# Cover seed with wheat straw or peat moss?



## Glen_Cove_5511 (Jun 13, 2020)

I'll be adding compost, tilling, adding more compost, adding seed and raking smooth in 3 weeks. I did an area two years ago from dirt and used erosion blankets with netting. The netting is supposed to be bio-degradable but the netting is still there. I'd rather not use that again for this job.

About half of what I'm doing is on a slope and I'm looking for adivce on what to use to cover the seed bed. I've seen wheat straw and peat moss used. What does everyone think? I'm open to all advice or suggestions of other things to use without the netting.

Thanks!


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## f_l (Aug 11, 2020)

ive used peat moss on a smaller section of yard with great results. just reno'ed my whole yard and did peat moss. expecting similar great results. suuuuper messy but gets job done!


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## Glen_Cove_5511 (Jun 13, 2020)

@f_l How well does it hold up on slopes? Thanks!


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Peat. Wheat straw holds weed seeds


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## elgrow (Mar 30, 2020)

As the previous poster said do not use straw, you are just inviting weed seeds into your yard with it.


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## Glen_Cove_5511 (Jun 13, 2020)

Thanks @elgrow. Looking like peat may be the way to go as long as it can protech the seed from washing off a slope. If so, spreading by hand sifting/throwing or spread it by lightly raking? I will not be rolling my seed after lightly raking it in with the compost.


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

Can you rent a slice seeder?


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## elgrow (Mar 30, 2020)

Glen_Cove_5511 said:


> Thanks @elgrow. Looking like peat may be the way to go as long as it can protech the seed from washing off a slope. If so, spreading by hand sifting/throwing or spread it by lightly raking? I will not be rolling my seed after lightly raking it in with the compost.


I would rake heavily beforehand and then try to roll or pack in the soil after you put the seed down. Don't roll after adding the peat moss but hopefully it should stick.

Good luck!


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## Jody (Aug 2, 2020)

I do mine in section as I don't have enough water (well). I used a "germination sheet" with great results. Not messy, def help to keep moisture. Not sure if it's good on slopes. This section after 12 days.


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## vnephologist (Aug 4, 2017)

Not sure of effectiveness on slopes, but I've used peat many times with great success. I'd also roll. Take my word for it, rent a roller and peat moss spreader from Home Depot. Having put peat down both ways and it's night and day. Insanely easy and not messy with the spreader. A compressed "bail" fits right inside and breaks up spreading a perfect layer as you go.


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## Kissfromnick (Mar 25, 2019)

Peatmoss work great on seeding but rain will wash it down on slopes. Use shredded hay on slopes. Stay away from big box stores hay it contain tones of seeds.


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## Kissfromnick (Mar 25, 2019)

See if you can get peatmoss spreader. Will give you even coverage and work as roller at same time.


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## Glen_Cove_5511 (Jun 13, 2020)

Thanks everyone, great information. Due to the slope involved, I've decided to go with this straw product.


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## billw (Jul 19, 2020)

I'm using PennMulch on my slope. Used it twice with great results.

The straw is much cheaper, though.


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## jimmythegreek (Aug 7, 2020)

On a slope use erosion mats. I just pull them up after 2 to 3 weeks when grass is ready for its first mow. That ez straw is good for flatter areas but it will wash out on slopes with rain. Also have to watch windy days make sure it stays moist the wind will blow it all over mulched beds if not careful


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## Old Hickory (Aug 19, 2019)

Do you guys just buy the bagged peat moss from your local big box store? Or other?


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

My whole backyard is sloped. Last year I did 2500sq ft and had a major wash out very early on. Loads of peat and grass seed washed down. I still had some germination but too much time/money wasted for me to use peat again. I used baled straw.

It rained hard again and the straw held and I had good germination. I did end up with poa triv and am working on that now but it's a pain. But, where did the triv come from? The straw, seed, the soil from limited fallowing practices? Hard to say. For this years renovation I used baled straw from the start. I do get winter wheat but it pulls easily or one mowing knocks it out. Don't listen to me though. I might be the only one on this forum using straw so don't listen to anything I say :lol: (seriously)

I get weed pressure whether I use peat, straw, netting products, etc. I think a lot of this depends on what type of lawn goals you have. Mine are more limited and I'm willing to deal with some triv and annua for more ease during the seeding process.

Bring on the PoaCure!


