Are dead grass clippings from dethatching the lawn good for mulching my garden?
A. Yes, but be sure they are dead. Otherwise, you’ll be sprigging your garden with grass. Clippings make an excellent mulching material. Since this grass is in small, chopped pieces, it will break down easily. Remember, as with all organic mulches which decompose, nitrates in the form of extra fertilizer or manure must be added to feed those fungi responsible for decomposition. Otherwise, they will rob it from your soil and growing vegetables. 7. Q. I have heard that some leaves poison the soil. I have an abundance of pecan leaves and would like to use them for compost. Are pecan leaves harmful? A. A case of pecan leaves damaging a garden spot has never been reported. In fact, these leaves are recommended as a mulch because pecan leaves are fibrous and decompose slowly. Possibly rumors of pecan leaves damaging growing plants arise because pecan leaves contain tannic acid. When tannic acid reacts with alkaline soil, a neutral organic salt, called calcium tannate, is formed. This compoun
