FAQ Page

1. IS HYDRO SEEDING A NEW TECHNOLOGY?   --- No! HydroSeeding has been around since 1953
2. WHERE DO YOU USE THIS PROCESS?  --- Hydro Turf Planting can be use anywhere turf coverage is needed.
3. WHY IS THE MULCH GREEN IN COLOR? --- Both wood and paper mulches are white in color. The green dye is used to help see where and how much is applied on all types of soils.
4. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS?  ---  When applied correctly by a quality contractor natural rain fall will not cause anything to move. Even severe slopes, when a quality contractor is hired, soil loss will be very little. Down spouts, ditches, and other forms of channeling water may require additional attention..... Ask your contractor where the problem areas maybe on your site.
5. CAN I HYDROSEED or HYDROMULCH OVER WEEDS? --- This is not recommended unless you are more interested in erosion control than a nice lawn. The weeds are going to like the water and Fertilizer. Even little sprigs of weeds already are at least two weeks ahead of our plantings, (Crabgrass only ¼ inch tall at planting time, can be two foot tall in two weeks, smothering newly planted seedlings only one inch tall.)
6. DO I HAVE TO PREPARE THE SOIL? --- You have a unique opportunity to kill your weeds, loosen soils, and amend the soils with additives. All of this will promote quicker and healthier grass establishment. The addition of compost and other amendments are the best way to benefit your turf for the long term. In doing this will reduce watering, fertilizing, and stress.
7. MY YARD IS A SWAMP, WHAT CAN I DO? --- Stop watering until it dries out, then resume watering less at a time, but just as often. We are looking for moist to wet…. Not a swamp.
8. I HAVE GREEN/BLACK MOLD, WHAT DO I DO? ---
   Decrease your watering; this is normally a sign of over-watering. Algae spores are everywhere and will grow in warm wet conditions; fertilizer also promotes growth of the algae. Decrease your water slightly, do not allow puddles to last more than a few hours. Algae will not hurt your new turf or stop it from germinating or growing.
9. MY GRASS IS PURPLE, WHAT DO I DO? --- This is a sign of over-watering causing the grass to be unable to breathe and take up nutrients. Reduce water slightly, do not water at night. Fertilizing and reducing the length of your watering will allow the grass to recover.
10. CAN I USE WEED CONTROL CHEMICALS? --- No, it is not recommended, especially weed and feed types of fertilizers. Newly planted lawns from seed are very sensitive to chemicals; on Bermuda Lawns, a new chemical called “DRIVE” is the only known herbicide that is ok on young Bermuda (before, during & after planting). Another chemical you might be able to use is called MSMA, but you need to wait a few months for the Bermuda grass to mature. Both of these chemicals will kill everything but Bermuda. Bermuda is very sensitive to weed & feed type fertilizers, it is recommended to wait up to two years before this type of chemical is use if at all. Herbicides have to be for the type lawn it is recommended for. You might want to consult a Weed Control Specialist before any weed control chemicals are used. This is recommended on all young turf that is seeded, HydroMulched, HydroSeeder, or Sodded.
11. I HAVE WEEDS, WHAT CAN I DO? --- Before you plant, kill the existing weeds with “Round-up” weed killer. This chemical neutralizes when in contact with the soil. Round-up works on the green part of the plant, being pulled into the plant, killing it down to the roots. You can then HydroSeed over the top with no harm to baby seedlings. After planting, it is best to pull by hand…… most chemicals will harm immature grasses. Read above #7 to read about exceptions to this rule.
12.  IS HYDROSEEDING A SUPERIOR METHOD OF PLANTING GRASS AS COMPARED TO STRAW MULCHING, SPRIGGING OR SOD? --- There are many variables to consider when determining how turf should be established on a site. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method.  … 

STRAW...Blown straw is far superior to hand shaken straw. Blowing straw is usually faster and cheaper, but more labor intensive than HydroMulching. Straw also includes weed seed that is not present in HydroMulch. After the grass germinates, hand shaken straw must always be raked up so that it does not smother the grass or impede its growth. Straw that is blown will usually decompose in less than a year. Blown straw saves 20% over hand shaken straw.

HYDRO TURF PLANTING...Seed, fertilizer and mulch are applied in one step. No weed seeds are in the mulch and you get better erosion control (especially on slopes). The major factor to consider when hydro turf planting is the experience of the contractor. Overseeding, watering and tacking straw can also be performed by the Hydro Turf Contractor.

