12 Benefits of HydroSeeding®

12 Benefits of HydroSeeding

Any lawn care professional responsible for lush lawns and beautiful outdoor areas can benefit from understanding the benefits of hydroseeding. Because the hydroseeding process helps create deeper roots with strong root systems and uniform coverage, the result is robust grass growth with reliable, great looking results, with less effort. In addition to being an affordable lawn solution, hydroseeding can also be an effective choice for erosion control, helping prevent soil erosion and runoff on slopes and other hard-to-stabilize areas.  

Hydroseeding is the process of mixing grass seed, mulch, fertilizer and water together to make a hydroseeding mixture called a ‘slurry.’ A specialized hydroseeding machine then sprays the slurry onto a growing surface where, in five to seven days, the seeds begin to germinate and sprout. Hydroseeding is a cost-effective way to establish grass growth and generally has a higher success rate, with better-looking results, than traditional hand seeding. 

The term ‘hydromulching’ is often used interchangeably with hydroseeding, and while they are similar, hydromulching is a distinct process. Hydromulching describes a hydroseeding process where everything is used in the slurry except the seeds. As a result, hydromulching is generally used for soil erosion control, making it a great choice for slope stabilization, steep hillsides, and projects like streambank restoration. 

Hydroseeding is a method of seeding that has many advantages and can be used in a variety of industries and applications. From reduced labor costs to lush lawns, read on to learn more about the benefits of hydroseeding.

Benefit #1: Hydroseeding Saves Money and Time

Money and time tie directly to your bottom line, and with hydroseeding, you’ll save both. Hydroseeding is an affordable lawn solution, generally costing up to 75 percent less than laying sod because hydroseeding is not nearly as labor-intensive as unrolling and installing the rolls of sod.

Besides the price of sod itself being notoriously expensive, installation typically requires substantial labor costs, since a team of people and heavy equipment are required. By comparison, the hydroseeding process requires just a handful of workers or even just one, depending on the equipment used.

Companies often compare hydroseeding to hand seeding since both use seeds that have comparable costs. However, hydroseeded lawns have an advantage because a typical application takes about one sixth of the time required for hand-seeding. You and your clients will be happy with a beautiful lawn that takes less money and time to complete.

The cost of a hydroseeding project depends on several industry-specific and project-related parameters, including:

• Size of the area to be seeded
• Grass type or type of seed
• Mulch – application rate, weight, amount needed, available form (such as bales or bags)
• Capacity/size of the hydroseeding equipment and tank to be used
• Mixing rate of the tank to be used
• How much area each tank can cover
• Whether you use a towable or drivable machine
• The efficiency (application rate) of the equipment being used 

Benefit #2: Hydroseeding Can Be Used in a Variety of Industries and Applications

Hydroseeding is used successfully and advantageously across a variety of industries and businesses including: 

• Agriculture
• Erosion Control companies
• Airports
• Athletic organizations
• Construction companies
• Energy and fuel businesses
• Government entities
• Land developers
• Landfills
• Landscape contractors
• National parks
• Property owners
• Sports fields and golf courses
• Transportation departments

Hydroseeding services provide greater flexibility than sod when it comes to the type of seed or grass types needed for specific projects. Hydroseed mixtures can use either a single type of seed, or multiple seed varieties, letting you tailor the slurry to the conditions and terrain. This process helps provide the very best lawn results, regardless of the location. 

Hydroseed mixtures can also be used to seed crops like wildflowers and natural prairie grasses, which are well-suited to more technical applications like slope stabilization, dust control, vegetation revival, or to jump-start wildfire restoration initiatives. 

Benefit #3: Hydroseeding Enhances Quality

Years of scientific research and data, as well as in-the-field experience and results, supports the effectiveness of hydroseeding in elevating the quality of lawns and grasses grown with it. Hydroseeding produces superior results because the slurry application encourages deeper roots, helping seeds establish faster and more securely than traditional hand seeding methods. Hydroseed fibers interlock and create a mat that results in strong roots, robust grass growth, and green, healthy, long-lasting grass.

Hydroseeding provides consistency for a uniform lawn that’s as beautiful as it is healthy. With sod, you can see seams, and with traditional hand seeding, you’ll inevitably have bare patches or uneven growth. A successfully hydroseeded area usually appears to be flawless because the hydroseeding process evenly distributes the seed, growing medium, water and fertilizer. It also applies it with the perfect amount of pressure for excellent staying power.

