How to Hydroseed

The hydroseed method for planting a lawn is the most convenient of the many possible ways to plant a lawn. Lawn seeding can be a tedious and time consuming process. Not only must you prepare the soil for the seed, but you must spread the seed by hand or cart and surround it with chicken wire or fencing to keep pets and children off of it. Ensuring that the seeds are protected from the elements is no easy task either. With hydroseeding, on the other hand, you simply mix up the solution and spray it onto the soil with a garden hose. The mixture helps to protect the seeds and allows them to germinate. If you have considered laying sod for your new lawn, keep in mind that the hydroseeding cost is about a third that of sod. The process is fairly easy, and you’ll only need a few things to complete the process.

Step 1: Mix the Solution

In the attachable tank, mix together the water, seed, fertilizer and either the mulch or cellulose fiber. Follow any directions for the exact proportions. The mulch is important because it gives the seed nutrients and it protects them from overexposure to the sun or wind.

Step 2: Prepare the Hose

Attach the tank with the seeding solution to the hose. Be sure that you thoroughly spray the entire area to be seeded. The ideal time to begin hydroseeding is right at the beginning of the growing season so your lawn has the benefit of the most sunlight.

Step 3: Monitor and Keep Lawn Moist

For two weeks after the initial spraying, closely monitor the lawn and keep it moist. Wet the lawn lightly 3 times per day for the first week. Gradually begin to moisten it less and less as the time progresses. The lawn area should remain moist in order to give the seed and fertilizer a chance to work.

Step 4: Touch up

As you begin to notice the growing grass, it may become evident that you missed some spots. Fixing that is easy enough. Simply re-spray the solution on the spots that have no visible growth. Monitor them in the same way as Step 3, keeping them moist as the grass grows.

Step 5: Decrease the Watering

As the grass grows, there is no need to water it 3 times per day, but keep it moist nonetheless. The hydroseed solution will protect the vulnerable seeds and give them time to germinate. Watering is decreased gradually so the seeds are swamped.

Hydroseeding is an effective way to seed your lawn without the need of manually distributing the seeds, fertilizer and mulch. You do it all at once by spraying a mixture of the three–plus water–through a garden hose. Hydroseeding is a third of the cost of sod, so it is a quick means of seeding a lawn that won’t cost a bundle. The next time you need to replant your lawn, consider hydroseeding.