If you have recently had your lawn redone, you might notice that the company left a straw netting over it.
This netting has a purpose of keeping your new grass seed in place so it can successfully germinate.
While this netting might seem like an inconvenience, it is essential that you leave the straw netting where it is.
Straw netting will decompose over time, and you won’t even need to worry about it.
It can be tempting to remove the straw netting, but it is best to leave it alone.
Lawncare providers have noticed that their clients are trying to take the straw netting off the grass, but you really don’t even need to dispose of it at all.
Attempting to remove it can cause damage to your new grass seeds.
What is the Purpose of Straw Netting?
The straw netting that gets placed over new grass seed has several important purposes.
You will be able to grow your new grass without constantly worrying about whether something will ruin the seeds.
It protects the new grass seeds from being:
- Disturbed by animals
- Pecked by birds
- Dried out by the sun
- Washed away by rain
- Blown away by the wind
One important thing to remember is that the straw netting doesn’t protect your grass seeds when you walk on them.
It is highly recommended to wait a minimum of four weeks before you try to walk on your new grass.
It’s best to wait until the grass has been mowed between three and five times before you walk on it, even with the netting.
How is Straw Netting Installed?
The first thing that happens in the straw netting installation process is tilling of the soil.
This will help determine where the grass seed is going to be placed.
After the grass seed is placed, the straw netting is placed on top of it.
The netting is then secured with staples or pins that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Straw netting is most commonly installed by a professional seeding contractor, landscaper, or excavating contractor.
This will ensure that the straw netting is installed properly and decreases the risk of issues in the near future.
Does Straw Netting Need to Be Disposed of?
While it can be difficult to keep the straw netting down, it is essential for getting the new grass seed to grow properly.
Straw is the best thing to grow grass in because it has the ability to keep the seed in place.
The straw netting is supposed to stay in place until it starts to disintegrate.
There is no reason to remove the netting and dispose of it at any point.
Disposing of the straw netting greatly increases the chances of your grass seed getting blown away and potentially pulling out any new grass roots.
Do I Need to Maintain the Netting?
There may be a few occasions that you need to perform some maintenance on your netting.
You might notice some weeds trying to grow through the net, causing it to push off the ground.
This raised area of the net can be caught in a lawn mower and be destroyed.
To prevent this from happening, you will need to carefully remove the raised portion of the net with a knife.
This will prevent your lawn mower from catching on it.
Other than this, you shouldn’t need to perform any maintenance on the straw netting.
What If I Need to Dispose of the Straw Netting?
There usually is no reason that you would need to remove and dispose of the straw netting before it disintegrates on its own, but it can become a nuisance sometimes.
You need to be extremely cautious when you try to take the netting up.
If you take the straw netting off too early, there is a great chance that you will pull out any new roots that are soft and fresh.
If you wait too long, parts of the netting will already have started breaking down and you won’t be able to remove it in one piece.
You need to wait until you have mowed your new grass once or twice after the netting has been put down.
This should be about seven or eight weeks after the new seed has been placed.
You should only remove the netting if you absolutely have to.
Does Straw Netting Decompose?
Straw netting will decompose and naturally biodegrade.
This will typically start to happen between 60 and 90 days.
After this time, it will start to be cut up by your lawn mower and mix into the new grass.
It will then start to slowly disintegrate.
Before you know it, the netting will be completely gone and you will be left with your fantastic new grass.
Summary
Straw netting can seem like a huge hassle when you are getting new grass seed, but it is an essential part of helping your new grass grow.
As time goes on, you might be tempted to remove the straw netting on your own, but it actually doesn’t need to be removed at all.
Straw netting will decompose and biodegrade over time.
This process will usually start between 60 and 90 days after the grass seed is planted.
In the rare case that you do need to remove your straw netting, you will need to do so extremely carefully to prevent any damage to your new grass.
