compost and lawn clippings?

Question

i treated my lawn with lawn feed and weed killer, when will it be safe for me to put my clippings into my compost bin

Answer 1

Keep in mind that most weed killer is designed to kill broad leaf plants, which means that it will kill your garden plants because most of them are broad leaf plants. I don't know about you, but I don't want to chance that in my garden. I'd wait a long while, and cut the grass a few times, and then consider it. I think the pre-emergent corn gluten suggestion is a good one to think about for next time.

Answer 2

You can compost the clippings but what will you use the compost for? You need to know what chemical you used to find its half life in the compost and the grass.

Cornell U and others have lists of toxic effects on humans from pesticides and herbicides http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/facts-slides-self/facts/gen-posaf-health.html
http://www.ipmofalaska.com/files/profiles.html
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Index.html

Perhaps you could try a natural pre-emergent like corn
gluten
Corn gluten meal - the second site has the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS):
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/greenline/i1295_384.html#3
http://www.bioscape.com/bioweed1.html
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=17

Weed and feed is most often used as a fertilizer, and most people are not even aware that it is a pesticide.

Answer 3

I really don't know why you can't do it now. I do ! The weed killer will keep weeds from growing in it. It will take time before the clippings are ready to use as compost ....No harm the fertilizer and weed killer will be dissipated by then.

Answer 4

You should by able to safely compost the clippings from the second cutting after the application.

Answer 5

As a thumb rule 6 weeks been doing it for the last 20 years.
simple question and a simple answer...good luck