Anyone just throw seed down without putting anything on top?

I’ve had to rely on gardeners for years because of a bad back. Growing up, we always put down manure when we seeded winter rye (zone 9, hard soil, Bermuda in the summer that goes dormant). My dad and uncle always did it that way, and so did I. Now, I’m on my third gardener, and my wife says I can’t fire any more of them. They all just throw the seed down without putting anything on top.

Yesterday, I paid $200 to get winter rye seed spread on about 1800 sq ft. I didn’t think twice until later and realized I could’ve done it myself, even with my back brace, using a spreader. What annoys me is they want extra if I want manure. They seeded yesterday, the sprinklers ran, and now there are bare spots where the water washed the seed away. Is that because they didn’t put manure down, or is there another reason? Am I wrong for thinking you should always put something on top to help it stay?

It’s still in the 90s, and manure would help keep it moist. I’m not paying another $100, though, so I’ll just text the guy weekly to seed more. If you all say I’m wrong, I’ll stop complaining. But if I’m right… I’m telling my wife!

Next year, after my surgery recovery, I’m going to seed the yard myself with a cigar and cocktail in hand.

@Drew
does-anyone-throw-down-seed-and-not-put-manure-or-something-v0-xl81aw2uj1ud1

@Drew
For a moment, I thought I posted this myself.

Cody said:
@Drew
For a moment, I thought I posted this myself.

Haha!

Honestly, you seem pretty frustrated. You knew how big your yard was and agreed to the price. Saying you got ripped off just because of that doesn’t seem fair. Maybe just communicate better next time to avoid these issues.

As for throwing seed down without covering it, sure you can do that, but germination might not be great. It’s late in the season too. With 1800 sq ft, it wouldn’t take much to put down some topsoil, and you’d get better results. I suggest you spend a little extra time next season and do it yourself in the morning with some coffee.

@Dakota
Yeah, I know it was my fault for getting ripped off. What gets me mad is them wanting more money for manure. Some areas might germinate if there’s enough summer grass, but it’s not sprouting on the concrete.

Part of my frustration is this being the third gardener I’ve dealt with who won’t do what I ask. I even handled all the sprinklers myself before, and all I ever wanted was for them to lay manure. I started wondering if I was the crazy one. Doesn’t mean I’m not crazy, just not wrong this time.

Could be worse though. My neighbor’s gardener keeps breaking their sprinklers and leaving them unfixed for days. Once, before surgery, I felt bad for them and fixed one myself. The other night, I noticed their sprinklers were busted again. I left a note. The next day, the wife thanked me, but said they told the gardener he’d fix it… next time. I mean, really? Almost a week later? But they’re a young couple, and I think the husband travels a lot for work.

@Sky
Yeah, depending on someone else for stuff like this sucks. Maybe ask someone to use a slit seeder, but then your sprinklers might get trashed too.

The seed needs good contact with the soil. Either rolled in (though that can compress it too much), or covered with topsoil or a slit seeder.

Otherwise, germination won’t be great. But if the ground is prepped well, like aerated or dethatched, that’s different.

Yeah, I do. I throw down a heavy layer of seed and just water twice a day for 30-45 minutes, depending on the heat, for about 3-4 weeks. I’ve revived a few lawns this way. Believe it or not, even dead grass works as a good base, keeps the seed from washing away, and has other benefits.

I just toss the seed down and go with it.

I tried it that way, and the results were about as bad as you’d expect. You get some grass, but mostly you’re feeding the local critters.

Val said:
I tried it that way, and the results were about as bad as you’d expect. You get some grass, but mostly you’re feeding the local critters.

Haha, I probably just paid to feed a ton of birds. Do squirrels eat lawn seed? At least my dogs would have something to chase.

The ground here isn’t prepped at all, and it’s packed solid in the bare spots.

@Sky
I used to not care about squirrels and chipmunks. Now, I can’t stand them and wish they didn’t exist.

Lots of people do it like that. And a lot of photos with poor germination show the results of not covering the seed. Your germination rate goes up 75% if you pre-germinate and cover the seed with topsoil.

Eren said:
@Zion
75%? :joy:

100% of the time!

Eren said:
@Zion
75%? :joy:

Yep, if you’ve been following this forum, you’ll see tons of photos where guys only get 25% or less of their seed to germinate because they just threw it on the ground and hoped for the best. If you pre-germinate and cover it with topsoil, you’ll see close to 100% germination.