Planting grass on a slope hack.

[Woodznutz]

I've added needed topsoil to a sloped bank, seeded it, mulched it, and covered it with cheesecloth. The cheesecloth does several things: Keeps the mulch from blowing away or washing away, breaks up the force of heavy rain, and reflects some of the hot western sun. It is held in place by wooden stakes and bricks. I'll remove it in day or two before the new grass becomes tangled in it. I'll dry it out and store it for later use.

The grass that is poking through is fast growing annual ryegrass which acts as a 'nurse crop' for the fescue and bluegrass that will sprout later. This picture was taken 10 days after seeding.

 

[White 6]

I've added needed topsoil to a sloped bank, seeded it, mulched it, and covered it with cheesecloth. The cheesecloth does several things: Keeps the mulch from blowing away or washing away, breaks up the force of heavy rain, and reflects some of the hot western sun. It is held in place by wooden stakes and bricks. I'll remove it in day or two before the new grass become tangled in it. I'll dry it out and store it for later use.View attachment 1016242View attachment 1016244View attachment 1016245

Nice job. Good plan.

 

[Concerned American]

I've added needed topsoil to a sloped bank, seeded it, mulched it, and covered it with cheesecloth. The cheesecloth does several things: Keeps the mulch from blowing away or washing away, breaks up the force of heavy rain, and reflects some of the hot western sun. It is held in place by wooden stakes and bricks. I'll remove it in day or two before the new grass becomes tangled in it. I'll dry it out and store it for later use.View attachment 1016242View attachment 1016244View attachment 1016245

The grass that is poking through is fast growing annual ryegrass which acts as a 'nurse crop' for the fescue and bluegrass that will sprout later. This picture was taken 10 days after seeding.

I have a slope in my yard that is similar and I used a similar tactic. I found a "seeded fabric" at Walmart that contained everything needed to start the grass. Just rolled it out and staked it down. It covered about 200 sq. ft. I watered it 3 times a day until the grass appeared and the fabric dissolved into it. Looks great this year. I don't think it would have been a good economic choice for an area the size you are working with though.

 

[toobfreak]

I've added needed topsoil to a sloped bank, seeded it, mulched it, and covered it with cheesecloth.

I never liked cheesecloth. It pulls too much of the new grass out with it and is seldom reusable. Sometimes I just cover the seed with a thick blanket of powdered peat moss (~ 1/2") or I use a green plastic netting I have. With the peat moss, it needs touched up daily with wind, rain and watering by just broadcasting by hand, but helps condition the soil. The plastic netting can be left on until the grass is pretty thick and well established.

 

[Concerned American]

I never liked cheesecloth. It pulls too much of the new grass out with it and is seldom reusable. Sometimes I just cover the seed with a thick blanket of powdered peat moss (~ 1/2") or I use a green plastic netting I have. With the peat moss, it needs touched up daily with wind, rain and watering by just broadcasting by hand, but helps condition the soil. The plastic netting can be left on until the grass is pretty thick and well established.

Hydroseeding is popular out this way. Sprays on, germinates quickly and makes a great lawn even on steep slopes. They say it is cheaper than sod and quicker than conventional seeding. Seems to be successful in spite of the turkeys in this area as well. I don't think they like to eat it.

Hydroseeding: How to Spray Grass Seed on Your Lawn

Have you ever wondered about hydroseeding? In this article, we’ll discuss what it is and the best applications for this grass seeding option.

lawnlove.com

 

[Moonglow]

Where did you get a Western Sun?

 

[Woodznutz]

I never liked cheesecloth. It pulls too much of the new grass out with it and is seldom reusable. Sometimes I just cover the seed with a thick blanket of powdered peat moss (~ 1/2") or I use a green plastic netting I have. With the peat moss, it needs touched up daily with wind, rain and watering by just broadcasting by hand, but helps condition the soil. The plastic netting can be left on until the grass is pretty thick and well established.

I also have used the plastic netting, but cheesecloth was easier to handle on this particular job. I test the cloth daily to see if it will pull up the grass, so far so good. Actually, the grass is lifting the cloth up in most places.

 

[toobfreak]

Hydroseeding is popular out this way. Sprays on, germinates quickly and makes a great lawn even on steep slopes.

