stopping grass between my rows

[Fehron]

I am new to gardening and have been doing pretty well, so far. I am wondering if it would be a bad idea to put my grass clippings down in between my plants. If you leave them in the yard it will block the sun and kill the grass its on top of so I'm hoping it would do the same between my rows and also start breaking down to make my soil better for next year.
Obviously I want to avoid any weeds with seeds. Any advice is appreciated.
Also I am new so if this is a bad idea, be gentle.

[rainbowgardener]

I think grass clippings make good mulch and have used them as such. Not everyone agrees. However, to start with that requires that you are not putting any chemicals on your lawn. Otherwise you are contaminating your vegetables with whatever chemicals.

If you mulch with grass clippings they will turn a golden kind of straw color -- if it is sunny. Another caveat about the clippings is that if they don't dry out, if you are somewhere where it is raining all the time, they can get kind of nasty. We don't put grass clippings in compost piles because they can compact down and shut out air and get slimy in that moist environment.

But in general people don't have grass clippings very much any more. If your mower has a mulching attachment, it will cut the grass very fine at which point it is good for your lawn to leave it. And especially in the summer, it is recommended that you leave your lawn a little taller (3" or so to conserve moisture) and not take very much off it at a time, in which case you also can leave the clippings lay.

[buddy110]

I wouldn't put grass clipping in between the rows. It can heat up when it decompses cook your veggie's roots. It also cuts off the soil from much needed oxygen. It's gets pretty slimey too. Try som tyvek hose wrap or weed blocking paper. That allows the soil top breath, stops the weeds from growing and allows moisture to penetrate

[The Helpful Gardener]

Buddy is right about the slimey part if you use too much, but I use a light coating on the sides of my rows and compost on the top (to maintain permability).

RBG is right, a mulching mower can return finely chopped grass to the soil, returning as much a 2 lb.s of nitrogen a year to the turf, about a third of the necessary ferts for the year. I bag mine and compost it, or use the light dressing on the sides of the veggie rows...

HG

[NRB]

I am wondering if it would be a bad idea to put my grass clippings down in between my plants.

I think grass clipping can make for great mulch. At times, I lay it down 4-6" deep between rows.

... I'm hoping it would do the same between my rows and also start breaking down to make my soil better for next year.

If done right, layering in some organic matrial between rows will improve your soil quickly. Google "sheet composting" or "no-till gardening". I layer on and mulch heavy with organic material all summer long. The worms love it.

[NRB]

It can heat up when it decompses cook your veggie's roots.

If used between rows in layers, and not too close to new plants, I find it keeps my soil shaded from the hot, drying sun, holds moisture in and keeps the roots cool and damp.

[worldharmony]

Hmm... what about weeds that grow on the lawn? We worry that any weeds that are in there can get into the beds.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Happens a little but if you are mulching your stuff. it weeds out fast. I do not mulch my walkways and just action hoe them and rake it up. Takes just a few minutes. The grass on my mounded rows is just on the sides and I mulch the tops with compost. Worms have added a good deal of casts to that part already, and it keeps that soil very loose and it is only a small area to weed, just minutes for that too. Maybe a half hour a week takes care of it pretty well...

HG