sprouting grass seed before sowing
 

I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over a
period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that you get
the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this apparently keeps the
birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

Anyone tried this?

Ken Cohen

In message , ken cohen
writes
I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over a
period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that you get
the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this apparently keeps the
birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

Anyone tried this?

Ken Cohen
Yes, it's called pre-germinating but don't soak it. Lay it out in a flat
tray and spray it lightly with water until just damp. Cover and leave
it, spraying just enough to keep it damp, for 2 or 3 days. It will then
start to sprout, taking on a slightly green hue. If you leave it too
long the shoots will begin to intertwine and it will be useless.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting

On 2/4/05 15:07, in article ,
"ken cohen" wrote:

I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over a
period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that you get
the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this apparently keeps the
birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

My husband's method is to sow grass seed in a bag of compost and loosely
roll over the edge of the bag. Naturally, you will choose the quantity of
compost/seed according to your needs.
Once the seed has germinated, scatter it where needed. That's it. He was
taught this many years ago by ye olde gardner and has taught it to many
others. It seems never to fail.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Sacha wrote:
:: On 2/4/05 15:07, in article
:: , "ken cohen"
:: wrote:
::
::: I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over
::: a period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that
::: you get the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this
::: apparently keeps the birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and
::: growth.
:::
:: My husband's method is to sow grass seed in a bag of compost and
:: loosely roll over the edge of the bag. Naturally, you will choose
:: the quantity of compost/seed according to your needs.
:: Once the seed has germinated, scatter it where needed. That's it.
:: He was taught this many years ago by ye olde gardner and has
:: taught it to many others. It seems never to fail.

I can't fathom what your talking about...sow the seed into the bag? - and
then roll what over the bag?...what's being acheived here?


--
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.
They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country
and our people, and neither do we."
- George W. Bush, 5.8.2004

On 3/4/05 0:31, in article ,
"Phil L" wrote:

Sacha wrote:
:: On 2/4/05 15:07, in article
:: , "ken cohen"
:: wrote:
::
::: I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over
::: a period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that
::: you get the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this
::: apparently keeps the birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and
::: growth.
:::
:: My husband's method is to sow grass seed in a bag of compost and
:: loosely roll over the edge of the bag. Naturally, you will choose
:: the quantity of compost/seed according to your needs.
:: Once the seed has germinated, scatter it where needed. That's it.
:: He was taught this many years ago by ye olde gardner and has
:: taught it to many others. It seems never to fail.

I can't fathom what your talking about...sow the seed into the bag? - and
then roll what over the bag?...what's being acheived here?

I'll try again. Take a bag of compost with just as much compost in it as
will cover the area you wish to sow. Put grass seed into that bag of
compost and mix thoroughly by hand. Loosely fold shut the bag of compost.
Wait for germination. Sow.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

I'll try again. Take a bag of compost with just as much compost in it as
will cover the area you wish to sow. Put grass seed into that bag of
compost and mix thoroughly by hand. Loosely fold shut the bag of compost.
Wait for germination. Sow.

An interesting idea, I will try it. Thankyou

Henry

I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over a
period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that you get
the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this apparently keeps the
birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

Anyone tried this?

Ken Cohen

I tried this few years back, and kept the seed damp until just prior
to the seed sprouting. Damp but not wet, and keep warmish.

The problem then was that as the seed was damp it stuck together, and
you could not sow it. I then mixed it with dry sand, in a plastic bag,
and shook it about gently. This then dried the seed sufficient, for it
to not stick together.

I then broadcast sowed the sand and the seed, into a racked seed bed.

Worked fine but a bit fiddly, good for small areas, but not football
fields.

On 3/4/05 2:03 am, in article , "Henry"
wrote:


I'll try again. Take a bag of compost with just as much compost in it as
will cover the area you wish to sow. Put grass seed into that bag of
compost and mix thoroughly by hand. Loosely fold shut the bag of compost.
Wait for germination. Sow.

An interesting idea, I will try it. Thankyou

Hope it works for you. Ray uses it here all the time and has even helped
out personal friends who are the curators or gardeners at e.g. NT
properties! It gets the seed off to a good start, obviously and makes it
less attractive to the dear little birdies!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 08:28:06 GMT, gray wrote:


I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over a
period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that you get
the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this apparently keeps the
birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

Anyone tried this?

Ken Cohen

I tried this few years back, and kept the seed damp until just prior
to the seed sprouting. Damp but not wet, and keep warmish.

The problem then was that as the seed was damp it stuck together, and
you could not sow it. I then mixed it with dry sand, in a plastic bag,
and shook it about gently. This then dried the seed sufficient, for it
to not stick together.

I then broadcast sowed the sand and the seed, into a racked seed bed.

Worked fine but a bit fiddly, good for small areas, but not football
fields.

Why the hassle? Grass seed germinates when it is just sown, period. I
have seen it done, and have done it myself, too many times to know how
this works, as if by magic. Seems like some people just have an urge
to make life harder than it really is.

MM

MM wrote in message

Why the hassle? Grass seed germinates when it is just sown, period. I
have seen it done, and have done it myself, too many times to know how
this works, as if by magic. Seems like some people just have an urge
to make life harder than it really is.


I think the attraction of the idea is not having to worry about the
birds. Last year, most of my grass seed definitely disappeared that
way after being sown direct. And netting is a nuisance.

Ken Cohen

On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 09:54:02 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 3/4/05 2:03 am, in article , "Henry"
wrote:


I'll try again. Take a bag of compost with just as much compost in it as
will cover the area you wish to sow. Put grass seed into that bag of
compost and mix thoroughly by hand. Loosely fold shut the bag of compost.
Wait for germination. Sow.

An interesting idea, I will try it. Thankyou

Hope it works for you. Ray uses it here all the time and has even helped
out personal friends who are the curators or gardeners at e.g. NT
properties! It gets the seed off to a good start, obviously and makes it
less attractive to the dear little birdies!

That's a great idea, I'll use it to re-sow a few patches that developed
over the winter.
We have loads of birds and I have a terrible time keeping them off fresh
seed.
--
Tim C.

On 4 Apr 2005 11:22:31 -0700, (ken cohen)
wrote:

MM wrote in message

Why the hassle? Grass seed germinates when it is just sown, period. I
have seen it done, and have done it myself, too many times to know how
this works, as if by magic. Seems like some people just have an urge
to make life harder than it really is.


I think the attraction of the idea is not having to worry about the
birds. Last year, most of my grass seed definitely disappeared that
way after being sown direct. And netting is a nuisance.

Isn't it possible to buy grass seed that contains a bird deterrent?

I'm about to sow my brand-new lawn with cheapo seed from Wilkinson -
the sort that you bag yourself - and having done it before in Bucks
with excellent results I hope this time, too, to have a lawn within a
couple of years. We'll just have to see whether the birds are a
problem up here in the Fens.

MM

In article , Sacha
writes
On 2/4/05 15:07, in article ,
"ken cohen" wrote:

I read somewhere that it's best to soak and rinse grass seed over a
period of days (I forget how long for), the idea being that you get
the seed to sprout a bit before you sow, and this apparently keeps the
birds off it, and promotes rapid rooting and growth.

My husband's method is to sow grass seed in a bag of compost and loosely
roll over the edge of the bag. Naturally, you will choose the quantity of
compost/seed according to your needs.
Once the seed has germinated, scatter it where needed. That's it. He was
taught this many years ago by ye olde gardner and has taught it to many
others. It seems never to fail.


You can also do it with vermiculite Sacha.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk