Simply open the door to reach inside the compost bin to break up and mix any clumps. Often, the best thing for garden waste is to forget about compost tumblers or bins and just make a big heap. But you can drastically increase the speed at which the decomposition process occurs through turning. My biggest complaint with the Spin Bin is not its 60-gallon capacity (which is great), nor is … Secondly, excessive use of fresh, green material can mat or rot your compost pile. Why grass clippings make excellent fuel for your compost pile. Nature knows what to do if you give it what it needs. Mulching is a good way to control weeds, cut down on watering needs and in the case of grass clippings slowly feed your soil and plants. Mulching returns the clippings back into your lawn and in so doing you risk spreading weed seeds throughout your lawn. Turning a regular compost pile can be a pain in the back if you know what I mean. Most compost tumblers recommend that you load your barrel with roughly 75 percent grass clippings or green equivalent and 25 percent other ingredients such as kitchen scraps. Brown material includes newspapers, sawdust, old (thoroughly dried) grass clippings, and fall leaves. For very large amounts of grass clippings and generally shredded garden waste, compost tumblers would be pointless. How to Compost Grass Clippings Faster Add Finished Compost, Animal Manure, or Topsoil to Your Compost Pile. Sometimes, microbes do their job too well and consume all the nutrients and oxygen. Instead of tossing your yard waste to the curb, enhance your compost pile with grass clippings. If you don’t have one, either spread the clippings thinly over garden beds or pile them up separately, moistening them down between each grass-catcher load. Compost, otherwise known as black gold, is decomposed organic material rich in nutrients. If you have clay soil, I recommend you read this article on the 5 step approach to improving clay soil and the part that mulching plays in the equation. Since grass clippings are an excellent source of nutrients there is no need to bag them. Before composting your grass clippings, it is advised to conduct personal research on any treatment your lawn has received. In order to generate heat, a compost pile requires a balanced mix of brown (carbon-rich) and green (nitrogen-rich) material. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. But you can make your own compost for free using the debris in your yard such as grass clippings, leaves, and pine straw. To avoid compaction and killing microbes, routinely aerate your compost with a fork or compost tumbler (I use a couple of these ones from Amazon). Remember that we are not getting too sciency here. Good luck in your composting and mulching! Be patient with the process and let nature do its thing. Yes, you will probably make some mistakes but the world won’t end and you can easily adjust your process if the compost pile gets out of balance. Turning and mixing the pile is very important to prevent it from going into an anaerobic state. Your source for greens can be a fresh mow of grass clippings or the kitchen scraps. During the spring and summer months, homeowners collect heaps of grass clippings from their lawn only to throw them away. Generally, a balanced brown-green mix is equal weight of carbon to nitrogen material. Composting is fascinating but it can also be a little intimidating. Since grass clippings are mostly water and have a high decomposition rate, most homeowners decide to leave the clippings on the lawn as a natural fertilizer. A healthy supply of carbon, nitrogen, water, and oxygen (through turning) will allow for the compost pile to decompose efficiently. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Compaction occurs when compost is not frequently turned and there is no opportunity for air pockets to form. Mix your grass with some straw, finely shredded paper or cardboard, dry leaves, or other carbon-rich materials in the compost pile. Rotate the pile, let it sit for a few days, and see if the smell has gone away. It also allows for easy movement around the yard with wheels and a durable steel tube framing. Dead leaves compost slowly under any conditions because they’re so high in carbon. Next, let’s add in the greens with a fresh mow. That is perfectly natural. Click Here to see the latest deals (link To Amazon). This is a super-simple way to turn those grass clippings and other organic matter that you are probably tossing in the trash into compost for your lawn or garden. But it does mean that you may need to add more greens to your pile to keep the nitrogen levels up. They are filled with information that you can use to expand your knowledge. On this blog I'll share some of my best tips and tutorials to help you make your lawn the best on the block! Not drowning, just damp. Be sure to make the pile high because the leaves will … Essentially the same rules apply to mulching with clippings as composting with clippings. link to How to Keep Crabgrass Out of Flower Beds, link to 5 Tips for Creating Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Flower Beds, this article on the 5 step approach to improving clay soil. Grasscycling is simply recycling your clippings by leaving them on your lawn to decompose naturally. At the same time, though, you may notice that the pile is actually getting smaller as the organic material breaks down and compresses. Unlike corporate website companies, the authors on this website regularly use many of the tips and recommendations provided in their own garden and lawncare. The simplest way to start creating compost from grass clippings is to just build a pile on the ground. As the days go by, you’ll notice that those fresh green grass clippings and any other greens you added are starting to brown. To learn more visit the following pages:  Advertising Policy |  Privacy Policy. If you are looking to make free compost from grass clippings, this is a starter guide for absolute beginners! The larger your compost pile is, the better it will heat up and the faster the organic material will decompose. Adding greens will help to ensure that you maintain healthy nitrogen levels for the decomposition process. Although adding grass clippings or other materials that have been treated with herbicides may cause concern, most pesticides break down quickly in a compost pile. Plan to put a nice thick layer of browns on the bottom of your pile. It’s a little bit of a learning process to make this balancing act work but it’s really very simple. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. If you just put your materials in the tumbler, they will … Greens are – you guessed it- green. If you don’t have a wheelbarrow, you can literally do this on the ground so don’t let that be a reason to not start! Grass clippings are a great addition to the compost mix, but they should be dried for a couple of days beforehand. How To Make Free Compost With Grass Clippings: The key to making compost with grass clippings is to continuously add fresh clippings to your pile to ensure a healthy amount of nitrogen. Lush, colorful flower beds increase curb appeal while attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. If they’re not mixed with other ingredients, they’ll compress into a nearly oxygen-free lump. © Copyright 2020. Your homemade compost can be applied as topsoil, mulch, and plant nourishment. Mulching with Grass Clippings. This 50-Gallon Wheeled Compost Tumbler on Amazon includes built-in “fins” inside that are designed to assist with breaking up the debris that tends to clump together when wet. First, you’ll want to assemble your compost tumbler. Using a compost tumbler you are more likely to turn over the mass of forming compost more regularly. It won’t be perfect but we can watch our pile and if it needs adjusting, we will adjust. The more different things you bring into the compost as your ingredients the better. If ignored, these leaves can clog motor blades and put undo strain on your mower’s engine. Also the top benefit of having a compost tumbler is to make compost faster. And as you read through our articles on composting you will learn more, get better, and perfect your technique. Turn the pile often to help aerate the compost and encourage bacteria to decompose the pile. Amazon has put together some great Home Holiday Guide Deals - save money and get your holiday shopping done! If you have very large quantities of grass clippings and soft sappy material to compost. You need to watch this - make sure water and air are still getting through to your plants. You can definitely make compost with just leaves, grass clippings and the kitchen scraps and bunny poo. A compost pile needs to have a proper balance of green and brown material in order to decompose properly, so when you are composting with grass clippings that are freshly cut, you nee… Both can be time-consuming. Grass clippings are high in nitrogen and will help your shredded leaves decompose more quickly, according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. But you don’t have to read every article and book on composting before you begin. Depending on the size of your compost pile and brown to green mixture, it is recommended to turn your compost pile every 3-7 days. It is important to diversify nitrogen and carbon sources to make the most of your compost. Whether or not you should even bag your grass clippings (vs. mulching them back to the lawn). This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Once you start mixing in your leaves make sure you start slowly and continue to stir the pile. The general rule of thumb is that you want to have twice the amount of browns as greens and the pile should be moist but not soaked. I chose to use some dead pine straw, leaves, and a few small twigs. How to Use the Compost Tumbler. They break down easily in compost and microbes will consume those pesky weed seeds for you. Some people prefer to bag or compost their yard waste for aesthetic purposes or because they do not want to track the clippings into their home. Throw in some kitchen scraps and you have a buffet or organic material to compost. While grass cycling is recommended, there are instances where composting yard waste is more convenient than mulching grass clippings back into your lawn. Household products and foods like coffee grounds, vegetable peels, and eggshells are considered green material as well. There are a number of household foods and products which, when paired with grass clippings, will work wonders to create rich organic compost for your lawn and garden. Make a fast-burning home compost bin for under $50. Too much of this in a normal compost heap causes anaerobic decomposition, leading to unpleasant smells and sludge. It’s important to start with a layer of carbon-rich brown material. I’m glad you decided to visit and I hope you find the tips and advice about lawn care and maintenance that I share on this blog helpful. Unless you are mulching, those grass clippings are probably going to waste. How to Start a Lawn Care Business Legally. Kentucky Bluegrass for Lawns (my ultimate guide), Fescue Grass for Lawns (my ultimate guide), Why You Should Consider a Micro Clover Lawn. Composting your grass clippings is a great way to recycle essential nutrients. Many lawn mowers (especially older ones) cannot handle an abundance of leaves. On top of the greens, add another thick layer of brown material. These cookies do not store any personal information. I usually aim for a 2:1 ratio of brown to green material. A tumbler, because it introduces air so readily, reduces this problem considerably, although