Will putting peat moss over grass seed bury it too deep?
Adding a top layer like peat moss when seeds are already raked in can bury them too deep to germinate successfully. This leaves homeowners second-guessing their prep work out of fear that extra coverage will ruin the lawn before it even starts.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Will putting peat moss over grass seed bury it too deep?
- 1Raking the seeds directly into the soilDid this help you?
- 2Using straw, compost, or mulch instead of peat mossDid this help you?
- 3Leaving the seeds uncovered and relying on moisture and a fake owl for birdsDid this help you?
- 4Waiting a few more days for the storm to passDid this help you?
- 5Top dressing or raking in seeds to minimize the impact of strong wind and heavy rainDid this help you?
- 6Waiting for the existing grass to thicken and fill in, or applying more seed immediately.Did this help you?
- 7mowing anyway with a sharp bladeDid this help you?
- 8lifting the mower wheels when going over new seed spots and avoiding turning sharply on themDid this help you?
- 9over seeding and lightly top dressing the areasDid this help you?
- 10waiting to see if the grass fills in on its ownDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Would an additional 1/4 inch of peat moss bury the seed too deep, considering that half the seed is already a 1/4 deep from raking in?”source ↗
“Would you recommend adding more seed to the clearly bare areas? Or should I wait till after my first cut to do so?”source ↗
“there are these patches of old grass which appears to be dead but is actually sprouting new grass shoots from its root. Do I just leave nature to do its it thing or is it worth over seeding and lightly top dressing these areas?”source ↗
“I'm nervous about missing it since I already have the seed, but maybe better to wait”source ↗
“It definitely needs a mow, however I don’t want to set back or damage any of the new seed.”source ↗
“Honestly I’m probably more worried about the over seeding in the mature spots, in case it hasn’t actually gotten underneath the soil, and I suck the seed up into the mower.”source ↗
“I'm in NJ and missed my seeding window last weekend sure to travel - I was planning to do it today but apparently we're about to get hit by a massive storm? Should I go for it and hope the rain helps or is it a waste of seed if the high winds and downpour will ruin the seeding and maybe I should just wait a few more days”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 10Is my tilled and raked dirt ready for grass seed?
- 6Are later steps in lawn care programs actually necessary?
- 3Will sparse new grass seed fill in on its own?
- 3How to establish a lawn without germinating weed seeds
- 4Do I actually need straw to keep grass seed wet?
- 183Why is my overseeding failing to grow?