The use of mowed grass from the lawn in the country. Grass mulching

Grass is the most widely available material used for mulching. There is probably no such garden or vegetable garden where it could not grow. We constantly struggle with it - we mow, weed out with the roots, we etch with herbicides. Meanwhile, the judicious use of weeds can not only increase the yield, but also make life easier for the gardener.

What crops can be mulched with grass

Grass, weeded or cut, is well suited for backfilling potato plots - instead of hilling. In its loose and thick layer, the tubers feel great and quickly pour. Weeding is not required at all. And in the fall, it is not even necessary to dig such a bed - it is enough to lift the mulch layer “by the hair” and here it is, potatoes, clean and all in sight.

It is convenient to mulch near-trunk circles of trees and berry bushes with freshly cut grass. You just need to remember that in late autumn the remains of this mulch must be removed, since insect pests can settle in it for the winter. Ideally, the grass lying under the bushes in the summer is burned or composted, and a new one is laid in its place.

Autumn mulching with grass well protects the roots of perennial plants from early frosts, when the snow has not yet fallen and the soil can freeze to a great depth. Unlike plastic sheets, roofing felt and other similar materials often used by gardeners for these purposes, the grass does not create a layer that is too dense and airtight, which can cause dampening during winter thaws.

Grass is also suitable for beds with carrots, especially when root crops are already beginning to form. The rule here is simple: the younger the seedlings, the finer the mulching material must be cut. The grass layer can lie on the carrot beds until the first frost, especially if late harvesting of root crops is planned.

Cut grass should not be used to mulch cucumbers, gourds, as well as tomatoes, peppers and cabbage - they are too easily infected with various rots.

Features of grass mulching

If the grass is freshly cut, then it should be at least slightly dried before being used as mulch. Otherwise, especially in wet weather, rotting may begin in it. Yes, and slugs in fresh grass settle much more readily than in any other materials.

When using cut grass, one must be very careful not to come across plants with seeds or those that can fade and ripen already being cut. Otherwise, at best, these seeds will sprout right in the mulch layer. And at worst, they will remain in the ground to germinate in abundance next year.

In the summer, grass mulch is quickly recycled by soil microorganisms. In warm and humid weather, it only takes a few weeks. Therefore, a layer of mulch should be added in time and maintained at a thickness of 5-8 cm.

Before mulching with grass, it is imperative to carry out special preparation of the beds - remove all emerging weeds, loosen the ground, and water abundantly. And only after that you can lay a mulch layer, which should be at least 3 cm. If you neglect this rule, then the ground under the mulch will remain what it was - dense and dry. And too thin a layer of grass, which lies rather loosely, will be easily overcome by tenacious weeds.

However, grass mulching also has its downsides. First of all, such mulch is very rich in worms and various insects. This attracts birds that flock from all around. Then, it is a safe haven for mice and rats, which are not only able to spoil the crop, but also gnaw on young trees. Using grass, you have to additionally deal with these uninvited tenants.

Caution should be used with herbal mulch in greenhouses and greenhouses. Some pests, such as spider mites, get there with freshly cut grass and multiply rapidly, taking advantage of the absence of their natural enemies. Therefore, it is better to dry green grass for greenhouses to the state of hay and only then use it to cover the beds.

When working on a summer cottage, gardeners are faced with the question of the greatest benefit to themselves. Probably, every gardener would like to have a good harvest with minimal physical and financial costs. To increase soil fertility, it is effective to use mulching of beds with mowed grass. You can also use to your advantage and uprooted weeds. Let's see how to do it.
"Country hobbies"

Application of cut grass

Soil mulching

This is covering the earth with different materials, protecting it from drying out, creating a barrier to the growth of weeds, and it is not necessary to loosen it. For the gardener, earthworms will gladly do this, which become more active under the grass mulch. The only disadvantage of mulching is that the beds do not look neat.

Mulching with cut grass

When applying such a soil cover, certain rules must be observed. .

Not fresh grass is placed on the ground, which tightly covers the soil and does not allow air to pass through, but dried grass.

Before mulching, the heated earth must be weeded, watered, and then dried grass is laid, leaving free space at the stem of the plant so as not to provoke its decay. Mulching too early on cold soil can slow down plant growth.

The layer of grass should be at least 5-7 cm. With a smaller layer, the soil will dry out and the most important advantage of mulching will disappear. Over time, the layer of grass decreases and the cut grass needs to be added again.

After harvesting, the grass is placed in compost or dug up. And it is not removed from perennial plants.

It is good to mulch strawberries during the flowering period. In addition to moist soil on the mulch, the berries remain clean and are less affected by gray rot.

