Little trick to get grass to sprout quicker

[Wild Turkey]

Wash the seed before planting it.

I know, sounds a bit strange, but I learned it from my dad and granddad, both farmers in the Texas Panhandle where getting seeds sprouted quicker could meant the difference between a crop and "wait til next year"
 

With grass seed it works best if it comes in a woven bag.  Open the top, take a hose and start running water into the seed.  As the seed gets wet the water will start coming out of the bag.  Push the hose down into the bottom to make sure you get all of the seed wet.  Once you've gotten it all rinsed (just a few minutes) you can turn the water off and let it drain.  Watch the water for the black enzyme to start flushing out.

I just did it in a plastic trash bin.  Made sure it was all floating, pushed it down two or three times, then began to sling the wet seed across the bare patch of my (hopefully) lawn.

The water left in the bin had some black gunk in it -- that's the enzyme you're trying to get off the seed.  It inhibits the sprouting until it's been dissolved by moisture.  Since it will either rain or I'll run the sprinkler I don't need to wait for the enzyme to let the seed sprout.    

Now I'm going to rake the bare spot to scatter the seed a little more and get good soil contact and hopefully see some nice green grass in a few days.

Just in time to start mowing it for the summer.

Seems kinda dumb when you look at it that way


Note: if you let it drain for a while it will still go through a spreader. Letting it drain and maybe mixing it a little will keep it from sprouting in the bag.

[Turner52]

I always soak bean and pea seed before planting. Does make a significant difference. Put in a container add water and let sit overnight. They do absorb a lot of water.

[Cooler]

One year I put down manure in the spring.  Never again. I had to mow the lawn twice a week instead of once a week.  But the grass grew fast.  

I've heard that pre-soaking seeds hastens germination, but how do you spread the seed.  It certainly would not spread in my spreader if it were wet.

[crokett™]

I've heard that pre-soaking seeds hastens germination, but how do you spread the seed.  It certainly would not spread in my spreader if it were wet.

rent a hyro seeder?

[CLETUS]

 

I've heard that pre-soaking seeds hastens germination

Yeah, getting a 1/4" of rain via the clouds or a sprinkler does the same thing as pre soaking.

[Wild Turkey]

I've heard that pre-soaking seeds hastens germination, but how do you spread the seed.  It certainly would not spread in my spreader if it were wet.

As I mentioned drain the seed well and wait a while. 

I use my spreader the next day with no problem.

[Stwood_]

I sow grass seeds in the last snow.

[Robert Adams]

I wish I lived somewhere that I could grow (good grass) grass from seed. Here in TX the only varieties that grow decently are all sterile and have to be sodded. The only grass that you can grow from seed here are poor varieties of Bermuda not the good as they are sterile. We are in an odd area where cool weather grasses don't grow well and hot weather grasses like crabgrass AKA St Augustine tend to die off in freezes and drought. If someone could develop a variety of KBG that grows here they will be a billionaire and a hero.