Grass Clippings as a Ground Cover

Use grass clippings as ground cover mulch.

Grass clippings recycle as grass fertilizer and organic mulch. As grass clippings decompose, they return nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil. Grass clippings act as temporary mulch covering the ground but are not permanent ground cover.

Features

Ground cover typically is an organic, living planting that covers ground and protects against erosion. Ground cover plants spread and provide more protection as they mature. Grass clippings are not live plants and do not spread or mature, although they may help living ground cover to spread.

Mulch

Apply grass clippings as temporary mulch covering the ground around flowers. The grass clippings decompose quickly and become topsoil. The clippings are not durable enough to protect against long-term erosion, although they protect the ground for a few weeks against raindrop impact.

Ground Cover

Grass clippings enhance ground cover by fertilizing and mulching around new or sparse plantings. Herbaceous plants, such as daisies or sedum, benefit with thin layers of grass clippings mulch. The grass clippings inhibit weeds and decompose quickly while nourishing living ground cover.

References

• Clemson University Cooperative Extension; Mulch; Marjan Kluepfel and Bob Polomski; 1999
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Mulches for the Landscape; Robert J. Black, et al.; 2009
• Colorado State University Extension; Ground Cover Plants; J.E. Klett and R.A. Cox; 2009