I didn't rake in the grass seed before covering with straw - help!!

April 25, 2008 9:15 PM

Did I totally mess up by meticulously preparing our yard with a tracter/box blade, spending days removing rocks and debres, planting 50 pounds of Fescue seed, thereafter covering it with 23 bails of straw, and watering it almost daily, but completely skipping the part about raking the seed into the soil? 7 days and counting.

Did I totally mess up by meticulously preparing our yard with a tracter/box blade, spending days removing rocks and debres, planting 50 pounds of Fescue seed, thereafter covering it with 23 bails of straw, and watering it almost daily, but completely skipping the part about raking the seed into the soil?

What an idiot I am! How could I not have done a little research first!

Its been exactly one week, and I do see -some- grasslings poking through the straw, but everything im now reading online says to use a rake so as to get the seed into the ground - which makes perfect sense a week later!!

Is there anything I can do or is it too late? There has to be some seed just sitting on top of the ground not doing anything - or will they find there way into the earth on there own? I don't like the sound of that - but i'm not made of money and can't start over. Surely there is a solution! My bodying is still in recovery from all the work ... ohhh me I think I must stop typing now.

Please help!

posted by passtehbrainz to home & garden (13 comments total)

It will take longer, but with regular watering, much of that seed will sprout.
posted by pmbuko at 9:29 PM on April 25, 2008

You're fine. Fescue is a very tolerant, adaptive and hardy grower. You can't really "mess it up"... You'll start seeing soft baby grass in a few days. Enjoy your new yard!
posted by amyms at 9:31 PM on April 25, 2008

Fescue germination will probably take more than a week on average, possibly much more if it is relatively cold. If you are getting some germination now, you are probably in good shape and even if you do have low germination rates, you'll still get there eventually.

The most important thing to do is to keep the seeds from drying out. Make sure you are applying enough water, often enough to keep things from drying out underneath your mulch.

Finally, don't worry too much: grass has been growing quite successfully on the earth for quite some time without the benefit of anyone raking in the seeds.
posted by ssg at 9:31 PM on April 25, 2008 [1 favorite]

P.S. If you're seeing little shoots of grass, start removing the straw and keep up with the regular watering. You'll be amazes at how thick it looks within just a few days.
posted by amyms at 9:32 PM on April 25, 2008

amazed*
posted by amyms at 9:33 PM on April 25, 2008

Just keep it moist and it will be fine. My 2-year-old got into a bag of grass seed last summer, and it had no problem germinating EVERYWHERE - the cracks in the driveway, on top of a weathered fence post, in my potted plants, etc.

Fescue is tough.
posted by Ostara at 9:47 PM on April 25, 2008

No, you're fine. The stuff doesn't get raked in when it seeds naturally; it does fine anyway.
posted by ikkyu2 at 9:56 PM on April 25, 2008

The depth you plant seed is roughly proportional to its size. Grass seed is tiny. If the soil you've spread it on is fertile in the least you'll be playing croquet in no time.
posted by Camofrog at 10:33 PM on April 25, 2008

Yeah you'll be fine...when I used to work for a shady landscaping co. we'd just use the spreader, no raking and nobody ever complained.
posted by pilibeen at 1:01 AM on April 26, 2008

Well, there is still the possibility that birds got to your seeds. That's the other reason for raking seeds in. Don't know whether it's a problem where you are, it is where I am.
posted by kisch mokusch at 2:01 AM on April 26, 2008

How big is your yard? I just went through researching and planting fescue seeds, and saw a lot of recommendations against planting too many too close together. I was told 15 lbs of seed for 4400 square feet.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 8:41 AM on April 26, 2008

Will it help to put fertelizer on it? I heard somewhere you could burn up your grass or something.
posted by passtehbrainz at 5:32 PM on April 26, 2008

Fertilizer will not help germination at all.
posted by ssg at 9:07 PM on April 26, 2008