Perfect Patch seed any good?

[Michael Rosen]

I saw an infomercial for a grass seed called Perfect Patch recently. It claims to grow anywhere. Has anyone actually tried this? I don't put much faith in infomercials.

Thanks, Mike

[Snooze]

Awfully expensive for what it is, grass seed, mixed with green colored mulch. My bet is it's rye seed, grows fairly quickly, and lasts long enough for the rest of the lawn to fill in. You're probably better off buying a bag of topsoil and a bag of grass seed. For the same $20 you'll have more then enough seed and "patch" soil to patch the entire lawn all season.

-S

[Phisherman]

Use the same kind of grass seed that is in your lawn, otherwise you'll end up with a perfect off-green-color patch!

[JoeSpareBedroom]

The fact that you're asking this question makes me wonder if you've had bad luck in the past with "normal" seed purchased locally. Based on 30+ years of observing neighbors struggling with starting grass seed, I've concluded that people most often fail at this for the lack of one very inexpensive set of miracle tools: Burlap and a few rocks or bricks to hold it in place. As the others have mentioned, buy whatever seed you think will match what you've already got. Prepare the soil nicely, apply seed, mist lightly, and cover with burlap. The burlap achieves 3 things:

1) Keeps birds from eating the seed 2) Keeps heavy rain (and you, if you're spray-challenged) from blasting the seed into clumps 3) Helps retain moisture in between waterings.

In a perfect world, you'd be out there with a spray bottle every 4 hours, making sure the spot never dried completely. In the real world, you probably have to work for a living and can't come home to mist the seed. Burlap is the answer. Don't ask for it at Home Depot. They'll probably point you toward the curtain department. Go to a real garden center.

[betsyb]

They showed that on NBC the other morning and it got a terrible rating. Get a bag of seed and straw.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

What got a terrible rating??? And from whom?

[betsyb]

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I don't need names. I was wondering what KIND of person gave WHAT a bad rating. Was this consumer advocate a gardener? For how long? He/she may not realize that straw often comes with a LOT of weed seeds, which usually means it's hay, not straw. Both will serve as mulch, but one will make you cry a few months later.

There's nothing wrong with burlap. It works perfectly.

[Michael Rosen]

I think it was obvious they gave Perfect Patch a bad rating, hence the subject of the thread. :)

What does the straw do? I have seen straw laid out in my neighborhood before and wondered what it was for. Is it the same purpose as the burlap?

I have a lawncare company (Naturalawn) that fertilizes, seeds, etc. for me. But I've got an area under my deck where nothing has grown. They claimed this stuff grows in shade, but it sounds too good to be true.

Thanks, Mike

[JoeSpareBedroom]

It probably *is* too good to be true. I'd look for a ground cover that likes shade. This is a perfect opportunity to hit the library or bookstore and read the best book in the known universe for shade plants: The Complete Shade Gardener, by George Schenck (or maybe Schenk).

As far as the straw, it's supposed to serve the same purpose as the burlap. But, small birds have no pulling away bits of straw to get at the seeds.