracting all sorts of critters.

If you are a bit more serious about your pile, then experience will eventua=
lly teach you what works best. You can put a steel fence post in the pile a=
nd when you pull it out, If it’s too hot to hold then your pile is =
too hot. It either has too much nitrogenous material and not enough carbon,=
 or its anaerobic – possibly because it’s too wet. It shoul=
d be damp and not drip water if squeezed in your hands. Of coarse you can a=
lso get a thermometer and CO2 meter to fine tune your pile. For the first c=
ouple of days you should turn the pile every day or two depending on its te=
mperature.

If you’re more serious, Google compost calculator and find a site t=
hat will tell you the proportions of various materials or at least their c:=
n ratios so you can fine tune your pile.

SS

 

From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On B=
ehalf Of Tatia Veltkamp
Sent: 01 December 2011 15:34
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Lawn Cutting Compost

 

  

If you leave lawn clippings on the lawn, what is the best green to ad to th=
e compost?

Tatia

Sent from my iTouch


On Nov 30, 2011, at 11:43 PM, "Stephen Steyn" <ssteyn_at_wcaccess.co.za> wrote=
:

  

Tudiscomat:

Lawn clippings are pretty much like paper. Its quite difficult to compost a=
s it forms clumps when wet although it does get warm. Its easy for the pile=
 to go anaerobic. You probably would be better off with some coarse materia=
l in the pile too.

The resulting compost would not be considered ‘high grade’ =
by most people unless you added more diverse feedstock.

The ACT would similarly be rather ordinary.

AS a source of nutrients it may be allright, unless of coarse your lawn was=
 lacking specific nutrients to start with. What you will be doing then is j=
ust perpetuating the deficiency.

As a source of organic matter it will probably be ok and should help with m=
oisture retention as well as other benefits associated with adding compost =
such as improving your soil if it has low organic matter.

The easiest would be to just leave the clippings on the lawn when you have =
cut it. Cut the lawn fairly frequently when its growing fast, don’t=
 cut the lawn too short so the clippings will be less noticeable and the ro=
ots will be protected. This will also create a better environment for the c=
lippings to break down. Its also a lot less work.

I look forward to other comments:

SS

 

From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On B=
ehalf Of tudiscomatt
Sent: 01 December 2011 02:43
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: [compost_tea] Lawn Cutting Compost

 

  

I've been brewing for a year to improve lawns and was wondering if anyone h=
as research data on compost made from grass clippings. What I wonder is wil=
l it contain more of what lawns need compared to other compost.





Received on Fri Dec 02 2011 - 05:47:04 EST

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