Regular mowing keeps the lawn he althy and in shape. However, a lot of clippings are produced, especially in larger gardens. Many garden owners dispose of this valuable material in the organic waste bin. It's actually too bad for that, because it can be used wonderfully as a mulch cover under hedges.
Why does it make sense to distribute grass clippings under hedges?
Lawn cuttings under hedges enable natural fertilization, suppress the growth of weeds, regulate the soil temperature and protect soil organisms. The cut should be a maximum of 2-5 cm thick or mixed with other mulching material to avoid rot.
What are the advantages of mulching the hedge?
This measure makes hedge care noticeably easier and offers numerous plus points:
- The grass clippings rot under the plants and therefore represent a high-quality, organic fertilizer.
- The mulching layer of grass clippings keeps sunlight away from the ground and thus inhibits the growth of competing vegetation.
- The protective blanket has a balancing function: the earth stays cool longer in hot weather and drying out is reduced.
- In winter, soil organisms are protected.
How to mulch with grass clippings?
Lawn clippings should be spread thinner than other mulching materials. The reason: If you spread the cuttings in too thick a layer, the very moist material will stick together and can rot. Therefore, spread this mulching material under the bushes no more than two to five centimeters thick.
Alternatively, you can let the green waste dry for a few days. The mulch layer under the trees should still be loosened up from time to time.
Mix grass clippings with mulching materials
If hedge plants have increased nutrient requirements, you can mix the material specifically with other plant residues:
- Grass clippings contain relatively nitrogen. If you add chopped material or leaves, the better ventilation not only prevents rot, but the bushes also receive exactly the nutrients they need for he althy growth.
- Straw contains carbon and is also suitable for mixing with lawn clippings.
Don't the clippings under the hedge get messy?
When freshly applied, this mulch material shines bright green and looks even more attractive than the bare earth under the bushes. Even if the lawn dries out a little and becomes brownish, the mulch layer looks cleaner than soil from which weeds grow in various places.
Tip
You should under no circumstances use seed-bearing grass clippings as mulch. The seeds could not grow and you still have to weed regularly, even though you have mulched.
