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Soil3 vs. Wheat Straw When Seeding New Lawns

Hillary is communications director for Super-Sod. She earned her BS in Horticulture from UGA and has spent the last 30 years marketing plants and gardening products. She used to be a tree snob, but after walking barefoot on a Zoysia lawn, is now a Zoysiagrass snob. When not picnicking on her own Zeon Zoysia lawn, growing vegetables, identifying roadside weeds, or planting hydrangeas and Japanese maples, she spends her time pursuing the domestic arts of knitting, cooking, canning, making things like beeswax candles, and throwing dinner parties. Her great love is helping customers learn how to take care of their lawns, garden better, and enjoy the journey.

April 11, 2016 1 minute read

When seeding new lawns, Soil³ is superior to wheat straw in providing cover over your seeds and seedlings. Here's why.

Benefits of Using Soil³ Compost Instead of Wheat Straw for Mulch

Soil³ does not smother seeds or seedlings like wheat straw can, especially when wheat straw is spread too thick
Wheat straw bring in weed seeds, while Soil³ is cooked to 160 degrees, thereby killing weed seeds that are in the material at that time
Soil³ adds nutrients, but what straw ads nothing
Soil³ improves germination and speeds up lawn coverage by ensuring consistent moisture retention of the soil and because the dark color of the compost helps it hold heat from the sunlight

Wheat straw is notorious for smothering seeds and seedlings, plus it brings in weed seeds to your new lawn. Soil³ is preferable because you can spread it thinner and it's produced via a natural high-heat composting method, which renders it free of weeds.

Plus, Soil³ adds natural nutrients and speed up germination and coverage as seen on these case studies on Zenith Zoysia seeds and Elite Tall Fescue seeds.

The process of using Soil³ to create a new lawn is simple and begins with traditional the ground prep of incorporating compost into to improve your dirt. Then, use a broadcast spreader to evenly scatter your grass seeds. Finally, use a shovel or compost spreader to spread 1/4" of Soil3 compost on top of your seeds.

Compost spreaders come in many forms from small drums you push to larger gas-powered spreaders that are self propelled. You can often rent theres at your local equipment rental and most Super-Sod stores rent them out as well.