From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Brighton, Mi.

Is it ok to use Just grass clippings as mulch in the pumpkin patch to help keep weed growth at bay?

6/14/2005 3:01:52 PM

Lexington, Ky

I did exactly that last year growing regular pumpkins. No weeds whatsoever. After dropping it on the ground, I'd compress it with my feet then add some more.

Not sure if this is good strategy with giants though....I'm not trying it this year.

6/14/2005 3:19:24 PM

Montoursville, PA

Green grass should go on lightly...several times to achieve an inch or so coverage. Dried grass may go on an inch thick or even heavier anytime.

I use ground leaves first, some green grass when available and straw or hay depending on what is available.

Tramping it down would cause some compression. We try to avoid walking on it by placing board walkways. Tramping down a weed to cover it with compost is pure joy.

6/14/2005 4:01:34 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Make sure your grass clippings do not come from lawns treated recently with weed and feed. The 2-4-D will cause you huge problems.

6/14/2005 4:04:57 PM

Cheyenne, Wyoming

I used grass clippings extensively in 2003 and 2004. Yes, it does really keep the weeds down. The problem I had with using it as a mulch is, the grass also kept my soil temperature down, reducing potential pumpkin growth. We have cool temps to begin with around here, so I'm not using clippings this year.

6/14/2005 4:31:44 PM

Waquoit Mass

could promote disease because of moisture id say no

6/14/2005 6:50:27 PM

Montoursville, PA

Mulching is the natural way, of Mother Nature. If mulching promoted disease every wild natural place that exists would be diseased.

Nature never lets ground uncovered. Permanent mulch is Mother's way. Only when man manages the earth do we find large areas of open ground.

6/14/2005 11:07:27 PM

Utah

doc ... i gather you've never been out west? we have miles and miles of open areas.
... my thoughts are that A LOT of what we do is not the natural way ... we import tons of OM into our patchs...
we remove seeds from the fruit in the fall and send them around the world... we start early ... we start indoors ... we cover them with hoop houses ... we train, prune and bury vines... we hand pollinate ... we cull fruit down to one ... we shade the fruit ... we water with sprinklers ... we protect against frost ... all of those are unnatural. so I'd say that we are not going the natural way and that the natural way isn't always the best way to get the results that we desire. ? sometime it makes sense ... some time's it doesn't.
gordon

6/15/2005 10:07:54 AM

Montoursville, PA

Yes Gordon, that is true today. And the practices that made it that way are still, to much for me, to understand because losses are still a sorry observation to make.

Unfortunately sustainable let alone soil improving agriculture is a long way from being practiced and not just in the wild and wooly west.

You are to be commended for improving your patch. The rest of your slam bang response has absolutely nothing to do with my simple suggestion, to consider the use, of mulch which as far as I know will improve anyone's lot if he or she has the intellegence and desire, to improve when possible. Of course if one has, for any reason, strong attitudes against those who suggest such practices I guess it really does not matter.

6/15/2005 4:49:36 PM

Oz

In the "thumb" of Michigan,,
I saw huge winds pick up dry bare soil that had been turned and left with no cover crop.
It looked like sandstorms I saw in new Mexico!
Between wind and rain they have lost alot of fertile soil.
Mulch is wonderful!

6/15/2005 5:28:18 PM

Rockford,il

I just applied 15 truckloads (about 1 to 2 inches deep) of wood chips mulch to my patch.It is going to help maintain the moisture level in the soil,keep the roots cool with the foliage getting the heat,and keep out a good 90 % of the weeds.I am putting in the work now so that at optimum growing time I am not wasting time weeding and watering all the time.The mulch will improve the soil and take a lot of stress off the plant.I have used mulch around other plants for years and have never had any problems with "diseases" from mulch.

6/16/2005 8:57:38 PM