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| Yes, I am soaking 20 lbs of grass seed overnight in a giant
brand new plastic garbage can in warm water. As for the "Am I nuts" question, please don't answer that! I met an old Vietnamese guy who had the most beautiful lucious green like-velvet lawn I have EVER seen. When I asked him how he did it, he told me! He mixed seed with soil and water in a giant container and left it in there for three days. Then, on his hands and knees he applied this dirt/grass seed mixture to the ground BY HAND. I am not doing that! (Close to it, though!) However, it made sense to me that soaking the seed would shorten the germination time and probably ensure you use less water irrigating while it grows. I only have an area about the size of a 9 x 12 rug to do. I have purchased new top soil and spread it where I plan to put the new grass seed. I will let the seeds soak 32 hours, mixing it around from time to time with a broom handle. (Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble..) Then, with a kitchen colander, I'll pull the soaked seeds out and plant. I'm imagining that the seed will swell, just like other flower seeds I soak overnight to speed germination. So, anybody EVER do this crazy stunt? Or anybody wanna give me tips on anything? I'll let you know how it goes! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by nearandwest 7 (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 9:53
| Yes, I have successfully done this before with creeping bentgrass seed. I believe the type of grass seed you are attempting to germinate will determine how quickly the seed germinates (more quickly for ryegrass and fescue, less quickly for bluegrass). The water temperature is a determining factor for seed germination success. What type of grass seed was this Vietnamese man germinating? |
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| It's a tried and true method. You can also refridgerate cool season grasses for a day or two before planting and that speeds things up. I don't do it because it's extra work. The grass will germinate sooner or later. |
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- Posted by texas-weed 7A (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 13:05
| How are you going to spread it? |
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- Posted by debra_boston Zone 5 - Boston (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 15:25
| In answer to your questions: What kind/type of grass did the Vietnamese guy use? A: Didn't know enough to ask him! So glad to hear that this is a tried and true method! Regarding spreading it around. I think I will just dump a big ole colander full of saturated seed onto my 9 by 12 dirt area and spread it around with a hand trowel. Should I sprinkle some dirt over top of my seeds once I put them on the ground tomorrow? Or just kind of work them into the soil? I guess I'll figure it out as I go! Thanks for the responses. Any more out there? |
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| If I recall, it should be spread out on a tarp to dry enough for spreading. Also isn't there some type of chemical usually added to enhance germination? |
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- Posted by texas-weed 7A (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 16:49
| Regarding spreading it around. I think I will just dump a big ole colander full of saturated seed onto my 9 by 12 dirt area and spread it around with a hand trowel. Try this as an experiment and see how that works for you. Go to Grocery store, buy a can of course ground coffee or corn grits, soak it in water, then try to broadcast it evenly and report back how it works out for you. |
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- Posted by nearandwest 7 (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 18:28
| When we did it, it was late Fall, and soil temps in north Georgia were too cool for seed germination. We waited until the seed actually germinated in the 85 degree water and then mixed it with Milorganite to seed a couple of golf course putting greens which had been behind scheduled construction. However, in your case, I would go with TW's idea. Just don't use the really good coffee unless you plan on drinking some of it. :) |
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- Posted by debra_boston Zone 5 - Boston (My Page) on Tue, Sep 18, 12 at 8:28
| Hey Texasweed! Yeah, I realize it will be zackly like trying to spread cornmeal mush!!! Yucky, backbreaking and not easy... Wanna come over and help me? Do you think letting it dry off on a tarp will help spreading? How long should I let it dry? Nearandwest - How long did it take for your seed to germinate in the water? Two days? Three? Weren't you afraid if you left it in the water too long that it would die without air and soil? I'd love to be able to hold mine for one more day so DH can help me spread dirt but I was afraid if the seeds germinated in the water, they'd be goners. Our temps here are high seventies during the day and forties at night. I think this is perfect grass seed growing weather for Zone 5 - New England. Plus frequent showers headed our way. That'll help! |
