There’s a lot to be said for the lazy approach to cutting the lawn
WHEN it comes to your garden, there are some great ways to reduce the amount of waste you generate. In Ireland each year, we throw out nearly 40,000 tonnes of garden waste, much of it being grass clippings. While the Brown Bin collection of organic material is welcome throughout Kerry, it doesn’t make much environmental or financial sense to pack your brown bin with grass cuttings and hedge trimmings. Ideally these should be composted in your garden if space allows and the brown bin used for food waste only.
Here are two methods to help you cut down on the garden waste we generate, in particular at this time of year..
Mulching or “sheet” composting mimics nature’s way of recycling nutrients within our ecosystem. Like a forest floor where leaves, twigs and branches fall to the ground and break down over time, mulch provides a layer of protection for the soil. In addition, the decaying material feeds the ecosystem of microorganisms, worms and insects allowing this diverse community of organisms to thrive. As the materials break down further, nutrients are released and become available to plants within the soil. Mulch is often used in garden paths but more often around perennial shrubs and trees to suppress weed growth, hold in soil moisture, prevent erosion and slowly release nutrients to the soil. This system works well with shredded brushy materials such as tree trimmings or shrub prunings, leaves, grass cuttings and unscreened compost
Grass-cycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving grass clippings on the lawn when mowing. Once on the ground, the clippings, which contain 80-85 per cent water, decompose quickly returning valuable nutrients like nitrogen back into the soil. However, there is a little more to Grass-cycling than that. You may need to de-thatch and aerate your lawn every year or two to ensure that it works properly. But remember, leaving cuttings on your lawn all season long provides the same level of nutrients as one fertiliser application per year. Grass-ccling is simple, easy and it works! The main advantages are;
If you have a large lawn, Grass-cycling will significantly reduce the amount of materials you are handling for collection or for home composting.
The cuttings reduce the need for both water and expensive fertiliser.
People who Grass-cycle, spend up to one third less time cutting their lawns but remember, don’t cut your grass too short – leave it a bit longer than normal so the clippings are not too big.