# Grass Seed over Snow???



## Giles (Jan 25, 2010)

Anybody recommend broadcasting grass seed over snow. I have heard of this but never tried it. 
Seems like a good procedure since the snow is fresh and one could see where and how the seeds are placed.


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

I think you would be wasting your time and money. Grass seed needs 'intimate' contact with the soil to germinate, root, and survive.


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## Giles (Jan 25, 2010)

GardenConcepts said:


> I think you would be wasting your time and money. Grass seed needs 'intimate' contact with the soil to germinate, root, and survive.


Yes, I realise that, but I live in N.W. Alabama and snow here usually only last a few days.
When the snow melts, the ground will be "rotten" and he seed should penetrate the soil.
I have never tried it but some say they got good results. 
The ground is almost bare from clearing small trees and my plan was to mix some rye grass seed with fescue and the rye grass should come up for winter coverage.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,... Go ahead, 'n try it,...

I'd think you'll be feeding the birds, more than seeding a lawn though...


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> I'd think you'll be feeding the birds, more than seeding a lawn though...


Got to agree!

Having said that, I have seeded over frost-heaved soil and gotten fairly good results. Consider that the soil is puffed up from the frost so if you sow seed on top of that the seed will work down into the frost cracks when it melts. Works better in the transition zone where the soil freezing is a temporary from a cold spell followed by some warmer weather while still in fall/ early winter. Just remember to always use straw on top.


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

yea, when i read the title of the thread my first thought was "bird food"

That being said, I've often heard that it's good to put seed down right before a snow. The theory is that the snow will protect it from birds, and as the snow starts meltinging into the moist soil below it will help drive the seed into the soil. Never tried it myself, but have heard it from several people over the years


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## TomB (Nov 16, 2010)

Most likely it will end up as bird food, but I suppose it depends on how much snow is there, is more snow expected, is the snow melting quickly...? I'd say give it a shot and see what happens. It's an interesting experiment if nothing else.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

Giles said:


> Yes, I realise that, but I live in N.W. Alabama and snow here usually only last a few days.
> When the snow melts, the ground will be "rotten" and he seed should penetrate the soil.
> I have never tried it but some say they got good results.
> The ground is almost bare from clearing small trees and my plan was to mix some rye grass seed with fescue and the rye grass should come up for winter coverage.


It's kind of a long shot, but it could work. And if the grass seed is on top of the snow, hungry birds are certainly going to get some of it.

The bottom line is - as you know - that grass seed has to have moisture to germinate, and contact with the soil to grow. If everything came together right, the "grass seed on snow" thing could work.

I'd be more inclined to think that grass seed sown - with a little dirt on top - before it snows, would be ideal.


The bottom line is that grass seed needs a good moist seed bed - for several weeks - to germinate. How you achieve that is up for grabs.


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## Tom Struble (Dec 29, 2008)

the other thing it needs is adequate temps to germinate or it will likely just rot


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

I say do it. Squirrels love it at this time of year.:laughing:


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## oberkc (Dec 3, 2009)

I do winter seeding every year. Frost heave tends to work the seed into the soil, so I understand. I don't know how well that would work in the warmer parts of our country, but it seems to work well in Ohio.


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## STL B. (Oct 29, 2010)

Theres a weekend plant/landscape show on am radio here in St.Louis and the host said recently that it is a waste of seed as the temps are to low to germinate and the seed just rots. But it could work in AL. what are your average temps there in winter?


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## Giles (Jan 25, 2010)

STL B. said:


> Theres a weekend plant/landscape show on am radio here in St.Louis and the host said recently that it is a waste of seed as the temps are to low to germinate and the seed just rots. But it could work in AL. what are your average temps there in winter?


My main plan was to broadcast rye grass seed. I believe it will come up when temperature is between 40 and 60 for a few days.
From all the replyes I received here and other sites, I decided to wait until just before a predicted snow. I may have missed my chance since we may not get another.
Guess I'll just wait for spring and broadcast lawn seed.


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## Handy Vinny (Jun 18, 2010)

downunder said:


> Got to agree!
> 
> Having said that, I have seeded over frost-heaved soil and gotten fairly good results. Consider that the soil is puffed up from the frost so if you sow seed on top of that the seed will work down into the frost cracks when it melts. Works better in the transition zone where the soil freezing is a temporary from a cold spell followed by some warmer weather while still in fall/ early winter. Just remember to always use straw on top.


