Toby Buckland

Plantsman and BBC gardening presenter

Unlike regular lawn clippings, long grass is full of wildflower seed so you must take care getting rid of hay If you need help disposing of hay (cut long grass), perhaps your furry friends can help? Toby ’s trivia

Luckily, Bunson and Hedges are stepping up to the plate and are willing to help nibble the clippings 1 Cut meadows when the seeds of any wildflowers that you want to keep have fallen.

Hay today, gone tomorrow

Toby’s rabbits can sometimes be a handful, but they come in handy when it comes to disposing of long grass

INEVER thought the day would come, but after four years of shelling out for bunny food and vet’s bills, my daughter’s pet rabbits are finally pulling their weight.

I say ‘my daughter’s… ’ but almost the minute Bunson and Hedges arrived through the front gate, the cleaning-out, feeding and cotton-tail entertainment has fallen to me and Lisa, while No1 Daughter’s interests hopped off to pastures new.

To be fair, the rabbits have tried to be helpful, providing dung for the roses and giving me many hours of free personal fitness training when they tunnel from their run and need catching. But it would be a brass-necked bunny that claimed they earned their keep. Until now…

Like many gardeners, my plans for an uncut lawn in no-mow May grew, quite literally, into a unmown meadow through June and July. And now that seeds from the various grasses and

“The rabbits are finally pulling their weight”

flowers are ready to fall, I’m scything it back to its ankles a section at a time (think Poldark, but fatter).

But there’s a problem: disposing of the hay – as that’s what it is – is tricky. Unlike regular lawn clippings, long grass is full of wildflower seeds that an ordinary compost heap won’t destroy. And if the composted long grass is used as a mulch, precious meadow wildflowers will be a rash of weeds in the borders.

Some gardeners deal with unwanted hay by burning, creating choking and antisocial plumes of smoke in the process. Others build a separate compost heap where the stray matter can sit out of sight and mind for decades, or be buried deeply in bean trenches where its weed seeds won’t sprout.

But I’d rather use the space for something else, so this is where the conies come in. And according to our daughter, good-quality hay should make up most of a bunny’s diet. Green grass and (unbelievably) carrots should be given sparingly. What Bugs Bunny would say about that, we’ll never know.

Still, I’m grateful, because by cutting, drying and keeping the long grass for the bunsters, not only are the stray seeds dealt with but I’m also saving cash at the pet shop.

YELLOW rattle makes a great addition to any meadow, as its parasitic roots rob nutrients from the grass, curbing the luxuriant green growth and making space for more wildflowers. Buy seed that’s been freshly collected –local wildlife trusts are a good source – and scatter onto the grass immediately after cutting and raking up the hay. Traditionally, livestock were used to trample the seeds in, so there’s no need to stop using the lawn. In fact, the more you walk on it and scuff up the surface, the better the chance of the rattle taking hold.

2Once cut in late summer, keep grass trimmed in autumn so brambles and nettles don’t take hold and grass is smart in winter.

Add yellow rattle to your plot