Grass cuttings can be crucial to helping strengthen your compost – and it costs nothing to add it to the heap once you’ve finished with the lawn mower
If you want your garden looking as fabulous as possible in time for summer, then the secret ingredient is actually already hiding in your lawn. BBC presenter and garden expert Monty Don has advised British gardeners to make compost from this one common plant.
Based on data from the Royal Horticultural Society, about 30 million Brits will be getting involved in gardening this year. There are a huge number of benefits to getting out into your garden. Not only will it provide a much-needed dose of vitamin D, being up close and personal with nature can be beneficial to your mental health. The one issue is that after a long dreary winter, you may find your soil needs some TLC come spring. This is because the harsh cold and windy weather can leave soil susceptible to erosion.
Another problem comes with the UK’s famously rainy weather. Constant heavy rainfall can do more harm than good, as it washes nutrients from the soil and damages its structure. During the colder months, weeds can overtake your garden. This is because you’re less likely to be maintaining it regularly. Weeds such as dandelions and bindweed can damage your soil and surrounding plants. This is because they leach water and other essential nutrients from the ground.
READ MORE: Gardeners told to place lemons in soil immediately this spring
Nutritious mulch
A simple way to give your garden a boost is to use compost. Compost is composed of decomposed organic materials which provide your plants with food needed to grow. While compost is commonly found in outdoor shops, it can be cheaper to make it at home. Plus, there is the added benefit of cutting down on household waste.
Typically, food waste like vegetable peelings, fruit, coffee grounds and egg shells can be used to form the nutritious mulch. However, Monty also recommends adding grass cuttings to the mix. This is because grass is rich in nitrogen. Nitrogen is a key macronutrient for many plants as it promotes healthy, lush growth and promotes cell division.
It also helps you get rid of the inevitable build up of grass cuttings. As we come into spring, your lawn will need to be mowed more frequently, making it the perfect way to recycle leftover grass. Monty writes in his blog: “The secret of making [compost] reasonably quickly is to have a good mix of matter high in nitrogen (green) like grass clippings and drier material (brown) that is high in carbon and then to aerate it often by turning it.
He further explains: “This does not have to be a major operation – just forking through it will help a lot. The point is to get oxygen into the heap which in turn feeds the bacteria that eat the decomposing material and convert it into compost.” He asserts that the compost will “enrich your soil” with essential bacteria, fungi and nutrients. Making it a better and more sustainable option to shop-bought compost!