Do not tune in the first year for a significant increase in yield. The result will be noticeable after 2-3 years of mulching. But still, gardeners will save time on loosening, weeding and watering.

grass cuttings composting

Grass on compost

Decaying, cut grass and weeds from the site will turn into an excellent organic fertilizer, without chemicals. How to prepare compost?

It is prepared either in a compost pit or in a special composter. You can make a compost pit yourself from boards, slate and other materials.

Well, here we are, to get the most out of it. Remember that the grass should not contain seeds, otherwise you risk getting a lot of different weeds in the garden. Good luck to you.

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Most owners of cottages plant trees and shrubs on their site, breaking the lawn. Green, like a carpet, the lawn is a great place to relax and decorate the local area, made in any style, be it rustic country, classic, minimalism or French Provence.

In the warm season, the grass stand needs to be cut regularly. The number of mowing depends on the grass growth rate, irrigation organization, weather conditions. As a rule, a haircut in spring and summer is performed 1-2 times a week.

Many summer residents are concerned about the question of where to constantly put plant residues? It turns out that cut grass is a very useful tool for increasing soil fertility in the garden and in the garden. Mowed herbage is rich in nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and microelements, which are so necessary for the development of all cultivated plants.

We bring to your attention three options for the use of lawn grass:

• compost bookmark,
• preparation of green manure,
• soil mulching.

Lawn grass on compost

The most common and easy way to use grass is to lay it in compost pits or heaps.

After each shearing, the greens are loaded into the place designated for the preparation of garden fertilizer, interspersing layers of vegetative mass with garden soil, organic components (tops of plants, weeds without seeds, manure, peat, bird droppings, vegetable kitchen residues, etc.) and mineral products (ash, soot, crushed eggshells, etc.).

To speed up the decomposition processes, compostable materials are regularly moistened by spilling the entire volume with water or slurry infusion. The addition of EM solutions to decaying residues accelerates the rate of compost maturation and saturates the future fertilizer with useful soil microflora. The laying of grass in the compost is carried out throughout the summer season, and the next spring, ready-made fertilizer fills the ground with ready-made fertilizer in the beds, in berry fields and tree trunks.

Lawn grass for planting mulching

Mulching the beds with dried grass with a layer of 5 to 10 cm helps to restrain the growth of weeds, prevents the evaporation of valuable moisture from the soil, saturates the soil with useful compounds that saturate it as the biomass decomposes. The drying and decreasing layer of mulch is periodically updated with new portions of the herbage after the next mowing. It is not necessary to remove the mulch, it is plowed into the ground during autumn digging. Such incorporation of organic matter loosens the earth, structuring it, and helps to increase soil fertility.

Preparation of green manure

Fermented infusion of greens is a proven folk remedy for fertilizing cultivated plants at all stages of the growing season. After the end of the fermentation processes, a liquid rich in humic compounds and a complete set of nutrients, especially nitrogen, is diluted with water and used as root and foliar dressings of vegetable, berry, fruit and ornamental crops.

To make a universal green fertilizer, a non-metallic container, for example, a plastic barrel, is filled with 2/3 mowed grass, crushing the greens with your hands, and poured with lukewarm water, without bringing the volume of liquid to the top by 10-15 cm. In the process of decomposition, foam is formed on the surface hat, while the liquid emits a sharp and unpleasant smell of decay, which can be partially neutralized by sprinkling road dust, ash on top or adding valerian leaves and roots.

To speed up the process of preparing the infusion of herbs, it is advisable to expose the container to the sun. Fertilizer will be ready in 7-12 days. Readiness is determined by the decrease in odor intensity and the absence of foam on the surface. Next, the mother liquor is diluted with soft water 1:5 and seedlings are poured under the root with the resulting product or poured into a spray bottle and irrigation is carried out over the tops and leaves. Plant residues from the bottom of the barrel are used for laying in compost or planting mulch with them.

Do not throw away the cut grass, because the fertilizers obtained from it are not only unique in their properties and useful for all plants, but also completely free. Have excellent harvests at your summer cottage every season!

We have seen this picture many times. Lawn caretakers haul the cut grass away from the site and pile it into rotting piles. Why deprive the soil of fertility? The cut grass can be composted or mulched around your plants.

"THE MAIN TASK OF THE FARMER IS INCREASING THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL!"

Lawn mower cut grass is much more finely chopped than other types of hay or straw used for mulching. Due to this, it gives nutrients to the soil much faster and is absorbed by soil organisms, including earthworms.

We used the first experience of such mulching for tree trunks of garden bushes and young fruit trees. The result showed the high efficiency of this method: no need to dig up the trunk circle; practically no need for summer watering; no additional feeding is needed; there is a high activation of the inhabitants of the soil, loosening it to a considerable depth.

We decided to try this method in greenhouses. We began to mulch the surface around the plants of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants. The results were even more impressive.

