Grass growing from Straw in garden
michelelc
14 years ago
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iam3killerbs
14 years agolsst
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Going to scream over straw grass
Comments (17)yep straw often has seed in it, but it is from the left over rain on the straw so won't be grass, more likely wheat? all you need do is pull it and tuck it under for extra nutrient, the straw is a brown. we sue spoilt hay mulches grass hay or lucerne hey, never had seeds germinate from that, have used straw but too expensive here any growths we get like i said pull and tuck under, i let some grow one time they died off and they don't perpetuate. also lay mulch at least 6"s thick, so go to cover the whole garden. our latest gardens are covered with slashed grass, not much of an issue with what pops up we simply pull it as above. treat everything as an advantage. len...See MoreMulch with straw, pine needles, grass
Comments (4)I've used very thin layers of completely DRIED grass for years with out it heating up. They're perfect for square foot gardening boxes or even lightly in containers. If you use your own clippings you'll know they're herbicide free. Dry them out on a tarp on nice days & cover up at night so no dew forms. When they're light brown and smell like hay you can use them without getting slimy in the garden. I often dry the clippings from our first mowings of the year because the lawn is very green & healthy then and store until the soil is warmer in later spring. If I wait until summer to mow the lawn isn't as lush and green, so the clippings aren't as nitrogen rich. Plus if I mulch too early on the soil stays too cool, so I wait. Sometimes, our grass has gone to seed, but isn't ripe, so no seedlings sprout. If you had brown grass heads you might get reseeding. I take out a few handfuls & put in a bucket to carry to the garden to spread about a tablespoon at a time with 2 fingers around, but not touching the stems of young plants. Be sure there are no lumps or clumps, just a LIGHT layer that overlaps. I add more about every few weeks as needed to keep the soil covered and moist. As the plants grow you'll know when you need more. I use my finger or a chopstick stuck in the soil to check the moisture below. By mid-summer when we've had no rain for a month I've built up thick layers that no weeds can penetrate and the soil stays nice underneath. Larger plants get more, but make sure THIN layers of dry grass at a time. Probably still no more than a half inch at a time. Don't ever add green clippings on top unless you're very careful to sprinkle little bits like teaspoons of them VERY THINLY during warm dry weather to dry in place. The dry grass doesn't attract slugs more than other mulch, but I do use iron phosphate baits & patrol for slugs with a stick or shovel and soapy bucket handy. For tomatoes and large zucchini plants I prefer to use an older bale of straw that clumps together and I can pull off sheets of straw to place side by side. Grass clippings fill in the gaps. New straw is a bit slippery for walking upon, but also works if that's what you have. I haven't yet mulched our boxes because we've had 2 weeks of dry weather until yesterday. Today it's raining non-stop soaking everything nicely, so I only went out for slug duty this morning and dodged puddles in the driveway. The forecast is for rain until Friday, so when there is a break I'm going to jump on it to get the mulch applied. I have 2 trash cans full still from last year, so have plenty. Also be sure to water gently so you don't move your mulch layer. Mulch goes over the soaker hoses. Spread after watering or a rain to keep moisture in. Once dried out it's hard to rewet the soil when you have that mulch layer. We have dry summers, so mulch really reduces the watering needs and keeps our lettuces tasty....See MoreHow to weed grass that sprouted from straw mulch?
Comments (7)It's not unusual at all for older combines to leave grain that is later picked up by the baler collecting the straw. If you have weird weather in the spring, it's also not unusual for a crop to sprout at different times, leaving the farmer with half a crop in the bin and half left in the field, no matter when he chooses to harvest or how new and efficient his equipment. Sometimes grain is left in the straw and there's nothing you can do about it. The good news is that if it is wheat, oats or barley, it's an annual crop - not a perennial weed that's going to haunt your dreams for years to come. All you have to do is chop it off low down with some hedge trimmers (or something similar). It won't grow back. Just don't let it go to seed. I really, really doubt it's grass. You said when you try to weed it, it's brittle and breaks easily. That sounds like young grain plants to me. You're probably thinking it's grass because all of the grains Dave mentioned do indeed look like grass when they're young. I personally wouldn't add more of the same straw because you're just adding more seeds. Just pull or chop....See MoreI want to grow potatoes in straw help
Comments (3)It's the easiest thing to do. Sprinkle some bone meal over the ground, set your potato seed pieces 12"-18" apart in all directions and cover with at least 18" of loose hay or straw. Grass will not grow through that deep of a mulch in any amount. The mulch will mat down to about 10" - 12". When the vines grow through, add a few more inches of mulch. It's that easy! Ron The Garden Guy www.TheGardenGuy.com...See Moremichelelc
14 years agodigdirt2
14 years agolunatoo
14 years agoshawnann
14 years agomichelelc
14 years agoEllie Brand
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years agoHU-872588551
4 years agobeesneeds
4 years agostevie
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agostevie
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agobeesneeds
4 years agodaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoLynn Marzoni
3 years ago
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