Newly germinating Grass seed and frost

[Seeder]

A few days ago I planted some grass seed and it's probably going to start to show the first tiny shoots around next Monday or Tuesday (I say this based on experience). However, the weather forecast is now for perhaps a light frost on those days. Will a light frost damage newly emerging grass shoots?

I've looked into ways to prevent potential frost problems and the best seems to be to water late at night a few hours before the frost - the evaporating water generates heat and this slight temperature difference at ground level prevents the shoots from freezing.

Or is there a better way? Or maybe it's nothing to worry about? The grass is a perennial ryegrass.

Thanks.

 

[Chuck]

When to Plant Ryegrass Seed, Best Time to Plant Ryegrass Seed

When to plant ryegrass seed. The best time of year to plant ryegrass seed. Ryegrasses.com is an info site from Seedland.com.

www.ryegrasses.com

These folks say frost can kill young ryegrass seedlings. Is the area too large to cover with cloth?

 

[Seeder]

Thanks, the area to be covered is long and thin and I'm not sure if I have suitable cloth.

I do have a couple of tarpaulins which should be enough, perhaps I could use them if I made sure they were 2 or 3 inches above the ground? I'm also very curious if the trick of watering the night before will prevent the seedlings from freeing.

Note: the area also has some 4 week old seedlings, I only recently added new seeds as the initial seeds had mostly germinated and are now about 2 or 3 inches tall but there were quite a few patches due to birds eating some seeds. The new seeds that I planted a few days ago also have a light covering of soil.



Also:

Will the 4 week old seedlings be okay if there's a frost?

I also have some 2 week old grass seedlings, would those also survive a light frost?

 

[oneeye]

Just spray the area with water on the morning of the frost and it will stop the cell tissue from bursting. If you put a tarp on the new sprouts you will harm them with the tarp. I've save many of plants by using this method. Wet leaves will not frost and damage like a dry one will, so on the morning of the frost, get up early, and spray water on the area until it's soaked.. This method only works with frost and not freeze's.

 

[Seeder]

Thanks, so perhaps I should spray the night before and first thing in the morning?

 

[oneeye]

First thing in the morning right before the Sun comes up, because when the Sun hits the plant, that's when the cell tissue burst from the temp change. When everything is wet the temps hold steady when the Sun hit the plants.

 

[Seeder]

Thanks, I'd better set my alarm ........