Q: I save my bermuda clippings by piling them up at the back of my lot. At the end of the season I use the clippings for mulch and then top dress with pine straw. Am I helping my plants by using this rough form of compost?

A: Once they turn brown, grass clippings don’t have many plant nutrients to offer the soil. On the other hand, they do break down into humus, which helps the soil hold nutrients and water. You should keep doing what you’re doing.