[P-Train]

How many sq. ' will a bale of straw cover. Just enough to cover the grass seed.

Thanks.

[Stonehenge]

In general, 500 sqft. But we usually stretch it a little more than that.

[jwholden]

If it's a big job go with the hay it's cheaper. I love shredded straw you get in bags. More expensive, yes, more convenient and a pleasure to work with, double yes.

[VoodooChile]

Hey John,
Do you have weed seed issues with hay? Straw is typically harvested from a single season grain mono-crop; hay-fields can be worked for many years (seven for alfalfa rings a bell), which makes for a cumulative accumulation of many perennial weeds.

I'm just flashing back to some of the crap hay we brought in during high school that was loaded with Canada thistle, and I sure wouldn't want to try explain to some client where all the noxious weeds came from.

But I don't seed many lawns, so maybe it isn't a problem...

[Paul]

Depending on the coverage needed (winter seeding being heavier) I figure 2000 lbs per acre or .046 lbs per sq. ft. I always used weight because of the differences in bale size.

[jwholden]

Voodoo,

The junk in hay bales is usually 'junk' with plenty of funky weeds in it. The shredded straw or hay that comes in a plastic bag has yet to give me trouble with weeds, but it is more expensive. There is always the salt hay option if you don't want weed seeds in your hay (atleast here in New England). A shredded bag will cover around 3/4 of what a bale of hay will, but it is much easier to transport, spread, and handle on the jobsite. Finally, leftover material can be conveniently saved for the next job without worry of mold, rodents, heavy bales etc.

The biggest seed job I did this year was around 8 shredded bags. If I was doing a new lawn I would go with hydroseed or good old fashioned hay bales.

[Nek]

Also I believe that the shredded bagged stuff is heat treated to kill the weed seeds. I know "Mainly Mulch" is.

[agla]

John,

Are you talking about green hay bales? I know that in my area people call straw bales "hay bales" because we are not exactly farm country. I hear this all the time when we spec staked straw bales for conservation work. The contractors always call them hay bales..

Weed seeds would definitely be a problem if you were using hay. The problem is worsened by the high amounts of weed grasses that would be hard to control. I am using the weed word as a plant out of place rather than inherent weed species.

[Stonehenge]

Agla, in our area the exact opposite is true - straw has lots of weed seed and other junk in it while hay, particularly marsh hay, is the stuff of choice with little to no weed seed in it. Around here, if it's called hay, it usually is, while straw can be anything, including tall weeds, utility marking flags, you name it.

[NC Lawnscapes]

Back to the question at hand

I usally use one bale for 400 sg feet

[start2finish]

On your question, we generally use 60-70 bales per acre with a strawblower, taking approx 1/hr with three men to apply.
But I like the idea of using weight.

On the mention about weed seed in mulch coverings, everyone here is correct in my opinion, because you are moving all weeds that most have gone "to seed" at time of harvest. The quality of straw/hay (either wheat or grass hay) greatly depends on the condition of the crop in the field. You will have less weeds in a good crop of wheat. Likewise on a clean hay field or pasture. There are a wide variety of chemicals available to control and/or supress undesired weed control. Buy directly from a farmer if possible, you can inspect the fields if you wish. In our area ZONE 7. Wheat is harvested in the hot weather usually in May. Go visit a few weeks before harvest to see the weed content for yourself and choose suppliers accordingly. Spring and Fall cuttings for "hay". There are many crops that straw will also be generated. Rye (not rye grass, just RYE, it is a grain) Oats, there are others as well.

[timturf]

Va. master gardners manuel states you should apply enough straw to cover 50% of the soil!

If I use straw, which is almost never, I use 1 to 1.5 bales/m, or 45 to 65/acre

I've applied 90 bags ( 50lbs) of penn mulch on 60,ooo sq ft in 3 hours by myself using a rotary spreader!

[Lawngodfather]

I quit using straw a long time ago.

If I use anything, I will use Pennmulch