Just had dozer work done on my pond and had topsoil put over the clay. I am spreading rye grass seed and will cover with hay to help hold it in place. I was told to spread some fertilizer first before putting the seed down. What mixture starter fertilizer should i use for rye grass seed? ie....8-8-8 12-24-12? I just don't know??

A really good fertilizer for rye is another plant. So an innoculated legume like crimson clover might be ideal.

We spread rye right on top of the topsoil. I didn't use anything at all. Sprouted in about 7 days. Myself I would just keep it damp and it will grow. I'm pretty sure it will grow in a bag with nothing on it besides water.

If you really want to know, do a soil test specifically for cool season grass. That will tell you a LOT, including if you need lime or not.

I've had better luck with straw than hay,and I've always heard straw was better.

I like to cover it with political promises,, you'll be cutting hay in no time.

Just so there is no confusion. I didn't recommend hay as a fertilizer. You could broadcast legume seeds and they would grow along with ryegrass fixing nitrogen for it. Together they would produce more political promises than either one independently.

You may be too far north for Crimson Clover to be used as a winter annual. Hairy Vetch may be a better choice. I think either would work simply broadcasting seed as you have. Straw is a good mulch and can really help with establishment. The only problem with those two legumes is that they reseed themselves and they would probably hang around a while. But both are recommended for stabilizing weak and disturbed soils.

Crimson & Clover was a better song than Hair Vetch, though.

I did it and would recommend clovers over other seeds. Who doesn't like laying in it with the girlfriend or wife in a bed of clover next to a body of water? The plant also feeds deer and bees but It is more expensive seed. Just toss it out and water, that is all that is necessary. Tossing a little straw on it will help but not really necessary. After bringing up, I am having fantasies of younger years

Just make sure you water or work the fertilizer in before seeding. N will keep grass from germinating.

We use hay because
1) Hay includes a plethora of local/native seeds that help produce a polyculture ground cover on the area, and
2) We grow and bale hay