Grass Clippings Ratio

Bud Alexis 8/23/2011, 5:21 pm

Upon the suggestion of several people I am building a huge pile of shredded leaves, then adding news papers, house scraps, manure, and grass clippings. Even tho I have a huge yard, because of the drought I couldn't get enough grass, so my neighbor across the street works much and lets his grass grow tall. Soooo, I went over and cut it for him, he is seldom home, used my yard sweep and picked up a mountain of grass clippings. I know he will be happy about that. He just won't know who cut it. I would say that I have about a level pickup load of leaves, but DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GRASS CLIPPINGS TO ADD. Any help out there. I probably have about a pickup load of clippings.

BackyardBirdGardner 8/23/2011, 5:40 pm

3 parts brown to 1 part green...roughly.

quiltbea 8/24/2011, 12:12 am

I can see we differ in ratios.

Last year I went to a seminar by a master gardener in our area and he says 1 part green and 20 parts brown. I've used that ratio and my compost was rich and healthy and felt great in the hand.

Grass Clippings Ratio 05-22-13

Here's mine being sifted into the wheel barrow.

Grass Clippings Ratio 05-22-14

Here's another load of compost getting started.

I also consider grass a green when its green and brown when its dried, like you would dried leaves. I know others consider grass always a green.

BackyardBirdGardner 8/24/2011, 12:17 am

I've read as high as 30:1 brown to green. But, most of what I find mentions closer to a 70/30 mix. One thing's for sure, I don't have a Masters in compost composition or soil construction.

Bud Alexis 8/24/2011, 6:00 pm

Does anyone ever add dirt to a compost pile in the make?

**camprn** 8/24/2011, 6:51 pm

Bud Alexis wrote:Does anyone ever add dirt to a compost pile in the make?

I usually add a little bit, or rather when I turn my open pile I'll occasionally scrape up a bit of soil with my flat shovel. It is all good for the compost pile! Very Happy

BackyardBirdGardner 8/24/2011, 7:05 pm

When I start a new area in my pile, I grab some old compost and toss it in to get the bacteria in there faster.

quiltbea 8/25/2011, 9:32 am

I usually start a new pile with the bigger chunks of my compost that did not go thru the strainer. I also toss in some soil from my beds now and then to be sure the microbes are put where they're needed.

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