Hello Gang!
I use fresh grass clippings as a layer of mulch in my beds, for nutrients, as many a gardener does, but I've noticed that, after a while and as it dries, it sticks together and water runs off the surface, instead of in to the soil.

It seems as though once the clippings begin to dry, there is some type of "film", for lack of a better term, that is responsible by sort of behaving like a sort of "glue".

I live in the city, on property the size of a "postage stamp" (42ft. x 150ft.), so I only have a small, plastic compost bin, and really no room to expand the effort, at least in an attractive, not so offensive to the neighbors kind of way, so once fresh clippings are layered in the bin, there are plenty left over, and I just spread the remaining love throughout the gardens. After a while, though, I find the need to break it up a bit with a pitch fork in order to allow irrigation and rain through to the soil.

Is there something that can be done to avoid the problem? You know, save the back strain a little? The garden beds are expanding, and I prefer not to spend my time on this chore, if at all possible...

I think the main problem is using fresh grass clippings and maybe they are being put on a bit thick. I think it is recommended to use dry grass clippings no more than an inch thick. I admit to having the same problem you are facing. I did a rose bed last year with grass clippings and it took an entire year for them to decompose, I struggled the whole year while watering that bed trying to get the water to penetrate to the soil. Finally as it decomposed the grass started absorbing the water. But I did put the clippings on really thick trying to block out all the weeds, and at least that worked.

Larry, I'm thinking that, since I haven't the space to keep the grass clippings while they dry, I've not much choice but to deal with the issue, as I have in the past.

I could spread them out in a thin layer, on a tarp in the drive, for several days?

According to this article the grass clippings could be ready for mulch in 24 hours.
http://www.gardensalive.com/pr...
Of course I found articles on the net saying grass clippings should not be used as mulch, that they were the best mulch to use and articles with opinions in between. I like them best when mixed with leaves.

Great article! Thanks Larry!!

Hello from southern Colorado,Dana
Grass is like that, that's why people use thatch as roofing material ( even though its a different type ).
We deal with grass on a daily basis during the summer and only on a weekly basis in the winter In springtime during the initial prep we are required to power rake some areas. There are those of us who feel this is more damaging than helpful- I'm among those- and refuse to do so at home. So what do I do? I'll buy a half dozen 40's of beer, put 5 in my pump sprayer with a skosh of water and spray my lawn. The enzymes in the beer eat or breakdown the thatch and I believe gives the soil a little something as well. Keep using your grass as you have and give it a cold one every now and then and you shouldn't have that problem.
Oh, and the 6th? Well..... it always seems to disappear.
Hope this helps.

@josebaca for the tip!

I never liked beer, and since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I like it even less, but hey, anything for the gardens!

Only issue I can foresee is slugs love beer, and they're already a nuisance without beer, which is why beer is used to trap the dang things ....hmmm I'm gonna havta volley that one around in the ole' noggin for a spell!

I wonder if the beer is absorbed into the soil , would it be an attractant like beer held in a trap? I wouldn't think so.

Hmmm, you're probably right, Larry. It would absorb in before "Slugfest" would commence! It's certainly a method to consider!!

I just love the tips and tricks that everybody has to share, here on the NGA site!

AS a side not, I was digging through Mom's old garden books and saw one small one with notes on rose mulch.

It says do not use fresh grass clipping as it will mat down and shed water.
It was written 54 years ago.