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- Posted by nearandwest 7 (My Page) on Tue, Sep 18, 12 at 9:40
| It took about 5 days for the bentgrass seeds to begin germinating. I kept the seeds in the woven mesh bag in which they were packaged, and the bag was put in the small trash can filled with warm water, which was kept at 85 degrees and circulated constantly. When I saw that the seeds were beginning to germinate, I immediately mixed them with Milorganite, put the mix of Milorganite/Bentgrass in a drop spreader, and seeded the greens. That was in early December, and by the following March those putting greens were catching up quickly with the other putting greens that had been seeded in September. If your seeds germinate in the water and you wait one extra day, it should not be a problem. You will be practicing a principle of hydroponics. |
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| Damn, I used to have an article saved about a greens keeper that used this practice...can't find it. Anyway, I did this a couple of years ago w/ Triangle Bermuda. I used water from a stream instead of chlorinated city water. I added some compost tea too. I let it sit 36 hours then drained it and spread it on a tarp. To spread it, I mixed it with cracked corn. It came in nicely and still looks good today. |
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- Posted by nearandwest 7 (My Page) on Tue, Sep 18, 12 at 21:32
| Lol...was that article about me? I did this at The Farm Golf Club in Dalton, GA. |
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- Posted by debra_boston Zone 5 - Boston (My Page) on Wed, Sep 19, 12 at 10:11
| Oh Wow! We had a big storm last night, and then DH informed me that he didn't think he could help me do the soil spreading until Saturday. If we wait until then, the seeds will have been soaking in water for five days! Arggh! I'm afraid that they may germinate before Sat... Won't they croak if they're in water, but not getting any air? Or maybe they're more like rice, and can really groove on a water solution....LOL Can anyone tell me if I can leave grass seed soaking until Saturday? Yoy! What have I started? I am using Scott's Turf Builder brand grass seed. Contractors All Purpose Mix. BTW, here is the seed composition: 33.20% Keblue Kentucky Bluegrass, 15.77% Divine Perennial Ryegrass, 15.76% Gulf Annual Rygrass, 13.77% Transist 2400 Intermediate Ryegrass, 9.64% Treazure II Chewings Fescue, 9.52% Seabreeze GT Creeping Red Fescue. Man Plans, God Laughs. |
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- Posted by nearandwest 7 (My Page) on Wed, Sep 19, 12 at 16:18
| Consider it as an experiment. By the way, are you going to plant all 20 lbs. of seed in that 100 sq. ft. area? If so, that is an excessive amount of seed for such a small area. |
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- Posted by debra_boston Zone 5 - Boston (My Page) on Wed, Sep 19, 12 at 19:04
| Hi Nearandwest, If you're a greenskeeper, I bet that article was about you and your golf course. You hot ticket! There is the 9x12 area I mentioned, and then there is also the "hell strip" near the sidewalk, about 13" wide and 25 feet long. I may have extra seed, if I do, I will lay it out on an old sheet and let it dry a little. Then I'll let hubby use the dried seed in his broadcaster to reseed the rest of the lawn. Might as well use it, right? Thanks so much for your postings. You have no idea how much it helps to know someone else has been in my shoes and has actually tried this before! I mean, that's what hydroseeding basically is, right? In its essence, I mean. Also, I saw a phone number on the Scott's Seed Bag - Their Consumer Helpline. The number is 1-800-543-TURF (8873). When I called, and explained the whole story, this very nice guy assured me that five days of soaking the seed was gonna be ok. He said if it germinated, it wouldn't die. (I'm sure he meant, if it got planted right after that, not for another day or two.) I guess grass can grow in water? We all know how much water lawns soak up! Anyway, he also said he never heard of anyone doing this before, which kind of surprised me, but he was young.... He prolly has heard of a lot of things! Thanks everyone for all your responses. You're nice! |
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- Posted by nearandwest 7 (My Page) on Wed, Sep 19, 12 at 21:59
| Hi debra boston: I was a greenkeeper (without the "s") for many years, and now I manage multiple golf courses for a high profile private golf community. What I'm seeing is that you have approximately 150 sq.ft. of area to seed (bare area and hell strip), so you have plenty of seed to do those target areas, as well as the rest of your lawn. You're doing great! |
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