– if we throw away, say, 1T of grass clippings every year, and grass is just the nutrients of the soil, some sunlight and water, why do we not need to add 1T of new soil to the lawn every year?

Question

– if we throw away, say, 1T of grass clippings every year, and grass is just the nutrients of the soil, some sunlight and water, why do we not need to add 1T of new soil to the lawn every year?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Well I live near a beach and the topsoil is at best maybe an inch thick if lucky? I’ve been saving all the leaves and dog poop for my flower garden. Letting it compost and break down over time. Honestly the yard debris should probably stay and build layers without human interference that’s how you get really deep moist dark brown loam in a healthy forest. Ultimately animals / humans in my case my dogs, my chiweenie, scrapes at the top soil disturbing it. I’ve been battling it to prevent erosion by planting new clover grass and tried dandelion seeds.

Anywhere I put wood chips down that broke up over time has seen an increase of new grass as the wood chips give something for water and moisture to anchor into above the sand erosion.