Sod is cut and transferred from the farm where it was grown and then transplanted into foreign soil. Grass seed is applied by hand or via other broadcast means and is dropped loose on the ground, where it’s susceptible to disturbance from rain, wind, or animals. Whereas hydroseed slurry contains a coagulant, called a ‘tackifier,’ that adheres seeds to the soil, encouraging quick growth. Also, the fertilizers in the slurry add phosphorus to give both the seed and soil a healthy boost.

Hydroseeded lawns also resist disease and sprout fewer weeds. The inherent strength of hydroseeded grass can naturally resist or dominate unwanted biological or horticultural pests.

Benefit #4: Hydroseed Retains More Moisture

Due to the all-important mulch in its mix, hydroseeded grass retains more moisture than other planting techniques such as broadcast seeding, straw-blown seed, and sod. More moisture supports the germination process, aiding in effective, long-lasting establishment of lush lawns, and increased success rates of seeding.

Hydroseed retains up to 10 times its weight in water, which encourages the strong root systems needed for healthy lawns. This effective water retention also means that the watering needs for hydroseeding are about half as frequent as with other methods, once again saving you time and money on irrigation.

How does it do all that? The slurry retains the moisture throughout the process of hydroseeding mixing and application. Once applied, the mulch protects the seeds against wind, erosion, and sun damage before it disintegrates into nutrients to aid germination.

Benefit #5: Hydroseeding Reaches Difficult Areas

Hydroseeding solves many accessibility challenges through the extent of its sprayers’ ability, making it the preferred choice for seeding slopes and other hard-to-reach areas. Some hydroseeders have one or more turrets which allows the slurry to be sprayed onto challenging terrain such as steep slopes that would be unsafe to access any other way.

Steep grades are part of many road projects, golf courses, home developments, and commercial or other public or private complexes. Hydroseeding makes it easy to reduce risk by keeping workers at a safe distance from slopes and hazardous terrain.

Benefit #6: Hydroseeding Works for Erosion Control

Hydroseeding is an effective choice for erosion control, and has been used by soil stabilization specialists for years for its quick application and effective soil erosion control and runoff prevention.  

The mat style and tacky texture of the hydroseed works when other methods fail because of its stabilizing quality. Hydroseeding will stay in place through most heavy rains—even on steep slopes and in windy weather—whereas other techniques leave the seeds susceptible to washout, runoff, and uneven distribution.

Using Easy Lawn hydroseeding machines allows for customized solutions for soil erosion control including steep slopes, streambank restoration, and stormwater-retention facilities. To manage particularly steep slopes, your solution might involve hydroseeding and hydromulching, possibly along with other measures such as silt-fence installation and straw-blown mulch.

Benefit #7: Hydroseeding Delivers Versatile Options

Hydroseeding can handle everything from residential lawns to large-scale seeding projects. While grass is a common request, you can also create native wildflowers, agricultural pasture, and specialized seed mixes with custom hydroseeding mixtures. 

The slurry mix of hydroseeding and the method of application can be customized to meet clients’ needs. This means turf-style grasses can be used for a school complex with a cluster of soccer fields, while different types of grass with a different seed mix and application needs can be used for a sprawling government complex or commercial development.

Construction, erosion control and landscape contractors, as well as other professionals, can approach hydroseeding as a way to expand the business by adding capacity or new capabilities with a new machine. These examples of Easy Lawn machines give you an idea of how versatile and flexible they are:

• The L90 Hydroseeder has a 900-gallon tank, a turret, and 100 feet of hose which can be used simultaneously with the turret for a spraying distance of up to 145 feet.
• The L30 Hydroseeder has a 300-gallon tank and 100 feet of non-kinking hose, which suits well the needs of landscaping businesses, municipalities, golf courses and similar entities.
• The L20 Hydroseeder has a 200-gallon tank and two 50-foot sections of durable hose, which is well-matched to nursery businesses, cemeteries, and small contractors.

You need quality hydroseeding equipment to achieve the full benefits of hydroseeding. If you work with an inferior machine, you will not get the results you expect and want.

For example, the benefits aren’t likely to materialize using a machine that is undersized, contains old technology, or stops regularly due to mulch clogs. Easy Lawn pays attention to the fine details of hydroseeding, and it’s worth pointing out how and why our machines provide businesses even more value for their hydroseeding investment.

The primary decision for anyone considering the purchase of a hydroseeder is whether they should choose one with jet-driven agitation or paddle-driven agitation. Much of that choice depends on what kind of slurry you’ll use.

