mulching vegetables with grass clippings - Ask Extension
I mulch my vegetables with grass clippings to preserve water. It looked like my Peppers and Tomatoes were slow to grow this year and was wondering if...
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mulching vegetables with grass clippings #339958
Asked July 06, 2016, 11:51 AM EDT
I mulch my vegetables with grass clippings to preserve water. It looked like my Peppers and Tomatoes were slow to grow this year and was wondering if it was from grass clippings. I sprayed herbicide on my grass a couple of weeks before i used the mulch and was wondering if the herbicide would still reside in the grass clippings.
Thanks, Chuck
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
Herbicide can remain in grass clippings, it depends on what herbicide was used. Treated grass clippings are not recommended as a mulch. The grass clippings use a lot of nitrogen as they break down and that maybe affecting your plants. Peppers and Tomatoes are both heavy feeders. I find leaves work better as a mulch. Straw is often beneficial and so is compost for weed suppression and water retention. This seasons ups and downs with temps also seems to be having a negative effect. 60s at night is a little too cool and at temps over 80 tomatoes stop setting fruit or blossoms.