Now we have switched to total mulching of the entire soil surface in the greenhouse, including paths, row spacing, etc.

What it gave us:

Shelter with cut grass from 5 to 10 cm thick dramatically reduces overheating of the soil in the greenhouse during hot weather and its cooling when temperatures drop (thermostat effect);

The almost complete absence of weeds (they make their way here and there along the walls of the greenhouse);

A sharp decrease in the rate of irrigation due to low volatility;

More uniform distribution of moisture throughout the soil layer;

Reduced requirements for water temperature during irrigation (can be watered directly from the water supply);

With the decomposition of finely chopped grass, plant nutrition occurs constantly throughout the season; practically no liquid top dressing is required;

The greenhouse maintains a high level of hygiene, lack of dust, dirt, pleasantly smells of hay;

There is a decrease in fungal diseases (in particular, phytophthora); we believe that during the decomposition of the herbal mass, microorganisms (hay bacillus) multiply, which have a depressing effect on the causative agents of fungal diseases;

The fruiting period of peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers has increased by almost a month - this is a fact! ; thanks to thick mulch, the soil remains warm even during a severe cold snap, and decaying grass releases a lot of additional heat;

During the decomposition of the mulch, substances are released (including ethylene), which contribute to accelerated ripening and better preservation of the fruit;

Mowed grass, green at first, becomes light yellow after a few days and reflects the sun's rays on the plants from below, increasing the overall illumination;

Throughout the season, as the mulch dries and overheats, we put new portions of mowed grass with a lawn mower;

After harvesting and removing the tops, when digging the earth in the greenhouse, we bury the grass in the soil - a reserve for the next season.

And you can see the photos in my photo album "Greenhouse"

What does a vegetable grower think about when he comes to his site? Visit different thoughts, but there are common to most:

1. When to water again, where does all the moisture go?
2. How to get rid of weeds?
3. How to help potatoes (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc.) so that they grow better?

There is a universal answer to such questions: "It is necessary to mulch the soil around the grown plants."

In the middle of the 17th century, when growing crocuses in Cornwall, a gardener sprinkled plantings with dry grass. Walking through his possessions, the local lord saw that there was no familiar English order.

A master for the care of plants was called, he was publicly called impartial words. In response, he asked to go back to the beds. There he showed that under a layer of dry grass, moist soil is preserved and weeds cannot sprout. The word mulch (covering, English) was spoken.

Cornwall was very interested in this agricultural technique. A little later, at one of the meetings in the House of Lords, he made a short report on the development of agriculture, where he mentioned how much he liked the mulching method.

At first, such a message was treated with a grain of salt, but the estate was visited by several acquaintances. They liked the way to increase fertility. Even the Times newspaper published several notes on the subject. Mulching has become fashionable. It later spread to other countries.

Information for readers. Today, the world's largest botanical garden is located in Cornwall.

Mulching is the mechanical covering of soil with different materials around the root of the cultivated crop.

The shelter of plants and the root part was used by distant ancestors who lived on the territory of today's Russia. Even in Novgorod records there is information about the use of buckwheat straw for growing turnips and rutabaga. Therefore, the British were somewhat hasty to talk about their superiority in this matter.

Important! At the dawn of the development of Rus', they argued whether it was possible to preserve or even increase the yield using an organic blanket.

What does mulching do for a plant?

Questions of soil covering have been carried out for several decades at the Institute of Plant Protection and its branches. As a result of many years of research, it was established:

• surface coverage of the soil around the root reduces the amount of watering in the warm season, the soil evaporates less moisture;
• mulch does not allow the soil to overheat in the heat, protects during cold snaps, and smooths out the effects of air temperature changes;
• the wind does not blow out the particles of the soil layer, erosion stops completely;
• covering materials do not allow nitrogen to evaporate after its introduction;
• organic matter of mulching elements is used in the nutrition of intestinal animals, assimilating overripe residues, they fertilize the soil, improve its composition;
• development of weeds is prevented. The need for regular weeding is reduced;
• productivity increases, as the root part receives enough air and moisture;
• it is easier for the grower to adjust the pH of the soil by adding acidic or alkaline fertilizers. Under a layer of mulch, the effect of using fertilizers is much higher.

Interesting data are provided by Professor Dmitry Ivanovich Netkachev, who deals with the issues of increasing the yield of traditional garden crops in Central Russia. He established interesting facts about vegetables in recent years of observation.

