THE ADVANTAGES OF HYDRO SEEDING!
Hydro seeding is a fast, cost-effective way to have a new lawn that will turn your neighbors green with envy.
Hydro seeding costs only a little more than old fashioned methods using dry seeding techniques combined with a messy straw mulch.
The cost to have your new lawn hydro seeded is less than 1/4 the cost of using sod, and in a few weeks you will have a better appearing lawn with no need to worry if the sod will take. The protective mulch covering has an attractive green appearance. A special blend of seeds will be used that will be chosen for the conditions and requirements you have. The factors that may go into the choice may be the amount of sun, shade, the terrain, the type of soil and if you have children or pets.
Your lawn will be hydro seeded with a tested, high quality, certified turf mix. Germination time will depend on the weather, the time of year, the amount of water, the area you live in and other factors. Usually grass will be visible in 5-7 days, a few days slower in cold weather or the hottest part of summer.
You will be surprised how inexpensive it is to have a truly outstanding lawn. At this site you will find "THE WORLD'S LARGEST LIST OF HYDRO-SEEDING CONTRACTORS" . These are all factory trained professionals who are seeding experts and will help you to grow a beautiful, lush lawn.
Seeding Information
SODDING LAWNS
Hydro seeding can be used for many applications. On of the most popular is residential hydro seeding. A contractor seeding a new lawn will mix a load of material and spray it out over the lawn. In the load of material will be grass seed, a starter fertilizer and a hydro seeding mulch. There may be other products in the mix designed to hold the material in place if it rains, to supercharge the growth ability, or to aid in holding moisture in the soil.
When your lawn is hydro seeded it will have a bright colorful look at first, but as this dries some of the color will leave. The mulch usually will stay in place until the grass begins growing. A good hydro seeding contractor can seed a lawn without making much of a mess. If he does happen to get a little material on your house, walk or driveway, it will wash right of. It won't stain. It will even disappear on it's own within a few weeks. In most areas of the country lawns will often start growing within 5 to 7 days. Sometimes slow germinating grasses may be the only ones available in an area, or suitable for a job, so this may vary.
Hydro seeding is also popular for golf course construction, roadside work, commercial and industrial jobs, retention ponds, mine reclamation, re-vegetation projects and more. Often a larger machine is used for this type work and the seed may be sprayed from a platform mounted gun. When hydro seeding with either a gun or a hose, any seed can be used. Some of the seeds that can be hydro seeded are turf grasses such as bluegrass, rye grass, fescue, centipede, Bermuda, Bahia, pasture mixes, timothy, millet, clover, crown vetch, native grasses, and wildflower mixes. Most any turf type seed can be hydro seeded.
Seeding Information
NEW SITE PREPARATIONS.
Other services provided by Hilltop Turf & Landscapes range from basic landscape to very complex and complete landscaping designs. We provide hydro-seeding services, slit seeding and broadcast seeding as well, along with erosion control systems and silt fence installation for new construction sites.
RE-DOING AN ESTABLISHED LAWN
If you are planning to re-do your lawn completely it is necessary to completely remove the existing turf before hydro seeding the new lawn. The best way to do this is to skin off the existing turf. If you are doing a small area a shovel or spade can be used. The best way to do a larger area is to rent a sod cutter. It is best do do this when the soil is dry. Moist soil is heavier and harder to handle. If you have a garden you can compost the old sod that you have removed and turn it into rich humus to build your garden.
Don't use a rotary tiller to clear a sodded area. Rotary tillers cause weed problems by chopping up plants and weed roots and spreading them through the lawn. You could end up with more weeds in your new lawn than you had in your old one.
You can also have the old lawn sprayed with a herbicide to kill all existing vegetation, then level an loosen the soil and have the lawn hydro seeded. You should wait about 3 weeks from the time the herbicide is applied before seeding.
CORRECTING pH
Overly acid soil is one of the easiest soil problems to fix. To determine your soil's acidity use a home pH test or send a sample to a laboratory for analysis.
To raise the pH, add ground limestone. If your soil has enough magnesium, use calcitic limestone, which is almost entirely calcium carbonate. If you have a magnesium deficiency, add dolomite lime, made of magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate. The more finely ground the limestone is the faster it will work. If your soil is extremely acidic, don't try to raise the pH all at once. Instead, make several small applications.
It's somewhat more difficult to remedy alkalinity problems. The most effective material for lowering soil pH is sulfur.
Hydro seeding for a Healthy Lawn
Hydro seed Overview
Hydro-what? What in the world is hydro seeding? You've probably seen it but didn't know what to call it. If you've ever seen what looks like fuzzy green paint along the side of a road or surrounding a new building, you've seen hydro seeding.
Hydro seeding Process
But what does it do? Hydro seed machines mix together seed, water, fertilizer, tackifier (glue), and green wood fiber mulch to create a slurry. The slurry is sprayed on the ground with a high pressure hose which helps it to reach all kinds of terrain, like slopes, that may be difficult to reach. When the slurry dries, it creates a crust over the ground, protecting the area from erosion. The crust protects the seeds from being washed away in the rain or eaten by birds.
Fast Growing Grass
More importantly, the seeds are in constant contact with water and fertilizer, which helps them to sprout quickly and grow strong and healthy. The seeds are spread evenly and held in place, creating good coverage. A hydro seeded area typically has a good stand of grass in 2-3 weeks. All of these attributes have made hydro seed a popular choice for commercial and roadside applications for many years.
Hydro seed for Home Lawns
Now, hydro seed is becoming a more popular choice for lawn applications as well. Installing sod costs .30-.60 per square foot while hydro seed costs .06-.12 per square foot. If a homeowner has to have an instant lawn, sod is the way to go. But with a little patience, a homeowner can have a beautiful, healthy lawn for a fraction of the price.
Hydro seed for Existing Lawns
The great thing about hydro seed is that it is not just for new lawns. Hydro seed can be used to renovate or overseed an existing lawn as well. Homeowners who are not happy with their existing lawn can simply cut the grass short and have hydro seed sprayed right over the existing lawn. It will fill in weak spots and create a healthier overall lawn. The same process can be done in the fall with winter ryegrass for a green lawn all winter.
Wildflowers
Grass seed isn't the only type of seed that can be applied this way. Wildflowers can be hydro-seeded for a burst of color. Wildflower seed can be selected for full sun, shade, or part shade conditions. Wildflowers make a wonderful transition from a yard to a wooded area or in community areas of sub-divisions. They will self-seed, creating a display for years to come. Wildflowers are typically hydro seeded in the fall or early spring.