Paddle-drive agitation machines handle thicker slurries and large, absorbent mulch fibers such as wood or fiber mulch. They move the materials in both directions at once. While jet-agitation machines are known for their ease of use and low maintenance since they have fewer moving parts. They’re powered by a centrifugal pump and cost less than their paddle-driven counterparts. As a result, jet-agitation hydroseeding machines are great choices for businesses primarily using paper or paper blend mulches.

Benefit #8: Recirculating Agitation System Makes for Smooth Operation 

Easy Lawn’s Hydroseeders use jet-agitation for its fast mixing, trouble-free operation, and easy clean out. Our exclusive HPV pump, available on the L30-8K, L55-8K and the L90 models, also generates the most pressure and volume available in units of their size, so you can cover a large area in a relatively short amount of time. 

The absence of belts, chains, pulleys, tensioners, and clutches create smooth, consistent operation that requires less maintenance and has less chance for issues during application. 

Benefit #9: Durable, Low Maintenance Construction Simplifies Cleaning and Winterizing 

Built with durable, easy-to-clean polyethylene tanks and durable hoses, Easy Lawn hydroseeders are simple to clean after use and can be winterized just as quickly. After hydroseeding is complete, the tank can be filled and flushed with clean water, then simply sprayed to clear out the tank, hoses, and nozzles to prepare the machine for another round of hydroseeding quickly. 

Benefit #10: Nozzles and Turrets Bring Reach, Speed and Customization

The turret handles on the Easy Lawn L90 Hydroseeder adjust to three positions to make it more practical, functional, and comfortable for operators to use. The turret also has a looped handle design instead of a straight rod for added flexibility.

You can also choose the type of spray nozzle that works best for your industry and task, with three nozzle options included for a fanlike spray that is either narrow or wide, as well as a straight spray. The design and features of hydroseeders vary and some may have a spray gun at the end of a long hose if it is a smaller one, or it might be a big, drivable vehicle with five or six turrets and spray guns onboard.

Turrets play a central role in enabling operators to seed hard-to-reach areas from a safe distance, too. The option to have multiple sprayers and various sprays allows you to cover a lot of ground in little time. Users appreciate how Easy Lawn’s L90 turret-gun swivel joints have a split flange with sealed-pack bearings, so they’re easy to change.

Benefit #11: Increased Speed and Efficiency

The design of Easy Lawn’s Recirculating Agitation System creates speed and efficiency—keeping slurry mixed consistently and ready to spray so you can get seed down quickly. Jet agitation systems also generally require less maintenance than their mechanically-driven counterparts, keeping your hydroseeding equipment in peak working order, with less hassle, longer. 

Add-on features such as an optional mulch grinder can process full bales of mulch to expedite mixing. It breaks up and then grinds the mulch while preventing it from floating above the jets so it blends in well.

The tank material makes a difference in hydroseeding equipment because the hydroseed slurry is corrosive. Historically, hydroseeder tanks have been made out of steel and then coated to protect against corrosion, but that coating requires regular maintenance. Easy Lawn uses polyethylene tanks, which don’t corrode or require much upkeep.

You might be surprised to know that the majority of Easy Lawn’s machines have all its features accessible to operators from the ground, including:

• Engine components
• Flush tank drain valve
• Hose-reel control valve
• Main suction valve
• Recirculation line-control valve

Besides offering safe application and maintenance with hydroseeders, hydroseeding is completely non-toxic and safe for children, animals and the environment.

Benefit #12: Quality Equipment Reduces Downtime

Most people’s complaint about hydroseeding equipment has to do with downtime due to clogs and routine maintenance of the equipment, as well as reduced machine durability due to inferior design, construction or materials. Easy Lawn machines address these and offer helpful features to provide better spray performance, faster mixing and flushing, and less-cumbersome operation.

Once you invest in a new hydroseeder, you’ll need a trained person on staff to operate it. Luckily, Easy Lawn hydroseeders are easy to use, so any staff member can become skilled quickly. When you consider the range of benefits available from the right hydroseeder, it’s easy to see why so many small and medium-sized contractors are choosing to invest in Easy Lawn hydroseeders. From their easy-to-use design, straightforward mixing instructions, and flexible performance, our hydroseeders allow landscapers and contractors of all kinds to expand their business offerings and make more return on investment. For more details on the benefits of hydroseeding, Easy Lawn hydroseeder options, or to connect with a knowledgeable Easy Lawn professional, contact us today.