Q: Contractors put in a new lawn last fall, and they used straw to cover the seed. The grass came up pretty good, but there's still a fair amount of straw. Should I rake it up?
A: Unless there's so much there that it's matting down the new grass, I'd say don't bother. Once the grass gets growing and you start mowing, the straw will get chopped up and end up disappearing into the blades. If the straw has weed seeds in it then they are already in your lawn and removing the straw isnt going to help that much.
I also wouldnt worry to much about the straw removing nitrogen when it rotts. It will also put the same nitrogen back into the soil in a slow release form as well as any Pand K and other nutrients the straw contains. The ony reason to bag the first mowing is to make the appearance better, but if you mulch as you mow the straw will be gone soon enough anyways.
As the microorganisms eat the starch they turn it into a nitrogen source to feed the new grass. Location central virgina, transition, plant hardy zone 7a,. I believe alot depends on how much was applied when lawn seed. The correct amount is 1 to 1. If too much strawwas applied, which usually is the case, I believe it needs to be removed! Good point Tim, you can get to much of a good thing. Location here. Never have removed it and never would. Put on correctly straw decomposes quickly and as mentioned acts as an organic fert.
Raking off the first year tears out and disturbs to many new grass sprouts and if seeded properly should not be seen, and by the second yr its broken down enough that its a waste of time IMO after doing thousands of new lawns. This is said with the thought that it was blown on and not shook by hand. If put down by hand disregard the above.
Location South Bend, IN. Been hand spreading straw over new seed for 30 years, and been selling it for 25 years. Never once removed any straw. You would only achieve cosmetic results by removing straw properly applied timturf's specs above , whether spread by hand or machine.
Old Red LawnSite Member. Location Near, very near, Syracuse, NY. I no longer remove the straw. I have in the past and just felt I was pulling up too much new grass. You must log in or register to reply here. Your mower needs to have sharp blades cutting across dry grass so that the turf is not torn or ripped as it is cut low. Maintaining a 2 or 3 inch height is critical; do not cut the grass lower than this range because invading weeds and heat stress invite pathogens and pests into the newly seeded lawn.
Mowing in varied directions also helps your grass remain upright and properly cut - cutting in one direction each time you mow causes the blades to lay down and compact into the soil.
If you are seeding bare patches within your establish turf, you may mow the grown grass while avoiding the patches altogether. As the new seeds germinate and grow, follow the same timing and height observances to incorporate their cutting into your normal mowing pattern. Eventually, your grass blends together into a cohesive mixture without any sign of the past patches.
Writing professionally since , Amy Rodriguez cultivates successful cacti, succulents, bulbs, carnivorous plants and orchids at home. With an electronics degree and more than 10 years of experience, she applies her love of gadgets to the gardening world as she continues her education through college classes and gardening activities.
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