Alternative to Straw for Grass Seed

Mulch Options

• Cover the area of freshly planted grass seed with 1/4 to 1/2 inch depth of sphagnum peat moss. A 1 cubic foot bale will cover 48 square feet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Use a combination of 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 top soil for a heavier mulch. Apply 1 cubic foot per 50 square feet to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Mulch with a fine-screened compost or weed-free cow manure to add natural nutrients to the soil. Use 1 cubic foot of compost or manure per 50 square feet to cover to a depth of about 1/4 inch. All of these options provide plenty of protection from the drying sun, birds, and wind. There is no need to rake up and dispose of the mulch after the grass has grown. It will eventually work its way into the soil providing aeration for plant roots and improving heavy or sandy soil. Spread the mulch by shoveling or wheelbarrowing it onto the seeded area and spreading it evenly using the back side of a dirt rake. Do not use the side with the tines to spread the mulch. This will displace the seeds.

Combination Mulch

• Use an all-in-one starter fertilizer seeding mulch. There are several mulches of this type on the market. They consist of a paper mulch combined with a seed starter fertilizer. Some of them already have the grass seed mixed in as well. The use of an all-in-one mulch will eliminate the need to apply a starter fertilizer, and seed if you purchase the kind with the seed already mixed in, separately. The paper mulch will biodegrade naturally and dissolve into the soil over time. Follow manufacturer instructions on how much to put down and how best to spread the mixture.