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Will leaving straw in new grass hurt it ??
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Posted by
nards01 6 PA (
nido113@hotmail.com) on
Wed, Jul 6, 11 at 10:11
| Last Monday, June 27, I laid topsoil and seeded a large portion of lawn. The grass is up and doing well (a little rain would help). This Saturday we are leaving for a three week vacation. My son will continue watering it (HOPEFULLY) for another week or so after that before he joins us. Since I won't be back here until late July, will leaving the straw in the grass until I get back cause any problems at all? It's been hot here so I'm figuring the straw will protect it little from the heat. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Will leaving straw in new grass hurt it ??
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| This is a tough time to plant seed. As long as you didn't put too much straw down it's fine to leave it. It will decompose over time. I have always left all my straw in. Lots of water is the only way you will be able to pull it through the summer, and either way you will likely have to overseed in the fall. I would recommend getting a couple of timers and setting all the sprinklers so they don't have to be moved. That way, the grass will be well watered when you are gone. Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on the setup to make sure everything is functioning properly. |
RE: Will leaving straw in new grass hurt it ??
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| wow. There are 365 days in a year to put seed down. You picked about the 350th worst day to do it. Why? Simply because of the heat on the tender, new grass roots. Secondarily there are weed seeds (i.e. crabgrass and dallisgrass) waiting for enough moisture to germinate and take hold. The only way you will have any grass when you return is if you can find a way to get water on the grass every day while you are gone. I would probably set the timer to run for 5 minutes at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm just to cool off the surface. This is a terrible watering practice for the long term health of the grass, but you can deal with that when you return. Have fun on the vacation!! |
RE: Will leaving straw in new grass hurt it ??
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| Well, instead of setting up a complicated watering system I hired a responsible, neighborhood teen to water it daily. Now I'm on vacation not worrying about whether or not the hoses burst, timers worked, etc. |
RE: Will leaving straw in new grass hurt it ??
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| Very smart - good choice. That's the way to do it. Hose timers are so flimsy. Besides, it's better to have a person doing it so they can keep an eye on everything. |
RE: Will leaving straw in new grass hurt it ??
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| I hate to say this - but I will - if it were me I would turn it all under, let it dry out, and redo it all later in the year after the weeds have stopped germinating and before the real cold weather sets in. Here in central Vermont that would be mid - late August. It will make a world of difference in the start that your lawn gets and you will be home to be sure it is getting the water it needs. I think you will be a lot happier a couple of years from now. I know its hard to hear this - but I've made this mistake before and it is a very very big mistake that I lived to regret in a major way. Much easier to do it over now than it will be down the road. Straw if the least of your worries. |
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