using grass as mulch

[seneca]

I've got a border with various shrubs and a few vegatables growing. Thing is I have no bark chippings etc or anything else that will supress weeds and possibly add some nutrition. Not wishing to go to the expense (2 long borders) or hassle of wheeling barrows around/through the house just yet, I was wondering if I could use grass clippings and scarified moss etc from my lawn. I have 2 bag fulls each fortnight and rather then leaving it for the green collection, I could just spread it straight onto the borders. I reckon I would have them done after a few months.
How long will it take for the grass to decompose?
Will it smell?
will it get blow away if dry, turn to sludge if wet?
will it actually add any nutition?
Am I being cheap and should just get a lot of bark chippings?

thanks folks

 

[Thermo]

no grass can be used, dont pile it on too thick or it will get smelly. i use it on some of my allotment beds. doesnt look great but helps do teh job

 

[seneca]

it will have to be thin to start off with, as now I am mowing more often I'm getting less clippings. Anything I can do to reduce the smell?

How do you use it around the allotment? I presume you put it around your crops. Does that much nitrogen do them good, or do you mulch to conserve moisture around the plants?

 

[Thermo]

i put a thin covering on. dries out fairly quickly so it doesnt smell. surprising how much moisture it stops evaporating.

 

[JamesA]

I've used grass clippings when nothing else has been to hand during hot weather. I'm sure I've read not to do it, but it worked fine.

You don't use lawn weed and feed do you? It could harm the plants.
There's also the school of thought that the grass clippings should be left on the lawn, especially in hot weather.
If people did this then the weed and feed products wouldn't exist.

Do you home compost?
Garden compost would be a better option as you'll be adding a better mix of nutrients to the soil as well as blocking out the weeds.
Grass will just add nitrogen.

Leaf mulch will also be useful, especially for acid loving plants like Rhododendrons.

I'd say use grass clippings only if you've nothing else.

Those council recycling and garden material collections have a lot to answer to.
All that useful garden material, toilet roll cores, cardboard etc that could be making people wonderful garden compost.
Plus you get charged council tax for them to take it off you...