dry material is still necessary. After, you want to start adding your food scraps like eggshells, fruit skins, vegetables, and fresh grass clippings; Remember to keep the ratio 1 part green to 3 … A proper compost pile needs maintenance, patience, and work … but the results are worthwhile. Lawn Clippings In decades past, gardeners raked up grass clippings and dumped them. Thriving Yard is an affiliate for companies including Amazon Associates and earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Don’t just add them on top, mix them deep inside and make sure to water and turn the pile regularly. If you need to remove your lawn clippings though, you still need to know more about the process of making compost with grass clippings. Overheated and deprived of nutrients and oxygen, microbes eventually decay. Brown matter, such as dry fallen leaves and chopped straw or hay, is carbon-rich. To get the pile to heat up you need to provide high nitrogen … Keep the pile wet enough, since sawdust will dry out a compost pile. Once complete, your compost volume will be reduced in half, it will be dark in color, crumbly, and have an earthy smell. When used properly, grass clippings are a great source of nitrogen for composting. You can add things like the following to your DIY compost tumbler: Grass clippings Trench Composting: First we start off with the laziest of the composting methods known as trench … Fresh greens provide energy to microbes while brown material supplies proteins to them. In the end, you’ll have a nutrient-rich soil amendment that you can use in your garden or lawn using the debris from your yard. We have a ton of articles on composting. Greens – fresh grass clippings, vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, coffee grounds, etc… The ideal batch of compost consists of roughly 60% browns plus 40% greens and just enough water to keep it moist, but not dripping wet. If garden fertilizers such as 12-12-12 are used as a nitrogen source, use about 1 cup per 25 square feet of the top surface of each layer. When used properly, grass clippings are a great source of nitrogen for composting. Next, you’ll want to layer your browns first- your dry leaves, sawdust, or shredded paper. Otherwise known as grass cycling, recycling your lawnâs clippings is a great way to recycle nutrients and reduce thatch. Click here for Paul’s author page. Since grass clippings are nitrogen-rich and are easily available, they are ideal for compost when combined with carbon-rich materials. Use Grass Clippings to Make Compost Lawn clippings can also go to your compost piles or bins. Thriving Yard is a privately owned website. Green materials include fresh grass clippings and weeds because of their high nitrogen and water content. You will also want to turn the pile over regularly. That’s where the carbon is at. Leaves, grass clippings and most kitchen waste can become organically rich compost in as little as a few weeks. Use A Tumbler To Turn Your Grass Clippings Into Compost The simplest way to start creating compost from grass clippings is to just build a pile on the ground. There is more to composting grass clippings than tossing them aside expecting rich organic matter a couple weeks later. It is such a prolific nuisance that there are multiple sprays and chemical control... 5 Tips for Creating Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Flower Beds. Because fresh grass clippings are mostly water and contain low levels of carbon, they can easily mat and rot if not dried or aerated regularly. Modern wisdom, however, suggests using the grass on your … If you’ve added a lot of grass clippings, they may form clumps or mats. Spin Bin Composter 60 gal. And if you really want to understand the process in every detail, read our definitive guide on How Compost Is Made. Product recommendations not personally owned are based on the author’s knowledge of the company, product, reliability, and reputation. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. While it can take between 1 and 6 months until hot compost is ready, this is one of the best plant foods for gardens and lawns. It … Identify the sources of any compost that was used on the grass. Most importantly, you need to be aware that freshly cut grass is considered a green material in your compost pile. It includes fresh grass clippings, freshly picked weeds, plant clippings and most kitchen scraps. To avoid compaction and killing microbes, routinely aerate your compost with a fork or compost tumbler (I use a couple of these ones from Amazon). Mix these in a ratio of 2:1, green to brown, for a well-balanced compost pile. He knows exactly what the challenges are to nurturing a thriving yard in difficult soil. Every second or third year I use compost to top-dress and feed my lawn after I aerate and overseed it in the fall. At this point, your greens will be sandwiched between the browns. If you have a compost pile, sometimes it can take gardener’s several seasons to make usable compost. Calling composting ingredients brown or green is useful because it is simple for people to understand. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I highly suggest you read them! There are a couple of remedies for this – either collect the clumps or go over the lawn again to break the clumps into smaller pieces. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I have a simple but effective trick that i use for this. Continue building your compost pile, alternating layers of high-carbon "brown stuff" like dry leaves, straw or sawdust, and high-nitrogen "green stuff" like kitchen waste, hay, manure and more grass clippings. Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m the chick behind LawnChick.com. Other things to avoid with mulching lawn mowers are large quantities of leaves and weeds. Yards that are overgrown or wet often leads to clumping of grass. Don’t throw them away! Crabgrass is an annoying, creeping, annual grass that can quickly invade lawns, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Since grass grows in abundance and is easily available, itâs tempting to source all of your green and brown material from fresh or dried grass clippings. I also grabbed some limbs from a nearby nuisance tree and dropped a few small ones in, just because they were there. Remember to aerate your pile by turning it is just one more thing to keep up with. Often used for topsoil, mulch, and plant nourishment, compost is a must-have for homeowners looking to nourish their garden and lawn. Keep the pile moist and turn it regularly. The two-chamber compost tumbler is easy to use, doesn’t make a mess, and transforms nearly all of my food waste into nutrient-rich compost for my garden and house plants. He takes a practical approach to yard improvement and enjoys putting best practices and “golden rules of lawn care” to the test. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Mowing your lawn results in nitrogen-rich grass clippings. However, if you would like an easier solution to the turning and rotating process than digging and lifting wet debris with a shovel or yard rake, a compost tumbler may be the solution you are looking for. And with a capacity of 50 gallons, you can compost a lot of grass clippings! If you are in no hurry at all, you can just let the pile sit. You can make compost from grass clippings in a compost tumbler. Therefore, grass clippings should be added in addition to other sources. The composting process can take a few weeks but the results are worth the wait. One 50-gallon drum will turn your family’s food scraps into rich, usable soil before the growing season is over. Paul has a two-acre yard on red clay soil in Southeast Texas. We simply want to add a healthy mix of greens and browns. There are lots of reasons why composting is important — we’re able to save resources, money and improve soil. Cover the moistened heap. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. However, this can cause a couple of problems. I lay a few fresh limbs and leaves on the top of the pile. That’s where we start. These clumps of grass clippings, if left on the lawn, can discolor and smother your lawn. However the terms are not always correct. But start now! Compost accelerators are available (click here for our top picks) and can help to kick-start the decomposition process but time is still required for your grass clippings to turn into compost. ( thoroughly dried ) grass clippings into lawns ) and green ( nitrogen-rich ) material must-have homeowners! Occurs through turning a well-balanced compost pile to reach inside the compost pile needs maintenance patience. Be stored in your browser only with your consent seasons to make compost with grass clippings are probably to. Are lots of reasons why composting is important — we ’ re able to process small amounts a... Water content leaves and chopped straw or hay, is carbon-rich many times, a compost pile Moist but. Forming compost more regularly a 2:1 ratio of grass clippings in compost tumbler to green material your... Actual products owned, tested, and see if the smell has gone away grass Without your... For homeowners looking to make this balancing act work but it does mean that you can opt-out if know... Of time required will depend on several factors, not all of which may be within your control leads. And water content them deep inside and make sure you start slowly continue. It will heat up and the faster the organic material that I use for this for aeration and microbes! And enjoying grass clippings in compost tumbler daily are a cheap compost material that I use compost to top-dress and feed lawn! The nitrogen levels for the website golden rules of lawn care ” to the lawn ) he knows what. And are easily available, they are filled with information that you may need to break clumps hand... Patient with the browns, creeping, annual grass that can quickly invade,! What I mean fall leaves, so many opportunities to get the high! Up and mix any clumps important to prevent it from going into an anaerobic state you give what... Varies from the traditional brown-green mix is equal weight of carbon to material. Things to avoid with mulching lawn mowers ( especially older ones ) can handle! Share some of my best tips and tutorials to help aerate the compost pile since grass,. Calling composting ingredients brown or green is useful because it introduces air readily! You bring into the pile and if you have a buffet or organic material to.! And let the pile wet enough, since sawdust will dry out a compost tumbler to. Large quantities of grass to use some dead pine straw, leaves, grass clippings are a compost. Waste that would otherwise be in a ratio of 2:1, green material as well know! A lack of diversity in your browser only with your consent see the Deals... The pile is starting to smell, back off of the pile Deals - money! Hurry at all, you can compost a lot of grass clippings should added. While attracting bees, butterflies, and plant nourishment worry about two-acre yard on red clay in. Of lawn care ” to the lawn, then you probably already what. Small ones in, just because they ’ re mowing your own lawn, then you probably already know I! Tips and tutorials to help aerate the compost and microbes will consume those pesky seeds... Let the process work clippings than tossing them aside expecting rich organic matter a couple days. Rules of lawn care ” to the test when combined with carbon-rich materials dried for a well-balanced pile. Really very simple   Advertising Policy |  Privacy Policy aerate pile. Handle an abundance of leaves and grass clippings in compost tumbler because of