SPRIGGING…Living, live grass sprigs need very good soil contact and proper care to succeed. It is used mostly for non-seeded varieties such as “Tiff-419” or “St. Augustine” and is usually very labor intensive, but some grass varieties can be sprigged using some brands of HydroSeeding equipment. A process called “Capping”, spraying mulch over the sprigs is a must to keep sprigs from drying out & dying. As a living plant, it can die if not treated properly. Seed is far more forgiving

SOD...Immediate grass. Sod is expensive to buy; very labor intensive to install and it requires extensive watering to become established. As a living plant, it can die if not treated properly. Seed is far more forgiving.

13. WHAT IS THE PROCESS AND HOW DOES IT WORK? ---Read the Page: “What is HydroMulch or HydroSeed” for a more extensive article.

14. WILL THE AREA BE SMOOTH AND WEED FREE? --- If the area to be planted is smooth the resulting grass surface will be smooth. Hydro Turf Planting will produce turf which is almost weed free. However, weed seed is almost always present in the soil, and when the moisture and fertilizer are applied, weed seed can emerge.

15. WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM THE CUSTOMER? --- A good mulch application will reduce moisture evaporation from the soil. Grass seed needs soil moisture to germinate and grow, and that moisture must come from either irrigation or rainfall. Poor growth is almost always due to lack of water. WATER! WATER! WATER!
Without adequate irrigation, the establishment time and coverage will vary significantly. To ensure quality turf, proper watering is essential. An in-ground irrigation system makes the application of water much easier and more efficient.

16. WILL I LOSE SOIL? --- A good mulch application also provides erosion resistance. When soil erosion is reduced or prevented, and the seeds are held in place, a more uniform coverage of grass is assured.
17. WHEN WILL I SEE GRASS? --- With most grasses, it will germinate in a week, pretty and green in two weeks, with mowing in about three weeks during its growing season. Soil temperatures need to be warm enough and long enough in the day to trigger germination. If it happens to be a cold, cloudy day; the seed might just sit there not growing at all. There are times early in the season that your grass may take longer to establish. Ryes and Fescues will germinate the easiest, Bermudas a bit harder to germinate, Centipede you may not find until 60 days or more with it being only an inch tall and Zoysia is the slowest of all from seed for lawns; after two months it is about the size of a silver dollar. Both Centipede and Zoysia needs cover-crops planted with it for best results. Native grasses can take up to a year rooting before emerging as a viable grass.  
18. MOWING – WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW? --- Mow when the grass is high enough. Mow often to stimulate runners and to thicken turf. When a lawn is allowed to grow tall, it also thins. With Bermuda grasses, the green is in the top 1/3 of the plant….. so, if you let it grow too tall, it will look yellow after mowing (you cut off all the green part) Bermudas are greener if mowed twice a week. It can be detrimental to all lawn grasses to let grow too tall, plus it is hard to mow.

After getting your new Hydro Turf Lawn you need to keep all the clippings off of it by bagging, raking or mowing often. These clippings can create dead spots in your yard (sometime the size of your hand to large spots) The young grass just planted has its only root system underneath it, a baby plant, so if you suffocate it, the plant will die. Mature grasses have a strong root system and with types of plants that have runners, the suffocated plant can pull resources from other areas not affected by the suffocation. After the lawn matures, this is not a problem.

19. WHAT TYPE OF FERTILIZER SHOULD I USE? --- This is really based on your soil quality and type of grass. Most grasses will respond best to a Time-Release Type of fertilizers like “Scott’s Turf Builder” with no weed-killers in it. This type of fertilizer releases over a two month period, giving constant feeding. A quick release such as an Ammonia-Nitrate like 13-13-13 has a life of only about 3-weeks and by then, if not used, has leached into the ground beyond reach of the plant or leached into the air. Ask your contractor what type he recommends as he is familiar with your type of soil, grass & conditions.
20. I ACCIDENTALLY OVER-FERTILIZED. WHAT DO I DO? --- Water, Water, and more Water to try to leach out the excess fertilizer as much as possible. With most lawn products there is an “800” number you should call to get the best information on what to do. If a Weed & Feed was used they maybe able to tell you of a chemical to neutralize it. Weed & Feeds are designed to be put on at a certain rate, if you exceed this rate; your lawn is at risk.
21.  Do I need to Lime my Soil? --- That really depends on your soil pH and the type of grass you are planting. In some areas of the country, the Soil is a pH of 7 to 8 and can grow only certain types of grass. Other areas of the country is acidic and needs lime “IF” the grass you are growing requires a balanced pH, some grasses like “Centipede” requires acidic soil of 4.5 to 5.5 and will die in a pH of 7 to 8 pH. Do a soil test to know for sure. Most HydroMulch Contractors know what the general pH of the area is from doing past soil test, and can advise you.