Composting dried grass clippings with worms
Dried grass clippings, or hay, are an excellent and highly suitable ‘brown’ material for your Bonter vermicomposter. They provide valuable carbon, contribute to an airy structure, and help regulate moisture. An ideal, safe base for your worm bin that contributes to healthy and efficient composting.
Can dried grass clippings go in your worm bin?
Yes, absolutely! In contrast to fresh grass clippings, which require caution, dried grass clippings are very suitable for vermicomposting. They are a rich source of carbon (‘brown’ material), essential for balancing nitrogen-rich food waste (‘green’ material). Dried grass helps absorb moisture, improves aeration, and provides an airy structure in the bin, which is crucial for a healthy ecosystem for your worms. It breaks down relatively easily for a ‘brown’ material.
How many dried grass clippings can you add?
Dried grass clippings can be added regularly and in generous quantities to your Bonter, preferably loosened or possibly shredded. It’s a perfect basic bedding material. Make sure you always add enough ‘brown’ material (such as dried grass, cardboard, paper) to balance the amount of ‘green’ food waste. Dried grass is excellent for creating a new layer of bedding, for adding if the bin gets too wet, or if you want to improve the structure and aeration.
What to do instead? Alternatives & waste management
Dried grass clippings are so suitable and useful as ‘brown’ material and bedding in the Bonter that you should ideally save them for that purpose! They contribute significantly to a healthy and well-performing compost bin. If for some reason you have an exceptionally large amount of dried grass, it can also be used on a traditional compost heap as structural material or as mulch in the garden. Above all, ensure that fresh grass clippings have a chance to dry before composting them, whether in the Bonter or on a pile.
A
B
C
A
B
C
A
B
C
Tips for composting grass clippings
Loosen dried grass clippings a bit before adding them, or possibly shred them into smaller pieces if they are very long. This increases the surface area and helps with decomposition. Mix dried grass well with the waste and existing bedding. Ensure it gets moist enough in the bin (through contact with moist waste) to compost; material that is too dry breaks down slowly. Use dried grass as a sponge for your bin: add extra if it gets too wet. The Bonter’s air filter helps with odours, but a good mix of brown and green, and sufficient aeration (which dried grass helps with), prevents problems.
I’m Mats, founder of Bonter, and I’m on a mission to make indoor composting effortless, ensuring sustainability becomes second nature in your home.
Join 340+ early adopters
Frequently asked questions about composting grass clippings
Can dried grass clippings (hay) go in the worm bin?
Yes, dried grass clippings are excellently suitable as ‘brown’ material and bedding.
What is the difference between fresh and dried grass clippings for the worm bin?
Should I cut or make dried grass clippings smaller?
How many dried grass clippings can I add?
Do dried grass clippings serve as food or as structure?
Discover more
easy wins for your bin
See how effortlessly your vermicomposter handles common kitchen scraps. These items are favorites of your composting crew and simply transform waste into a valuable resource.