Hydroseeding is typically done by professional companies, but hydroseeding on your own is a lot simpler than you might think. So read on to learn more about DIY hydroseeding and some tips on how to hydroseed most effectively.
Table of Contents
What Is Hydroseeding?
How to Hydroseed
Hydroseeding Pros & Cons
Equipment for DIY Hydroseeding
When Should You Hydroseed Your Lawn?
Hydroseeding Tips
Hydroseeding Bottom Line
What Is Hydroseeding?
Hydroseeding is a technique for spreading grass seed that utilizes water. Hydroseeding techniques spread a mixture of water, mulch, fertilizer, and grass seed over a lawn. The mixture is meant to promote healthy grass growth while also fully seeding a lawn. The fertilizer and mulch in the mixture promote healthy growth and allows the grass seed to take root better and germinate.
Hydroseeding is also sometimes called hydromulching and is becoming a more popular way of seeding a lawn. Hydroseeding has several benefits but also some drawbacks, which we will cover here.
How to Hydroseed
- Prepare Your Lawn
- Choose Your Grass Seed
- Prepare the Hydroseeder
- Start to Hydroseed
- Water the Lawn
- Mow the Lawn
1. Prepare Your Lawn
Before you can start hydroseeding your lawn, you need to go through your lawn and remove any large debris, such as sticks or rocks. You'll also want to smooth out any irregular spots and apply an even layer of topsoil and compost to the area you want to cover. This part is vital because the seeded grass needs nutrients to take root and grow.
2. Choose Your Grass Seed
Choosing the right type of grass for your lawn is extremely important. You'll want to look for grasses that thrive in your climate as well as your soil. When you hydroseed you can use a blend of grasses that will grow well and give you a healthy lawn. You'll also need to choose an appropriate fertilizer.
3. Prepare the Hydroseeder
Next, it's time to add the seeds, mulch, water, and chosen fertilizer to the hydroseeder. Once you've added them you will turn the agitator on to mix them together. You want the mixture as even and homogenous as possible before you spray it.
4. Start to Hydroseed
Once it is mixed, turn the spray mechanism and cover the lawn. Make sure that you do not overspray certain spots as this can make your final results uneven. You can also add an extra layer of fertilizer after this part if you feel it is necessary.
5. Water the Lawn
Afterward, make sure you keep the lawn moisturized for at least two months. Also, try to minimize as much foot traffic on the lawn as possible. Walking on the lawn can mess up your results and cause bare patches.
6. Mow the Lawn
After about two months, your grass should have grown enough that you can mow it for the first time. Be very careful mowing for the first time as some seeds may not have developed deep enough roots. You should try not to cut the grass to less than ½” the first time you mow. After that, you can continue with lawn maintenance as regular.
Hydroseeding Pros & Cons
Hydroseeding Pros
- Very affordable compared to traditional methods of laying sod
- More efficient and faster than conventional seeding
- Seed germinates more quickly
- Prevents soil erosion
- Grass seed is spread more evenly
- Hydroseeding keeps the lawn moisturized during the most crucial part of the seeding process
Hydroseeding Cons
- Not as cost-efficient on smaller lawns
- Not as affordable as traditional seeding
- Uses a lot of water and requires a lot of watering
- Takes longer to see the results
Equipment for DIY Hydroseeding
If you want to explore DIY hydroseeding, you will only need one piece of specialized equipment called a hydroseeder. A hydroseeder is a piece of equipment that is basically a tank, engine, and pump. The tank's size can vary between 300 gallons to 1,000 gallons, with larger tanks better for commercial and industrial projects.
Basically, with a hydroseeder, you fill up the tank with the mixture and then use the mechanical spray apparatus to spread the mulch. Hydroseeders have an agitator that mixes the mulch, seed, and fertilizer and uses a pump to spray the mixture. You can most likely rent or buy a hydroseeder from your local lawn and garden store.
On average, a hydroseeder will cost anywhere between $500-$1,000 to rent per day. If you are just hydroseeding your home lawn, then you most likely won’t need the machine for more than a day.
Strictly speaking, you do not need a hydroseeder to hydroseed as you can use other pieces of equipment. This will make the process much more difficult, so it’s best that you just eat the cost and rent a machine made specifically for hydroseeding.
When Should You Hydroseed Your Lawn?
In general, the spring and the fall are the best time to hydroseed your lawn. These times are the best because the moderate temperature soil and light rain will help the grass seeds take root and grow. You can hydroseed during the height of the summer, but the heat means you will likely have to water more than usual.
Of course, local variations in rain, temperature, and amount of sunlight will affect the optimal time to hydroseed. The type of grass you use also matters. Warm-season grasses should be seeded during the late spring or early summer, while cool-season grasses are best seeded in the late summer or early fall.
Hydroseeding Tips
1. Water Your Lawn Frequently
Hydroseeding requires more water than normal, so you'll need to water your lawn often. In the first few weeks after hydroseeding, you will need to water your lawn approximately 3-4 times a day.
2. Avoid Using Pesticides
If you're hydroseeding your lawn, it's best to avoid using any pesticides initially. Pesticides run the risk of killing newly growing grass, so don’t use them right after you hydroseed. It's only safe to begin using pesticides once the grass has taken root and is growing normally.
3. Stay Off the Lawn After Hydroseeding
It's best to keep off your lawn after you hydroseed. You don't want to walk on the lawn while the seed is setting as it will cause thinning and bare patches. This also means that you should keep pets off your lawn as well.
Pay Attention To The Soil Grade
The soil grade refers to how fine the soil is. All other things being equal, finer soil is more effective for hydroseeding. The hydroseeding machine you rent should be rated for a particular soil grade so you can use that measurement as a guide.
Hydroseeding Bottom Line
Hydroseeding is an extremely effective alternative to laying down sod and planting grass seed manually. Compared to traditional seeding methods, hydroseeding is faster, more efficient, and typically yields a better-looking lawn as the seed is spread more evenly. Do-it-yourself hydroseeding is also extremely cost-effective, but you'll need to rent or buy the right equipment to hydroseed your lawn. Or, if you don't mind paying a bit more, you can also hire a company to do it for you.