DIY Hydroseeding: Cost, Pros and Cons

There are several ways of starting or repairing a lawn including seeding, sod installation, and hydroseeding. However, to save on time and costs, most gardeners opt for hydroseeding. In detail, lets us look at how hydroseeding is done, and its pros and cons as compared to other methods.

Hydroseeding is the process of spraying grass seed mixed with water, fertilizer, and mulch over an area.

Most experts recommend this method as efficient for adding grass to dirt or a barren patch of lawn. A great percentage of seeds will evenly germinate and within a short period of time, you will be enjoying your lush green lawn.

Hydroseeding is best done by hiring a professional service, otherwise, you can do it yourself by renting the equipment from a lawn care company. While spring is a good time to do hydroseeding, it is important you determine the best conditions to plant your warm-season grasses or cool-season grasses.

After soil preparation by the technician or according to directions from a lawn care company, the mixture of seed, water, fertilizer, and mulch is sprayed on the soil.

The mulch helps seal in the moisture, bonds the seed to the soil, and also prevents the surface runoff from washing away the seed. The mulch is left to decompose on site to add extra nutrients to the soil.

After hydroseeding, the area should be kept wet consistently for the first two weeks—that means watering the area two to three times a day when it has not rained.

To ensure the seed is germinating properly, keep anyone away from the area including pets. You can do this by putting up flags or temporarily fencing the area until grass germinates.

Pros of hydroseeding

Hydroseeding comes with the following advantages over other methods

1. Time-saving

Hydroseeding is a way of starting a new lawn faster compared to basic grass seed. After spraying the seed mixture, you should expect to see germination taking place within five to seven days.

This is unlike to traditional seeding where grass germination takes between two and three weeks.

2. Less expensive

Although not instant, hydroseeding is less expensive as compared to sod. The cost typically ranges between sod and basic grass seed. Hydroseeding averages between $0.06 and $0.20 per square foot or $2,000 to $4,000 per acre.

Rolls of sod on the other hand range from $0.28 to $0.45 per square foot. The cost is even far less if you are repairing a bare patch in your lawn.

3. Adaptive to a mixture of seed

Sod limits you to one type of grass for your lawn. With hydroseeding, you can combine varieties of grass types for a highly versatile lawn.

Mixing various species of grasses in one lawn provides evergreen lush grasses year round which is tolerant to hardy conditions including pests and diseases.

4. Best for large spaces

Preparing a large area for sod or seed is highly labor and capital-intensive. Installing sod on large tracts is really pricey. Similarly, the traditional seed requires proper soil preparation and watering until plants germinate.

With hydroseeding, you can spray seeds on dirt and they will germinate perfectly without any problem. This makes you spend less in terms of preparation.

Cons of hydroseeding

While there are many potential benefits of hydroseeding, here is what is on the flip side:

1. Requires plenty of water

An enormous amount of water is used during and after seed spreading. This is unlike the other methods where watering is only done after laying sod or seed. A newly hydroseeded lawn requires watering two to three times a day depending on your climate.

2. Do it yourself hydroseeding is risky

Owning and operating a hydroseeding sprayer is not only expensive but also a risky affair. Most people who prefer DIY hydroseeding have to rent the equipment from a specialized company.

However, using the sprayer without knowledge may lead to mistakes that may cost your entire effort of starting a lawn.

It is easy to believe that adequate soil preparation is not a must when using hydroseeding, but the truth is, every step must be followed as instructed by the technician or a company you hire.

It is also good to know that seeds should only stay in the equipment for a specified period of time usually not more than one hour. This is to prevent it from getting damaged by the fertilizer and water in the mixture.

3. Not instant

After hydroseeding, you still have to be patient and wait for the grass to germinate and establish before you mow and enjoy your lawn. This is contrary to sod where you get a lawn almost instantly. You can also walk on the sod after installation. Although all these come with a higher budget.

The bottom line

Regardless of the method you choose for starting a lawn or repairing bare spots, watering should be done until the plants germinate and fully establish. After your first mowing, watering frequencies can be reduced but when done more volume of water is used.

Fertilization and weed control should also help your lawn to spread and thicken faster before summer or cold months set in.

1 thought on “DIY Hydroseeding: Cost, Pros and Cons”

  1. It’s great to know that hydroseeding is much more affordable than sod installation, making it and cost-effective way to repair a bare patch in your lawn. My mom plans to have our front lawn renovated soon to make it more appealing. I’ll share what you said with her so she’d start looking for a hydroseeding service. Thanks for this.

    Reply

Leave a Comment