Growing a wholesome lawn from seed is a time-consuming and time-consuming procedure, regardless of what seeding method you choose. Hydroseeding, however, offers several advantages which make it a faster and easier alternative to conventional hand-seeding methods.
Hydroseeding Process and Cost
The hydroseeding process involves using a mixture of grass seed, wood-fiber mulch, fertilizer and binding agents, all of which are mixed with water to generate a semi-liquid slurry. A carpet contractor sprays the mixture onto the ground using a hydraulic sprayer. Hydroseeding differs from hand isolating or dry seeding in that each one of the components are implemented at the exact same time; together with the hand-seeding method, seed, mulch and fertilizer are implemented one at a time in many steps. Hydroseeding is more expensive than traditional hand seeding, but it’s considerably more affordable than installing sod.
Germination Time
Thanks to this absorbent fiber mulch and the binding agents which hold the hydroseed mixture together, the grass seed remains in continuous contact with the humidity in the mulch. That factor can help to speed seed germination, and hydroseeded bud seed sometimes germinates in less than one week. Hydroseeded lawns are typically ready to mow after three to four weeks, generally sooner than a seeded lawn.
Moisture Retention
The fiber mulch in a hydroseed mixture carries a significant amount of water across the seed, which means that a hydroseeded lawn requires less maintenance and care in terms of irrigation, at least initially, than the usual hand-seeded lawn. Even a hydroseeded lawn might not have the ability to retain moisture adequately during prolonged dry periods, however, and it could require supplementary irrigation. Additionally, the fiber mulch in a hydroseed mixture breaks down quicker than a traditional mulch like straw. So it won’t supply its moisture retention benefit through an entire growing season.
Erosion Resistance
The binders and fiber in the hydroseed mixture form a solid mat once the mixture dries, and this mat can help to prevent the seed from being washed off by water or blown off by wind. The solidified mixture also holds onto the ground surface, and it could help to stabilize the soil, limiting erosion.
Fertilizer Content and Mulch Decomposition
A hydroseed mixture contains fertilizers that are acceptable for the varieties of grass seed in the mixture. Since the fertilizers are applied at the time of seeding, they eliminate the need for the further fertilizer step that hand seeding demands, which erases a concern about the timing of that fertilizer application. After the hydroseed mixture’s fiber mulch decomposes, it also adds nutrients to the ground.