[ales_gantar]

Anybody concerned about pH level of peat moss when covering seeds?
It has pH around 4, but I don't know what the efect pf low pH has on seed germination.

The ratio of soil against peat moss is great, but the roots of baby grass are short. Should I put lime pver peat moss?
Should I not worry so much?

 

[social port]

Ales,

That has never occurred to me. Spreading peat moss is a common and highly recommended practice. I would use your peat moss without an ounce of concern --just do not put down more than 1/4 of an inch. You don't want to bury the seeds too much.

 

[ales_gantar]

That's what I thougt.
I asked the lady at the garden center for a sample, and I'll measure the pH mixed with topsoil, and do a germination test in a pot. In my living room.

*sound of my wife calling a divorce attorney in the background*

 

[ericgautier]

Not sure if you have a place to rent a "Peat Moss Spreader", but that helped me tremendously when I did my renovation.

https://youtu.be/TS2MyhTerbk

 

[j4c11]

You can also use grass clippings to cover the seed. Just don't use hay/straw.

 

[social port]

*sound of my wife calling a divorce attorney in the background*

:lol:

Not sure if you have a place to rent a "Peat Moss Spreader", but that helped me tremendously when I did my renovation.

Oooh, good call. I may look into that myself. Earlier this year I thought I would experiment with spreading peat moss with a broadcast spreader. Felt like a prize idiot.

 

[chrismar]

+1 on the roller. I did it the old fashioned way for about 10,000 SF before I wised up.

Old fashioned way:

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36X4dbT85mQ#t=02m50s[/media]
(skip to 2:50 if the embedded video doesn't start at the right spot)

The old fashioned way also gives your legs a nice hue:

Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18

Show Content

 

[GrassDaddy]

As for the PH level - if Peat moss really changed the ph level of the soil, then it would be on a recommendation for soil tests. But it doesn't. It's spread at such a low amount that it has very little effect, if any.

As for spreading peat moss - it's all in the rake. I honestly love this rake for moving peat moss. You just open a bag and it pulls it effortlessly. No wheel barrows, filling rollers, or back aches. A friend let me borrow his for this video, and I liked it so much I shamelessly asked the company to send me one so I could keep using it. And now the local Ace Hardware sells them right on the shelf (I would have bought it in person but at the time it was only through their site, so I figured why not ask and see if they'll send me one lol)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNJ7dpf1KRY

 

[social port]

+1 on the roller. I did it the old fashioned way for about 10,000 SF before I wised up.

Old fashioned way:

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36X4dbT85mQ#t=02m50s[/media]
(skip to 2:50 if the embedded video doesn't start at the right spot)

The old fashioned way also gives your legs a nice hue:

Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18

Show Content

That is a day of serious work.
If you were going to do that again, would you use the seed roller again -- even with the addition of the peat moss? I suppose I am asking if you've found a seed roller to be necessary.

 

[chrismar]

That is a day of serious work.
If you were going to do that again, would you use the seed roller again -- even with the addition of the peat moss? I suppose I am asking if you've found a seed roller to be necessary.

Yup, I would. Whatever it takes to ensure good seed to soil contact. Especially since I wasn't starting with bare dirt. If I were starting with bare dirt I probably wouldn't use the roller.

 

[social port]

As for spreading peat moss - it's all in the rake. I honestly love this rake for moving peat moss. You just open a bag and it pulls it effortlessly. No wheel barrows, filling rollers, or back

It allowed you to spread the peat moss as thickly as you wanted, didn't it? It does take a lot more effort to get a thicker application using the "two hand scoop" method.

 

[ales_gantar]

I saw that clip.
Twice, as it is oddly satisfying.
But as I rememer GrassDaddy, you dropped lime before seeding.

I belive a leaf rake will do just fine.

 

[ales_gantar]

The peat moss spreader I probably can't rent, but I think I could spread it with a drop spreader.

 

[ales_gantar]

I took some soil with which I'll be seeding, dropped in some seed I'll be using and covered it with peat moss, watered, and measured pH. Now we wait.

 

[social port]

​

I took some soil with which I'll be seeding, dropped in some seed I'll be using and covered it with peat moss, watered, and measured pH. Now we wait.

Is that a home testing kit that you are using?

 

[ales_gantar]

Just pH paper.
I don't trust the batery powered pH meter.

​

I took some soil with which I'll be seeding, dropped in some seed I'll be using and covered it with peat moss, watered, and measured pH. Now we wait.

Is that a home testing kit that you are using?

 

[ales_gantar]

D01

 

[ales_gantar]

D02
No sign of life yet.

 

[Vols_fan08]

Can you not put peat moss in a straw blower? You can rent those here locally where I'm at.

 

[ales_gantar]

Not sure what that is.
I suppose one could.

Can you not put peat moss in a straw blower? You can rent those here locally where I'm at.