Hydroseeding – What is it?

Hydroseeding works by mixing water, grass seed, fertiliser, and other additives (like cellulose or straw) in a hydroseeding machine. 

Hydromulching mixes a slurry of water, seed, fertiliser and a wood fibre mulch providing superior results, especially on slopes and when used for erosion control.

The slurry is mixed on site in specialist machinery and  then sprayed onto the desired area using high-pressure equipment.

Hydroseeding is an ideal solution for site-specific specifications, like steep slopes or large areas. It is especially useful for hard-to-reach areas. You can also choose from a wide range of seeds, including wildflowers.

The site to be seeded could be flat terrain with good quality soil or steep slopes. Hydroseeding is also a great option for large areas, areas where soil erosion control is needed, where reseeding is required, sports pitches and golf courses, disturbed lands or even construction sites where the soil is poor.

Hydroseeding and Hydromulching provide even seed distribution over the designated area. The seed is suspended in a liquid medium, allowing for better seed-to-soil contact.

In hydromulching, the wood fibre mulch helps retain moisture, protects seed and soil from erosion, and promotes germination.

Hydroseeded grass can be ready to mow in as little as three to four weeks.

Hydroseeding has many benefits over traditional seeding methods of planting grass, such as turf. 

• Faster germination: Hydro mulching speeds up germination. The seed remains in contact with the moisture in the mulch, which accelerates the process.
• Cost effective: Hydroseeding a lawn can be up to 75% cheaper than turf per m2.
• Prevents erosion: When the mixture dries, a solid mat forms which prevents both the seed and mulch from being washed away. This is particularly useful on sloped areas.
• Reaches inaccessible areas: Can be applied to steep slopes without rolling down.

Hydroseeding and Hydromulching have the capability to initiate the growth of grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and even trees directly on various types of soil. Topsoil produces the best results while it will work on subsoil and low-quality soils. It can even be used to seed on top of demolition rubble, quarrying and mining waste.

For best results, we always take soil type into consideration. It’s important to know whether the soil is particularly acidic or alkaline so that the correct combination of seed and mulch can be selected. We also select seed mixes to perform better in shady areas if required.

If the soil is subject to fast erosion then we would select species which germinate and grow faster which helps to protect it.

We always use a high ratio of seed and mulch to water ensuring you will always get the best results.