How much straw to cover grass seed

Pick up trash, plastic, rocks or other debris from your site. Pull weeds so that they don't compete with the grass seed. Mix a fertilizer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Till the fertilizer into the top 2 to 4 inches of soil, advises the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. The numbers refer to the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in a bag of fertilizer.

Phosphorous is the most important nutrient for grass seed growth and so has the highest percentage. Rake the soil away from your house, shed, garage and sidewalk to smooth and grade the surface downhill, advises the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

When you spread grass seed into a thinning lawn, it is not necessary to rake the area. However, repairing bare soil patches with new grass seed does require raking. Similar to new lawns, your exposed topsoil needs to cover the grass seeds slightly for maximum growth. What can I put on my grass seed instead of straw?

A number of different mulch alternatives are available as long as they are spread correctly across the soil. Sawdust is an inexpensive mulch choice for your grass seed. Peat Moss. Commonly used as a soil amendment, peat moss can also serve as a mulch. Improper Mulching Techniques. Can I use grass clippings to cover new seed? For an inexpensive green option, compost makes an ideal covering for new grass seeds. You can make your own compost using kitchen scraps, leaves, grass clippings, wood chips and other organic material from your home.

Why is my grass seed not growing? Hard clay-packed soil can also make it difficult for grass seed to grow. If the soil and air temperatures are too cold, newly seeded grass may take longer than expected to germinate. If there is not enough moisture in the soil, or if proper watering directions are not followed, grass seed germination will be delayed. How long does it take for straw to decompose? Does Straw kill grass? Master gardeners train on a range of topics so they can provide advice, at no charge, for people in their area.

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It will grow!!! Hi, Clint, Gardening questions can be tricky since the rules can change based on the region. Thanks for your question, and good luck! Please enter your comment! One advantage of straw is that it is seedless. This means that you will avoid introducing weeds into your growing lawn. In contrast, hay contains seeds, so you may see other plants growing among your grass seedlings.

The good thing about hay is that it becomes a supplementary source of nutrients to your lawn as it decomposes. Generally, a bale of hay is enough to cover 1, square feet of your lawn. Spread the hay so that it is thick enough to keep grass seeds safe from the elements and birds. At the same time, the layer should be thin enough to allow air and sunlight to pass through. Can you put too much hay on grass seed?