A hydroseed lawn is an efficient and inexpensive alternative to using sod, especially in areas where a living lawn is desired. As any kind of seeded lawn takes more maintenance to establish than sod, it is important to that maintenance instructions are followed closely – especially during the first 30 days when a new lawn is properly establishing itself.

After having completed the hydroseeding application, it is important to allow the lawn to dry for 24 hours. This ensures the mulch and tackifier properly bond to the soil.

During these first stages, weather conditions should be taken into consideration. If the lawn is seeded during drier conditions, it is possible to set up a watering system and hold off from the first watering until it rains again. When it next rains, watering should start immediately. If there is no rainfall in 7-10 days from seeding, watering should start.

As many hoses and sprinklers as possible should be used when setting up a sprinkler system to water a newly established lawn. This is to maximise coverage on the lawn and to ensure that the amount of walking on the lawn is reduced. When a sprinkler system is being set up on a lawn, it is crucial that each should overlap to ensure that every part is watered. Where areas are not watered, they will not germinate.

After the initial drying period, the lawn should be watered daily. Whilst it may vary depending on which sprinkler system is in use, a rate of 30 minutes per sprinkler 2-3 times a day is effective. The lawn should be watered until the soil is soft, but not too heavily saturated as this can cause uneven germination. Evenly distributing the sprinklers is also key to avoid uneven germination, as heavy watering focused in rings around sprinklers will cause uneven growth. It should also be noted that during cold weather it may take longer to germinate the seed, whilst during very warm and windy days watering twice a day may not be sufficient to prevent the seedlings from drying out.

Having established an even system of watering, a lawn should be watered every day until it germinates and grows to 3”. The time it takes for a seed to germinate will depend on which seed is being used, as while some take as little as 6-10 days, other species may take up to a month. It is, therefore, essential that daily watering continues up until this point to ensure even germination occurs. If weeds grow in with the hydroseed, it is important not to use weed killer until the lawn is mature and can withstand the treatment.

Before a lawn is cut for the first time, it is important that it is allowed to completely dry out for no more than 48 hours. When dry, it should be cut with a mower at 2.5” and mown carefully. The clippings can be allowed to drop and add mulch to the soil, helping keep it from drying out. Following this first cut, starter fertilizer should be immediately applied.

Having mown the lawn for the first time, it is important to start watering it immediately. As the grass plants are now established, they will help shade the soil and retain soil moisture. This means that the lawn now only needs to be watered every other day. This should continue up until the point a second cut is needed (it is not healthy for the lawn to allow the grass to grow taller than 4”), when, again, it should be completely dry and watered immediately after being cut. Following this, watering can be cut back to every third day until the lawn is completely full and established. After the grass is established, mowing height should be 3 1/4″ to 4″.

For more information on Hydroseed Lawns, contact Oliver Brown by clicking here or call 08453073774.