Grass Plant
Grass Plant
Grass Seed needs a little Blanket to keep warm
Grass seed needs a little blanket to keep warm and moist to become a plant. No matter what kind of grass you are going to use preparation is key to having a great lawn. Grass seed needs to stay moist for a certain amount of hours to germinate. Each type of grass seed has a different amount of time and correct temperatures to germinate. Imagine you have thrown a hand full of your favorite grass seed down on the soil and are waiting to see plants. If it does not rain that day do you think the seed will stay moist? Probably not. A grass plant makes seed for the next years seedlings to grow so it puts a barrier around the seed to protect it, if soaked in a moist warm environment the seed will open.
If you buy grass seed from off of the shelf of a Big Box store it has probably been there a while and a good portion of it is not going to germinate anyway so you need to get the most out of the seed that is alive. The grass seed is kept dry on the shelf so that it does not germinate. Once you have bought your seed and are ready to spread it think about making a warm moist blanket over your seed.
Some lawn care professionals, landscapers and gardeners use wheat straw over the grass seed. The straw helps to hide the seed from birds and provide a little bit of a barrier from drier air and night time cold. Straw is a good cost effective choice for most instances.
I like to use soil to make the best barrier. Once the soil is wet and over the seed it will hold moisture for a long time while providing a mild amount of nutrients which the seed craves.To make a soil barrier over your seed you first must spread your seed over the prepared area. Next take a rake and rake the soil over the top of your seed. Once you do this you will have a barrier from birds feasting on your seed as well as trap air, water, and other nutrients. A mild fertilizer right after covering the seed will provide a great boost.
The last option I am mentioning is to compost seed. Compost seeding is where you cast your seed over the prepared area and then spread a 1 to 2 inch layer of aged compost over the top of the seed. Aged compost won’t heat up while on top of the seed. The compost acts as a warm moist blanket and fertilizer which will make your grass seed germinate fast and give it nutrients for a long time to come.
Grass seed needs a warm, and moist area to germinate. Stores carry seed that is very dry and needs moisture over a period of time to germinate. Lawn Care professionals agree that a protective barrier is needed from birds. Straw, Soil, or Compost could be used to cover the seed and provide the needed protection and moisture. Depending on your budget now you have 3 choices to start your new seed.
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About the Author
Dalton Quigley writes articles for his outdoor project oriented websites. With 17 years of experience he has lots of information to share. With practical knowledge and some humor mixed in he is a pleasure to read.
What type of grass and when should I plant it?
I just bought a house that has lots of tree’s in the front yard but no grass. I would like any suggestions on what type of grass I should plant in a shaded area and do I need to wait for spring or can I plant grass seeds now?
I live in Texas and it is just beginning to not hit 100 everyday.
Thank you for any suggestions.
find a grass mix that meets the needs of your to be lawn (high traffic, sun, shade, water rquirements, etc.) The best time to plant is in the fall, in TX do it in October or November, seed and feed as per instrcutions.
In the mean time you may want to throw down some lime to make sure that the soil is well balanced.
Grass & Lawn Maintenance : How to Plant Grass From Seed