Hydroseeding is where seeds and various combinations of lime, moisture retention polymers, fertilizer, biostimulants, tackifiers, and other such additives are mixed with a hydroseeding mulch and water to create a slurry that is sprayed on the ground to establish vegetation and control erosion.
The specific ingredients are mixed together inside a trailer-mounted tank or a truck featuring either a mechanical agitation system or a jet agitation system to create a homogeneous slurry. The slurry is then moved to the worksite and sprayed on the prepared ground in an even layer.
Hydroseeding has become increasingly popular in the construction, erosion control, landscaping industries, and others. The recent growth in popularity over the course of the last few years has occurred because industry professionals realized that hydroseeding offers incredible speed and efficiency.
Consequently, businesses that offer this service and the equipment needed for effective hydroseeding operations have also grown in popularity. However, few people truly understand the hydroseeding process and the reasons for its incredible success.
Hydroseeding Benefits
Hydroseeding offers a number of benefits that conventional seeding processes cannot provide. For instance, it can be performed on almost any surface type, be it uneven, flat, or sloped, with the slurry not only coating those terrains evenly but also ensuring that the seeds will remain in place.
Spraying is also considerably faster than spreading seeds manually, taking around half the time of conventional seed spreading. It also results in much faster seed growth because of the nutrient boost given by the slurry. On average, it usually takes around a week for the first grass shoots to start to show.
Roots offer a stable base that holds back dirt and ensures it stays in place regardless of erosion or gravity. Hydromulching and hydroseeding also achieve this by binding fast to the ground while the seeds germinate and take root. The slurry hardens when it dries, protecting the seeds from wind or water erosion and movement, preventing patchiness, and helping to develop the total lawn coverage even on uneven terrain.
Reduced labor costs are one of commercial hydroseeding’s most significant benefits for contractors and property owners. The cost benefits trace back primarily to the ingredients required for the seedbed, which are part of the slurry. Traditional seeding methods generally require the application of each ingredient one at a time, while hydroseeding applies all ingredients simultaneously.
Traditional methods also require the use of straw or hay and usually need to have that covering removed after the establishment of the seeds, further increasing the cost of labor. Hydroseeding eliminates this requirement since over time, the mulch simply breaks down and becomes part of the soil. Plus it costs around a third of the price of the sod and is therefore significantly less expensive than is the case with the majority of conventional methods.
Almost any ground coverland area is conducive to hydroseeding. Even the most inhospitable soil conditions and steepest slopes can support vegetation through the correct mix of hydroseed and hydromulch.
How Does Hydroseeding Work?
The mulch serves as the seed’s growth medium, which is the crucial reason for the effectiveness of hydroseeding. When the correct mulch is appropriately applied, it retains moisture for quicker germination and temperature insulation. This helps avoid seed dormancy and erosion protection. Many seeding jobs specify the use of hay or straw, but there is no weed seed in hydroseeding mulch.
Hydroseeding has several primary ingredients in the form of water, seed, fertilizer, mulch, and other additives. Water serves as a carrier and is a vital molecule in the seed’s growth and development, kicking off the germination process.
Seeds used in hydroseeding can be any type, from basic lawn grass to wildflower seeds. Depending on ground and soil conditions, almost any kind of seed can be used, including custom blends like sun or shade lawn seed, pasture mixes, wildflowers, erosion control mixes, athletic field mixes, and native grasses or roadside mixes. Fertilizer is normally featured in the mix as a root growth stimulant. Other fertilizer types include different chemical ratios to encourage different growth types.
Hydroseeding mulch protects seeds and keeps moisture sealed in the slurry. This mulch can be paper or wood fibers or both, usually dyed green to ensure the entire ground coverage and to fit in with grass. Other products added to the slurry often include tacky products to seal in soil moisture and ensure it keeps to slopes during inclement weather.
Muller, Inc. offers hydroseeding as one of its many erosion and sediment control services. Contact us today on our site or by calling 703-560-4040. You can schedule a hydroseeding application or discuss our full suite of erosion and sediment control services.