Good idea or no?

I was reading a "Mother Earth" magazine last night that was talking about the benefits of using grass clippings as a nitrogen rich source for compost. I also know that chicken poo is a really high source but takes longer to break down.

So I got to thinking...maybe I can kill two birds (not chickens) with one stone. I clean my coop twice a week to remove the doo and I was thinking, what if I took the grass clippings and spread them out in the coop? Then I could rake it up and put it in the compost pile and give it time to break down.

Good idea? no?

Any of you experienced composters please chime in.

Thank you.
Linda

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Permalink Reply by Chris Byers on March 3, 2010 at 9:01am: I would give it a try, the birds may like the trimmings, just make sure they have not been treated. If you start getting an ammonia smell take them out.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Admin on March 3, 2010 at 10:27pm: Hey Linda:

Chickens traditionally like grass clippings and many who have hens use them to keep bermuda grass in line. The problem with "grass" in Phoenix is that it is "bermuda" - the no. 2 noxious weed in the world. The stuff spreads by rhizome, stolon and seed. Seeds usually survive the composting process so you run the risk of spreading bermuda grass to your garden beds when you use this compost. I've been fighting a battle with bermuda for 11 yrs now at my house. I am momentarily in the lead with only 4 or 5 problem areas but it takes constant vigilance. Spies creep in under the fence from the neighbor next door. Paratroopers blow in from the guy-who-doesn't-mow's house 2 doors down..... Bermuda is one of two things I actually WON'T knowingly put into my compost. The other is oleander leaves.

I know people who put grass clippings in a separate black barrel (for super heating) and leave it in there for a year or more. This seems to kill off the seeds.

Jen; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Charles Calbom on March 13, 2010 at 5:30am: I compost my grass waste. I prepared a bed in early feb, that I will be planting next week. I Mulched with compost that had a lot of bermuda in it. I was purposely testing for grass growth. So far none. The roots do not break down, in fact I can even find some of the root bunches that look like asparagus, however, they do not regenerate. My piles get hot, but I wouldn't say super hot. They don't stay hot for long either, maybe a couple of weeks. I use old coffee grounds as a nitrogen source, it heats the piles pretty good. I remember a comment I read when I was trying to determine weather to compost bermuda. "In an environment with jillions of bermuda seeds, whats a couple million more?". The Hadley Farmship composts its grass wastes, we also do a lot of bermuda weeding, beats laying block.; ▶ Reply to This