grass seeding?

[porthos]

i have some strips of chewed up grass in my yard (not lawn) that was chewed up by a tracked bucket loader. the seed that i got said nothing about spreading straw over the new seed. believe it or not; i have a hard time growing even grass... a lawn down the road had 2 large piles of top soil in the lawn for a couple weeks. then it had been spread and covered with straw. i swear that in less than a week i could see new grass coming up. why not cover seed with straw??

[Winger Ed.]

My guess is the straw keeps the moisture right for the seeds to sprout and keep the birds from eating all of it.

I spread some grass seeds on the yard time that looked like finely ground pepper they were so small.
A few hours later, the ground was covered with a flock of birds. They ate all the seeds in just a few minutes.
Their vision is something to behold. I couldn't tell the difference between the seeds and dirt.

I've seen a loosely woven mat sort of something at the big box stores that
you can roll out over the yard until the grass seeds 'take'.

[hc18flyer]

Yes, the straw holds the moisture for the seed to germinate and get a good start. Likely helps with the birds too?

[Froogal]

The straw is a good idea, but it would all blow away in my yard before any seeds sprouted.

As far as the chewed up areas from the track loader, grass is very resilient. Just leave those areas alone and the grass will probably come back.

[MT Gianni]

I reseeded recently and used peat moss. I was sure it would blow away but it did not. It was on a slope and I lost some to a washout but most held with Peat Moss. I doubt I had 1/8" covering it.

[GhostHawk]

Grass likes to be shaded, and if not shaded can dry out and kill the tender shoots.

We have in the past managed a perfect lawn in one summer. Broadcast wheat, barley, oats, rake it in lightly with a leaf rake. (not a heavy steel tined rake)
Water

When it is 6" tall mow it high, leaving 3-4 inches. Go spread your grass seed and don't skimp. Water twice a week for the first month, weekly after that.

Each time you mow it, take it down a half inch lower than the time before.

By fall you won't see the grain at all, just lush lawn. But you can't skimp on seed or you'll have thin patches.

[georgerkahn]

All posts are, imho, right on! I will add, though, that with the incredibly HIGH amount of dollars now required for a rather small quantity of grass seed (in my region Red Fescue seems the best), an additive a lot of are "pro's" use is seed coat. 318488Put the seed you wish to apply in a small bucket and add but a tablespoon or so -- it doesn't take much -- and the outcome is awesome! A. M. Leonard sells it on-line; a short $13.00 USD for enough to coat fifty pounds of grass seed.
geo

[.429&H110]

Grass clippings are free and perfect for covering grass seed.

[firefly1957]

^^^^ .429& H110 beat me to it I also have spread mowed grass over spread grass seed some areas I have recently done are nowhere near a hose so I keep an eye on the weather for rain .

[Minerat]

When reclaiming mines we crimp straw on large seeded areas using a disk to anchor it. The straw acts like little straws to suck moisture into the ground. You can tell a difference as the seed along the crimped straw line will germinate faster and do better then the areas just covered with loose straw. On small areas in the lawn I use wood chips (chain saw) or grass. Something to hold moisture and provide a little cover from the sun so the seeded area stays damp.