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## TheEggMan (Jun 8, 2020)

Glen_Cove_5511 said:


> Thanks everyone, great information. Due to the slope involved, I've decided to go with this straw product.


I would advise against that product. I've used it two years running and it consistently brings in an enormous amount of weed seeds. The winter wheat you'll grow will be the least of your issues, it will die out in the summer heat. The spurge, goose grass, crab grass, poa triv, etc. will be a persistent problem all season long.

You basically can't get any sort of wheat straw that isn't significantly contaminated with weed seeds.


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## f_l (Aug 11, 2020)

It can/will wash off. rolling helps though



Glen_Cove_5511 said:


> @f_l How well does it hold up on slopes? Thanks!


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## Utk03analyst (Jun 8, 2019)

Tackifier. I used Pennington Slope Master that I picked this up from Lowes, and it seems to have helped with washouts, I thought about breaking it down in a bucket and then spraying it, but it has done a decent job so far. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Pennington-Slopemaster-30-lb-Soil-Tackifier-Erosion-Control/1000775706


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

vnephologist said:


> Not sure of effectiveness on slopes, but I've used peat many times with great success. I'd also roll. Take my word for it, rent a roller and peat moss spreader from Home Depot. Having put peat down both ways and it's night and day. Insanely easy and not messy with the spreader. A compressed "bail" fits right inside and breaks up spreading a perfect layer as you go.


@vnephologist I intend to use a lawn roller for the first time, so I wanted to get a few tips.

- I will be cutting my grass to 2" when I do overseed
- I will also be seeding bare spots full of dirt in addition to filling out the areas of the lawn that are thin
- My front yard is sloped

Are these used in overseeds where the entire area is bare soil, or does it work when overseeding an existing lawn? And if the latter, is my HOC low enough to use this?


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## Glen_Cove_5511 (Jun 13, 2020)

I figure I'll have to deal with weeds no matter what I do. Hopefully a good pre-emergent in February will help.


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## dsc123 (Mar 22, 2020)

Man, this thread is answering a lot of questions I have!


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## Agiuliano10 (Apr 21, 2020)

TheEggMan said:


> Glen_Cove_5511 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks everyone, great information. Due to the slope involved, I've decided to go with this straw product.
> ...


This feels like a punch to the gut. Just finished leveling off and seeding 4200 sq ft. And topped it with EZ straw. I'm on a slope so I thought it was the right play at a reasonable cost. I guess I will have my hands full come spring


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## VALawnNoob (Jun 9, 2020)

Utk03analyst said:


> Tackifier. I used Pennington Slope Master that I picked this up from Lowes, and it seems to have helped with washouts, I thought about breaking it down in a bucket and then spraying it, but it has done a decent job so far. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Pennington-Slopemaster-30-lb-Soil-Tackifier-Erosion-Control/1000775706


how much of the tacifier are you using? Do you cover it till you can't really see dirt or do you fling it out pretty randomly? The instructions are not that clear cut.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Agiuliano10 said:


> TheEggMan said:
> 
> 
> > Glen_Cove_5511 said:
> ...


Nah. I've used it without crazy weed pressure. You'll be fine.


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## Utk03analyst (Jun 8, 2019)

VALawnNoob said:


> Utk03analyst said:
> 
> 
> > Tackifier. I used Pennington Slope Master that I picked this up from Lowes, and it seems to have helped with washouts, I thought about breaking it down in a bucket and then spraying it, but it has done a decent job so far. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Pennington-Slopemaster-30-lb-Soil-Tackifier-Erosion-Control/1000775706
> ...


I just set my spreader to the highest setting and made a few passes. Bag rate calls for 30#'s per 600 sqft. I used 2 30# bags to cover roughly 1,200 sqft.

I'm thinking of testing a spot by dissolving it in water first as I have a couple bags on hand and seeing if that works it also claims to be a germination accelerator. I got midnight KBG to germinate in roughly 2 weeks when I was expecting closer to 3.5 but it's the first time I've seeded with it so I'm unsure if it was due to the tackifier or not.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

My rule?

Never add anything tonthe soil that works against you.

So, top dress with something sterile, unless you like weeds. Straw, hay, topsoil, compost, they all contain things that work against a weed free lawn.

Weed free straw? It's not just a lie, its a damned lie.

Hate on me if you want, interwebs, but topdressing can e done without introducing weeds AND preventing erosion.

Blankets, netting, burlap sacks for erosion control.

There is also a reason peat moss is used for starting seeds, peat pots etc.


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