The Grass Doctor

Is straw on top of the grass seeds will geminate ?

I asked someone to redo part of my lawn last fall. After they left, I put a layer of straw on top of the grass seeds. Now, the grass is growing crazy. It seems to be a pasture grass for the feed. When I complain, they told me because of the straw I put on causing the straw itself to germinate. Is it possible or just try to fool me? By the way, the yellow straw that I bought is from Home Depot. Most redo lawn covered with a foot long grass.

Public Comments

1. straw has no seeds in it, hay has seeds they look similar exactly what did you put on your lawn ? and where did you get it ?
2. They may be right unfortunately. If the straw wasn't certified seed free, you may have contiminatred the grass seed with the straw seed. Straw seed germinated quite easily, and will force out the grass seed since it is the more determinate of the two. Most grass seed will germinate with a light sprinkle of peat moss, or a weed free compost. You might have to start from scratch again to get your lawn re-established
3. they are right, sorry. dig up clumps with a shovel and level with new soil, replant in fall.
4. Straw is the stalk of grain-bearing plants such as wheat, oat, etc. When the grain is harvested, the straw is a by-product. It can contain a few seeds, certainly, unless the harvester (combine) is 100% efficient. There may also be an occasional weed, unless the crop was 100% weed-free, including airborne seed. (Neither is likely 100%) Hay, on the other hand, is the whole plant of various legumes , clover, weeds, and grasses and will have seeds if they were present at the time of cutting. So, you need to know what you have. If it's simply grain plants, they are annuals and will die after the first year. If it's weeds or hay, you may have a problem. Too smart by half?