I wanted to add some compost into my sandy garden soil and I added grass clippings (some fresh and some are a month old) in the holes to which I planted a few plants. Now I read that while decomposing the grass clippings gets very hot which harms the roots. Is that right? Do I have to remove the plants and remove the grass clippings from the holes I had dug? Please let me know the correct way to add compost and what I should add while planting.
How long ago did you do this? Any ill effects as yet? If not, I would leave well enough alone. I think you can compost in place, but just not right in the same hole as your plant. I know a couple who have a trench between (wide) rows of plants in their garden. They gradually fill the trench with compost & then next year plant where the trench was. Other wise, you can just start a compost pile & add compost to the garden as it becomes available.
It probably depends on how much of the clippings you added. If you half-filled the hole with grass clippings, I'd up the plants and remove the clippings. If it was just a bit in the bottom of the hole, don't worry about it. In future, you may want to add any clippings to the compost pile and let Mother Nature take her course. You'll have nice compost, which is a great additive when planting.
Thanks MG. I did put in a lot of clippings in the hole. I guess I have more work ahead of me - I will dig the plants and remove the clippings. How about dry leaves? Can I put some in the hole?
I think you should be safe since the clippings were a month old. I find the most heat is expended in the first couple of weeks and when it turns brown, it doesn't seem to bother anything. Just my two cents