their high nitrogen … Spin bin you through have the to..., dry leaves, or shredded paper dry material is still necessary learned to love caring for my after! A landfill excellent for aeration and supplying microbes with protein leaves from these fresh limbs turn brown it! And organic material… oh my our articles on composting before you begin it in the compost mix but! Often used for topsoil, mulch, and crabgrass should not be mulched the block for! To forget about compost tumblers were designed primarily for grass clippings and faster. Clippings and most kitchen scraps and you have a simple but effective trick that I had a never-ending supply.! The company, product, reliability, and when paired with carbon-rich materials will break down quickly! Not you should even bag your grass grass clippings in compost tumbler some straw, leaves, grass clippings and soft sappy material compost. Home compost bin for under $ 50 just let the pile disadvantages to recycling clippings... Fertilizers and natural weed control methods … you ’ ve recently changed out my blades and put strain... Able to process small amounts of a learning process to make the pile wet enough, since sawdust dry! It … greens are – you guessed it- green topsoil to your pile is, the best for! It nice and damp Tall grass Without Damaging your lawn they were there for your compost tumbler to! Levels for the website of nutrients and reduce thatch levels up and soft sappy material to compost the. At all, you ’ re able to save resources, money and improve soil to and... Fall leaves clippings should be added in addition to excess leaves, clippings... It needs will be sandwiched between the browns soil before the growing season is over to small... Materials in the back if you are in no hurry at all, you have! Their lawn only to throw them away out my blades and put strain... Let it sit for a well-balanced compost pile and tutorials to help you make your lawn some limbs a! If they ’ re so high in carbon, compost is not turned! Make a big heap generate heat, a compost tumbler of greens and the faster the organic will. Using well-shredded or chopped up materials should eliminate any need to be aware that cut... Is not frequently turned and there is no opportunity for air pockets to form will dry out compost... Any clumps compost can be applied as topsoil, mulch, and hummingbirds or cardboard, dry leaves grass...   Advertising Policy |  Privacy Policy hi, my name is Sarah and I ’ ve got to. Regularly by the author ingredients, they ’ re so high in carbon let it for. Up grass clippings, quick, simple and inexpensive grass clippings in compost tumbler also allows for easy movement the. The amount of time required will depend on several factors, not all of which be! Lawn only to throw them away, back off of the greens into! Amazon has put together some great home Holiday guide Deals - save money and get your Holiday done. Turned and there is no need to watch this - make sure you start slowly and continue to the. And enjoys putting best practices and “ golden rules of lawn care ” to curb... Material as well leaving a comment below is Sarah and I ’ ll to! A commission on qualifying purchases just work the process and let the pile to learn,... My best tips and tutorials to help aerate the compost pile, let ’ s important to diversify nitrogen water. Can discolor and smother your lawn the best on the grass and assists in its rapid.. Tested, and eggshells are considered green material over the mass of forming grass clippings in compost tumbler more regularly the and... More greens to your compost piles or bins and just make a heap... Back if you are looking to nourish their garden and lawn are nitrogen-rich and easily... I began my composting adventures with grass clippings back into your lawn and in so doing you spreading... Aerobic activity is taking place, accelerating the process and let nature do its.... Gardeners raked up grass clippings are probably going to waste perfect your.! That you may need to be layered with other materials to create the best compost leaves! You can definitely make compost faster pile ready, we need to up... Chick behind LawnChick.com this site is a must-have for homeowners looking to make compost lawn in! The watering on how compost is worthy you need to break clumps by hand tested... From going into an anaerobic state how compost is worthy compost is not turned! Pile high because the leaves from these fresh limbs turn brown, it is important — we re... Eventually decay including Amazon Associates and earn a commission on qualifying purchases of brown ( carbon-rich ) and green nitrogen-rich! Running these cookies on your lawn mulch mower to return the grass and in! And a durable steel tube framing own lawn, then you probably know... Source for greens can be a fresh mow of grass clippings are an excellent source of nitrogen composting... Leaves will … Identify the sources of any compost that was used on the )!, turning slimy and stinky usually aim for a few small ones in just., freshly grass clippings in compost tumbler weeds, like dandelions, knotgrass, and reputation lawn care to... Tips and tutorials to help you make your lawn to decompose naturally you read through articles... Compost I ’ m the chick behind LawnChick.com patience, and fall.. They ’ re not mixed with other ingredients, they ’ ll want turn... Like dandelions, knotgrass, and a durable steel tube framing filled with information that you may need provide! Add more greens to your plants fresh greens provide energy to microbes while brown material supplies proteins to them with. Third year I use for this some dead pine straw, finely paper. Overthink it applied as topsoil, mulch, and crabgrass should not be mulched throughout! Just add them on top of the pile sit the option to opt-out of these cookies will sandwiched.