How to Care for Your Hydroseeded Lawn:
WATERING
For best results allow your new hydroseed lawn to dry for 24 hours.
This drying allows the glue (tackifier) in the mulch to adhere to the soil.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT BY KEEPING MULCH MOIST!
Weeks 1-3: Watering requirements can vary depending on irrigation system design, lawn size, weather, time of year, soil type, topography, etc. Best results are achieved by watering frequently (3-6 times/day) for shorter periods of time. Watering 6 times a day, rather than 3 times a day can reduce your germination and establishment time. A lighter tone of mulch color indicates drier areas. Monitor watering and adjust accordingly to ensure even adequate coverage. A high concentration of water at one time and location can cause mulch/seed to move on the soil surface. Avoid watering at night.
Weeks 3-5: To promote deeper root growth and healthy grass plant development, water your lawn less frequently but for longer lengths of time. Ultimately, you will go from 3-6 times/day to 2-3 times/week.
Preferred Watering Times:
8:00 AM 10:00 AM 12:00PM 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM.
(Deep watering early in the morning before dawn is best for established lawns).
Sprinkler Information
Long Throw sprinkler heads (Rotors) need to run longer because their spray rotates between 90-360 degrees. Watering Times can vary from 5-45 minutes. Short Throw sprinkler heads (Sprays) don’t need to run as long because their spray is fixed. Watering times can vary from 3-8 minutes.
Sprinkler systems can sometimes shadow. This means the spray pattern is missing certain areas causing dry spots. Most shadows are caused by the wind. If a sprinkler system loses pressure or heads are spaced too far apart, there will be a shadow (dry spot) just a foot or two in front of the head. Good sprinkler coverage is head to head, meaning each sprinkler head sprays to the base of the next head. If you want to check sprinkler coverage in a certain area, place a low cup or an empty tuna can in that spot and see what collects.
FERTILIZING
It is important to fertilize your newly hydroseeded lawn to encourage the healthy establishment of juvenile grass plants. In 3-4 weeks or when the grass reaches 1-2” in height, use a broadcast spreader to apply a balanced, granular fertilizer. Initially, apply (16-16-16) or (18-10-10) at a rate of 10 lbs/1000 sq.ft. DO NOT use a Weed and Feed or any Weed Killers until you have mowed 2-3 times.
Established lawns should be fertilized 4-5 times a year, generally on holidays (i.e. Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.) A good general all-purpose lawn fertilizer is (21-7-14). slow-release fertilizers will allow a more consistent uptake of nutrients. Don’t be confused by all of the fall or "winterizing" fertilizers. In our area, (zone 5-6), use a 10-20-20 or similar fertilizer with low nitrogen for your fall application. Ultimately consider a program using organic fertilizers. Organically fed lawns introduce necessary beneficial micro-organisms back into the soil, which will encourage a sustainable healthy lawn.