Since the most common turf grass seeds take anywhere from five to 30 days to germinate, many homeowners attempt to cover their seeds to protect them from hungry birds. Straw is a less than ideal choice for the job because it brings along plenty of weed seeds, according to Scotts MiracleGro. Natural alternatives are available to avoid this disadvantage.
Biodegradable Seedling Mats
Handy germination mats are manufactured specifically for this purpose, and many are made from biodegradable materials, like dried grass. The University of Illinois Extension recommends this type of covering, because it preserves moisture to aid germination while keeping birds away. Since the natural materials break down as the plants grow, there is no mat or netting to remove later. There is no risk of strange seeds hitching a ride to your lawn, since the mats are designed to be safe for lawn and garden use.
A Light Sprinkle of Soil
Homeowners often avoid using straw to protect seedlings because they are overseeding an existing lawn and don't want to smother it. In this case, a little loose top soil or bagged lawn soil may work best to hide the seeds. Plain soil from the yard or garden may have seeds mixed in that cause weeds to fill the lawn. Bagged soil has been screened to avoid clumping, and heat treated to kill any hidden weed seeds.
If you want to use a different kind of neutral organic material to cover the seeds, try compost. According to Nick's Garden Center and Farm Market, well-decomposed compost is just fine for protecting grass seed from birds if you keep the cover light enough. A layer of 1/4-inch of soil or compost works best. Homemade compost will need to reach at least 140 degrees F during the process to be reliably free from weed seeds and disease.
There are other ways to keep scavenging birds away, in addition to a protective layer of organic material. Colorful reflective tapes that twist in the breeze can scare them away, according to Nature's Finest Seeds. The tape should be suspended just a few feet above the ground on stakes and removed when the lawn is established. Netting also can help, but again it must hang just above the ground, so birds can't simply hop underneath it to eat the seed.
- University of California IPM Online: Grass Seed Germination Rates
- Scotts MiracleGro: The Questions People Ask Most About Grass Seed
- University of Illinois Extension: Re-seeding Protection From Animals
- Nick's Garden Center and Farm Market: Overseeding Your Lawn
- Texas A&M Agrilife Extension: Composting to Kill Weed Seeds
- Nature's Finest Seeds: Birds Keep Eating the Seeds
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