Organic Gardening - Do Grass Clippings Make a Good Garden Mulch?
By John Yazo
The topic of grass clippings to be used as a mulch is a very common question. It is an organic matter and will add benefits to the garden if used properly, but there are things to watch out for.
Understanding the basic function of mulching is very important when choosing a mulch. When applied properly it conserves moisture from both rainfall and other watering practices. You need a mulch that won't mat down and shed water, it needs to be a loose, course texture and a structure to allow water to penetrate through to get to the soil. It also needs to be able to maintain a thickness of about three inches without matting to be effective. A three inch layer of mulch is a good thickness to apply for weed suppression along with serving as an insulator to keep the garden soil warmer in the cold weather and cooler in the hot seasons to protect the root system of especially shallow rooted plants. (more...)