Yeah, I've looked at those things and the problem I always saw is that besides being expensive for the amount of area they cover, and the difficulty in treating small, irregular areas, once you turn the thing on, you are committed to using up the whole thing.

 

[toobfreak]

I also have used the plastic netting, but cheesecloth was easier to handle on this particular job. I test the cloth daily to see if it will pull up the grass, so far so good. Actually, the grass is lifting the cloth up in most places.

I tend to over-seed so that it usually isn't a problem to lose a little. I find I like a lot more grass planted than most manufacturers recommend (which they mainly do so to exaggerate the coverage of their product), but over-seeding has the advantage of keeping the soil moist longer while leaving less room for weed seeds to get in there as well.

 

[Woodznutz]

I tend to over-seed so that it usually isn't a problem to lose a little. I find I like a lot more grass planted than most manufacturers recommend (which they mainly do so to exaggerate the coverage of their product), but over-seeding has the advantage of keeping the soil moist longer while leaving less room for weed seeds to get in there as well.

I'm also pretty generous with seeding.

 

[Concerned American]

I'm also pretty generous with seeding.

My problem is with wild turkeys. I put the seed down and for the next week I either have to spend all my time in the yard barking at turkeys, open season on them or watch them eat all the seed that I put down. They are a REAL problem here.

 

[Woodznutz]

My problem is with wild turkeys. I put the seed down and for the next week I either have to spend all my time in the yard barking at turkeys, open season on them or watch them eat all the seed that I put down. They are a REAL problem here.

I've had problems in the past with doves eating the seeds, but a good layer of straw mulch cured that. I didn't used to mulch small patches, now I do.

 

[Concerned American]

I've had problems in the past with doves eating the seeds, but a good layer of straw mulch cured that. I didn't used to mulch small patches, now I do.

I don't think mulch would deter these vermin. They will dig up your yard looking for grubs as well. It's nuts when you wake up to the sound twenty or more turkeys digging up your yard.

 

[Woodznutz]

Where did you get a Western Sun?

Late afternoon. By then everything is already pretty hot. The slope I'm seeding faces west, dries out fast even with mulch.

 

[Concerned American]

I've had problems in the past with doves eating the seeds, but a good layer of straw mulch cured that. I didn't used to mulch small patches, now I do.

I think I am going to try a trick some long time locals have told me about. Snow seeding. Seems they seed after the first snow and just before another. The seed is hidden from the turkeys and lies dormant through the winter. Germinates in the spring before the spring hatch.

 

[Woodznutz]

I think I am going to try a trick some long time locals have told me about. Snow seeding. Seems they seed after the first snow and just before another. The seed is hidden from the turkeys and lies dormant through the winter. Germinates in the spring before the spring hatch.

Grass is pretty amazing. It might not sprout when you want it to but sooner or later it'll pop up. I sprinkled some leftover seed on a fairly large bare area without preparing the soil at all. Not expecting anything I forgot about it. Two seasons later (or was it three) I had a thick stand of lush grass there. Just goes to show ya.

 

[para bellum]

I've had problems in the past with doves eating the seeds, but a good layer of straw mulch cured that. I didn't used to mulch small patches, now I do.

+1 on the straw. I put in about 1/2 acre of lawn last year and added another section about 1/3 that size this summer. Straw is cheap, it makes it harder for the birds to get to the seed, and soaks up water so the soil doesn't dry out so fast in the daytime sun. I seeded in the hottest part of the summer, watered it in the evenings, and the grass is pretty well established now.

 

[Woodznutz]

Update on seeding. Had to water several times daily as we had little to no rain for months. Grass came up but is thin and spotty. Next spring I will over-seed and top-dress with compost. The topsoil I bought wasn't the best either.

 

[toobfreak]

Update on seeding. Had to water several times daily as we had little to no rain for months. Grass came up but is thin and spotty. Next spring I will top-dress with compost and overseed. The topsoil I bought wasn't the best either

Looks like it was starved for nitrogen and/or the soil was too heavy in clay and not arable enough.

 

[Woodznutz]

Looks like it was starved for nitrogen and/or the soil was too heavy in clay and not arable enough.

The slope faces west and is baked by the sun. I bought extra soil from a usually good source but the stuff I got was not very good. The 'subsoil' is gravel. Winter freezing will help as it tends to make soil more friable. It'll work out well with some amendments and overseeding.