Very few people like the job of cutting the grass, but whether you are in the suburbs or on a homestead, it is a fact of life. You need to make sure things are manageable and that they look good. Once the mowing is done, you are left with all those grass clippings, and you might be wondering just what to do with them.
The “go to” option for some people is to put them into a bin or into bags and have them recycled or thrown away. In some areas, you are no longer allowed to throw the clippings into the regular trash, and green recycling might not be available in your area. So, what should you do with those clippings? As a homesteader, you have some good options.
However, it is important to keep in mind that if you are going to use your clippings, the grass should not have recently been treated with any type of pesticides or herbicides often used to kill weeds.
Use in the Compost Pile and for Mulch
If you are homesteader, you should be composting. When you add grass to the compost pile, it will add some of the elements needed including potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen. You can add the grass whether it is still green, or if it is brown. For proper composting, it is suggested that there are is one part green to every two parts brown.
You can also dry out the grass clippings and use a thin layer of it as mulch. You can spread it around the plants and as it starts to decompose, you can mix it right into the soil, which will provide added nutrients. One of the other benefits of mulch is that it means you will not have to water your plants as much, as this helps to seal in some of the moisture. In fact, you can even use the clippings to mulch the lawn. If you have a collection bag attached to the mower, remove it and leave the clippings where they are when they come out of the mower.
Feed the Farm Animals
The grass clippings can also act as some additional food for many of the animals you have at the homestead. Cows and sheep will find it useful, and if you raise rabbits, they can eat it, as well. If you are doing to do this, you need to make sure that the mower used to cut the grass was electric or manual, as you do not want the chemicals from the exhaust to get onto the items your animals are eating. It could cause them to be ill. The clippings should be dry when they are fed to the animals, as well.
As you can see, there are quite a few things you can do with your grass clippings rather than just trashing them. Start making use of them the next time you go out and cut your lawn.
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