Extract from the research of Professor D.I. Netkachev (effect of mulching on yield):

Type of vegetables	Year of observations	Productivity per hundred square meters, kg / (100 m 2)
		Control group (traditional cultivation)	Experimental group (mulching was used)
Garlic	2010	135	208
Potato (grade Luck)	2010	454	658
Potato (Lugovskoy variety)	2010	316	576
Potato (variety Nevsky)	2010	322	606
Tomatoes (variety Eldorado)	2011	560*	874*
Tomatoes (variety Golden stream)	2011	488*	756*
Tomatoes (variety Vityaz)	2010	512**	724**
Tomatoes (Pink honey)	2010	432**	535**
Tomatoes (variety Labrador)	2016	488*	603*
Tomatoes (variety Pickling Miracle)	2016	376**	465**
Tomatoes (hybrid Katyusha F1)	2016	463*	621*
Pepper (variety Swallow)	2010	265**	340**
Pepper (Big Mama variety)	2011	243**	312**
Pepper (variety Kupets)	2014	274*	401*
Pepper (Atlant variety)	2016	270*	388*
Eggplant (variety Vakula)	2012	189**	256**
Eggplant (variety Black handsome)	2011	264*	341*
Eggplant (Albatros variety)	2016	230*	410*
* Greenhouse cultivation, recalculation of output per 100 m 2 ** Outdoor cultivation, non-woven greenhouse, recalculation of yield per 100 m2

The data show that the use of mulch actually increases the yield of vegetables grown in greenhouses and outdoors.

What grass is suitable for mulching vegetables

Not every herb will be useful in the garden. Together with mowed greenery, it is not difficult to bring a malicious weed to your site, which you will then have to get rid of with considerable effort.

A vegetable grower or summer resident in a suburban area can meet different types of herbaceous crops. They can mulch beds.

grass name	Recommended mowing period	Preparation for use in the garden	Features of use
Nettle	May - mid June	Grind before laying on the beds	Quickly rots, the quality of the mulch is low
Celandine	April - early June	Dry, can be crushed	Used throughout the season, prevents root rot
Mokritsa (chickweed)	May - August	It is allowed to use only after complete drying, in the presence of green leaves it can take root and multiply	Good covering material, serves throughout the season, completely rots in the autumn-winter period
Shiritsa upturned	April May	Drying is required, cannot be used in the formation of testicles	Long rotting, lasts until the end of the season
Hedgehog (chicken millet)	April, before flowering	Use before seed formation	Long aging, keeps volume, it is recommended to dig after use
Bluegrass	April June	Mow with a gas trimmer with a fishing line, dry	Mulch is preserved throughout the season, dig up before winter
Highlander bird (knotweed)	April - July	Dry, shake out the seeds	Good quality mulch
perennial ryegrass	April - August
Timofeevka	April - August	Dry, mow with a lawn mower, a gas trimmer with a fishing line	Mulch of good quality, dense, dig before winter
awnless bonfire	May - August	Wither, remove testicles, chop	Dense mulch, put into compost heaps at the end of the season, rots within two years

Mowing grass is preferably done with a trimmer using fishing line. Lawn mowers are used on lawns, they crush the stems and leaves in the process of cutting. The general recommendation is pre-drying.

Weeds that form roots in moist soil must be completely dried.

How to mulch cultivated plants with chopped grass

In order not to harm your garden, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• the grass before laying on the vegetable bed must be dried. Raw and fresh greens should not be used, it will lie in a dense layer and restrict air access. Possible rotting, which will be transmitted to cultivated crops;
• the beds before laying the mulch should be weeded and spilled with water. When laying the shelter, leave a small gap (approximately 2 ... 3 cm). This prevents the possibility of decay;
• the best period for laying mulch is May-June. Herbs are in the stage of preparation for flowering, they accumulate a maximum of nutrients, which will later be absorbed by the soil;
• Pay attention to the formation of seeds in herbs. It should be remembered that the seeds will definitely germinate the next season. You need to try to get rid of the seed panicles;
• the thickness of the laid layer should be within 5…8 cm. A smaller thickness is insufficient to prevent evaporation. Evening watering can be done on mulch, it will distribute the moisture supply for a longer period;
• under a layer of dried grass, earthworms are active. They can eat part of the laid layer. It is necessary to periodically add the mulching mass;
• on tomato beds, a layer of mulch is formed 5–10 days after planting seedlings in open ground, in a greenhouse - after 10–15 days;
• mulching of potatoes is carried out after germination and hilling. You can fill the aisles with a dense layer of cut and dried grass. Such actions will prevent the development of weeds;
• under bushes and trees, the mulch can not be removed. It has been used for several years. When digging it is displaced, and then laid again. During the season only fresh cut grass is added;
• tomatoes and peppers show a significant increase in yield already in the first year of applying this agricultural technique;
• The results of using mulching on some crops appear in the first year, on others the effect may be noticeable after a year or two.

conclusions

1. Mulching helps reduce labor costs for weeding vegetables.
2. Mulching with grass clippings is an excellent agricultural practice that increases yields.
3. Lawn grass mulches are more effective because they produce a small amount of testicles.