Hydroseeding produces full, green grass in a matter of weeks. But this treatment requires specific maintenance for it to turn out beautifully. When you follow these steps, the grass truly is greener (and healthier) on your side.
What Is Hydroseeding?
There are multiple ways to grow healthy, green grass, whether you’re in the property development stage or trying to revive your existing lawn. But hydroseeding, in particular, is an effective way to plant grass seed over large areas. Hydroseeding is a one-step process that uses a high-quality mixture or slurry of grass seed, mulch, fertilizer, soil amendments, and water. The slurry is sprayed evenly across the ground with a large hose or hydroseeder tank.
Since hydroseeding must be done using high pressure and specialized tools and equipment, it’s not an ideal DIY project. It’s more effective to hire commercial landscapers to perform this lawn treatment. However, after their job is complete, you must ensure proper maintenance between professional service visits.
How To Maintain a Hydroseeded Lawn
Since hydroseeding is a quicker method than manually sprinkling seeds all over your entire lawn, germination also happens faster—it usually takes place in two to three weeks. Plus, it’s an excellent erosion control method, especially on construction sites.
Although the germination process takes a few weeks, you’ll notice grass sprouts within 10 to 14 days. But keep in mind, after hydroseeding is complete, your lawn will require some extra TLC. Here’s how to maintain your hydroseeded property:
Water
If you’d like the convenience of an “instant” lawn, sod installation is the best choice for you. On the other hand, if you don’t mind waiting for gorgeous green grass, hydroseeding is the way to go. As sure as “good things take time,” healthy, green grass takes patience and water. Lots and lots of water. Allow the mulch to dry first. The freshly hydroseeded lawn is usually ready to be watered the following day. The grass should receive 1 to 2 inches of water every day as a rule of thumb.
So, during the first two weeks, water your hydroseeded lawn for 10 to 20 minutes every day, twice a day—but don’t water it after dark. Of course, you can skip the days when heavy rain is in the forecast.
Mow
When the grass is at least 3 inches tall, you can finally cut it. Depending on how quickly it grows, you may begin mowing your hydroseeded lawn twice a week. Frequent mowing promotes strong roots and eliminates weeds.
Moving forward, you may mow the lawn as often as needed without cutting more than one-third of the grass. Conversely, to avoid irreversible damage, don’t let it grow too tall. If you’ve gone on vacation and it’s overgrown, gradually cut it down to around 3 inches, waiting four to five days in between mowing.
Fertilize
Wait about a month or 30 days after the initial hydroseed application before fertilizing. It’s important to apply the correct amount of fertilizer; if it’s too much or too strong, it can ruin your lawn’s progress. Rely on professionals to perform this step. They know not to use a fertilizer with weed control until it’s been three months. They also know the best kind to use, which is typically a high nitrogen brand. And, of course, they’re trained to apply the ideal amount of fertilizer.
Additional Tips for Long-Term Hydroseeded Lawn Health
There are a few other things to keep in mind when caring for your hydroseeded lawn:
- Minimize foot traffic: Keep guests, children, and pets off the area for the first five to six weeks, at least. Your grass needs time to germinate and take root with little to no disruption.
- Don’t water in scorching-hot weather: Only water if it’s 85 degrees or less. On hotter days, wait until the temperature drops, since watering your grass when the surface is overheated can cause fungus.
- Patience is a virtue: As mentioned before, the benefits of hydroseeding take time. However, if you perform proper maintenance, the outcome is certainly worth the wait.
Varsity’s Your Hydroseeding Expert
Varsity, Inc. offers several lawn care solutions, including lawn cutting and weed removal, fertilizer and pesticide applications, and seasonal cleanup, to name a few. If you’re ready to take your lawn to the next level and unlock healthy, beautiful grass like never before, call Varsity.
Still unsure how to maintain a hydroseeded lawn? Count on us. We’re confident in our ability to make your property look stunning and are ready to forge a long-term partnership with you. We look forward to serving you!
Varsity Inc. has been providing a full range of landscape related services to the Northeast commercial and industrial markets since 1974.