Again with the straw? 

OP, be wary of this practice. 

Thank you.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

There is a difference between a bale of hay and a bale of straw. - just wait a month or two and see the difference.

Why the hurry to seed grass as soon as possible? Seed it when the conditions are proper and it will be where you put it in and it will explode with minimal cost and problems. - Get out the mower when it is 3" high (it may be overnight in some places).

I do spread fertilizer in the early spring when there is snow cover, but that takes time to dissolve, be absorbed and work.

Dick


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## Digger5503 (Jan 21, 2011)

the way to do it is seed right before a snow as the snow melts and the ground is soggy it will push the seed into the ground. Also being covered by snow keeps the birds from eating it. The reverse seeding on time of snow would be a winter blessig for the birds and the seed would be displaced as the snow does not melt evenly most of the time.


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## LawnRanger (Oct 22, 2010)

Dick's right, the rye will come up quickly when the conditions are right (anything above freezing). But why put out a temporarary lawn? Sow fescue in the fall and don't worry about the snow, it only helps.


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## cep89 (Jan 11, 2011)

Do you have some special seed? What I have seen is seed needs the ground to be 70 degrees to germinate.


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## LawnRanger (Oct 22, 2010)

There's no special, heat generating seed out there that I know of. We're playing the odds and always trying to make progress with our lawns. Perfect growing conditions yield the best results, but less than perfect conditions can still produce an improvement. Keep stepping in the right direction and we'll get there. 

The fescue seed I mentioned in an earlier post will need temperatures in the 50s and 60s to do well. Anything colder than that reduces your choice to rye grass seeds. Here in Atlanta, we call it "winter rye" because it will die off in the warmer months.


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## Plump (Feb 10, 2011)

Your germination rate will be much lower than a spring or fall application but as has been stated in other places, the winter freeze-thaw help to fracture the soil and will definitely get seed-soil contact going. You may want to wait, aerate, and then seed. That's the best way to get the seed-soil contact the it needs and your germination will be worth the money spent on seed.


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## obama6493 (Feb 24, 2011)

downunder said:


> Got to agree!
> 
> Having said that, I have seeded over frost-heaved soil and gotten fairly good results. Consider that the soil is puffed up from the frost so if you sow seed on top of that the seed will work down into the frost cracks when it melts. Works better in the transition zone where the soil freezing is a temporary from a cold spell followed by some warmer weather while still in fall/ early winter. Just remember to always use straw on top.


yea, when i read the title of the thread my first thought was "bird food"

That being said, I've often heard that it's good to put seed down right before a snow. The theory is that the snow will protect it from birds, and as the snow starts melting into the moist soil below it will help drive the seed into the soil. Never tried it myself, but have heard it from several people over the years
_____________


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## teamcampreder (Jul 23, 2011)

I seeded a new area (used to be the prior owners poorly maintained planter) on Thursday and overseeded my whole property. Woke up this morning to some unexpected snow and was freaking out, thinking I wasted all my time because the frost would kill it. In reading this, sounds like some March 31st snow that will definitely melt soon is about as good as its going to get for new seed. Woohoo!

Just so I am clear, a short cold spell like CT is getting today (http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Windsor+CT+06095) is not going to kill brand new seed, right?

Glad I searched before I posted


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

I've learned to wait till at least the end of May before doing anything yard related. Too many times we get a nice stretch of nice days and makes us think summer is here. You might be ok though, but it's still early to tell what other type of winter storm type weather is around the corner.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

teamcampreder said:


> I seeded a new area (used to be the prior owners poorly maintained planter) on Thursday and overseeded my whole property. Woke up this morning to some unexpected snow and was freaking out, thinking I wasted all my time because the frost would kill it. In reading this, sounds like some March 31st snow that will definitely melt soon is about as good as its going to get for new seed. Woohoo!
> 
> Just so I am clear, a short cold spell like CT is getting today (http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Windsor+CT+06095) is not going to kill brand new seed, right?
> 
> Glad I searched before I posted


A nice wet, late season snow will do absolutely no damage to grass seed. In fact, it will be good for it.

On the other hand, sub-freezing cold can damage grass and other plants that are already up.


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