What can be tossed in the lawn?

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bolson32
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What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by bolson32 » June 20th, 2021, 10:05 am

I know coffee grounds, tea leaves etc can be tossed directly in the lawn to decompose skipping the compost bin. I don't really want to compost, at least for awhile.

I've been just tossing lettuce, veggie peelings, coffee grounds and egg shells mostly. So, what else can just go right on the lawn to be mulched up with the mower? What should explicitly be avoided?

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MorpheusPA
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by MorpheusPA » June 20th, 2021, 1:39 pm

"If it fits, it sits."

Pretty much any vegetable product that doesn't shadow the grass appreciably is fine. Bread products can be torn up or, if like croutons, simply scattered. Grain, flour, and the like, just scatter. So any raw, unprocessed food can be used. It may need to be torn or broken apart, but it can be used. Even if it got insects, it's fine.

Processed foods like chips that are salty, discard instead. Ditto with most other processed food but if the processing is minimal, you might be able to toss it out there.

I'd probably avoid stale nuts, decaying fruit, and some of the more-solid wilting vegetables like carrots, but it depends on your circumstances. I personally use all of these because I have rabbits and other creatures under my Thuja. Things that are still OK but going are deposited under there for those animals. They usually last less than a day before being eaten.

Avoid meat products and fresh manures (other than deposited cat and dog poo)--that stuff gets nasty and there's no reason to deal with the problems involved unless you can compost them properly. Almost none of us (myself included) can compost them properly. If you should happen to have a goat or other oddball pet, great. But don't import fresh manure otherwise.

Masbustelo
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by Masbustelo » June 20th, 2021, 1:51 pm

Do not spray your lawn with the liquid produced at hog confinement facilities.

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MorpheusPA
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by MorpheusPA » June 20th, 2021, 2:03 pm

Do not taunt the lawn.

bolson32
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by bolson32 » June 20th, 2021, 3:57 pm

Okay, so pretty much exactly what I've been doing. With the addition of bread. I don't think I'll have any issues with carrots and the like. Plenty of critters around to carry the big stuff away.


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MorpheusPA
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by MorpheusPA » June 20th, 2021, 8:46 pm

A lot will eat it right there and might stick around for the...deposit...of that or something else. Which is what you're looking for.

Or, why I don't mind the animals under the Thuja. The stuff that gets tossed under there and eaten eventually turns right back around to fertilize the shrubs and the lawn. Plus they're endless entertainment for the dogs.

bolson32
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by bolson32 » June 20th, 2021, 9:43 pm

Haha yes! Every once in awhile I'll let them out to tree one outside of the fence 😂

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MorpheusPA
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by MorpheusPA » June 20th, 2021, 10:12 pm

Ours are two Bichon Frise (well, one's a Bichon/Maltese mix, so all of nine pounds, and the other is ancient at 15). So the old one tries to make friends with most passing animals, including rabbits, and the small one can't catch anything.

bolson32
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Re: What can be tossed in the lawn?

Post by bolson32 » June 21st, 2021, 2:47 pm

Two lab/pittie rescues here. They could catch something, but so far have only caught one squirrel. At least they do a good job of deterring them from wanting anything to do with the house. It seems like most of the local fauna have learned that as long as they stay outside of the fenced-in area, they're pretty safe.

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