Hydroseeding Comparison

Hydroseeding — increasingly popular in our country and also known as slurry seeding or spray-on grass — is the process of spraying a mixture of seeds, fertilizer, mulch, tackifiers, and water onto the soil. This high-performance method provides fast, uniform, and cost-effective vegetation for a wide range of applications.

Hydroseeding is widely preferred in landscaping, but also plays a major role in golf course turf establishment, large-area revegetation, landfill cover, and erosion control. Hydroseeding prices vary depending on terrain conditions, climate, ecological structure, and the intended use of the area. When covering large surfaces, hydroseeding drastically reduces cost and accelerates project completion, offering major advantages over traditional methods.

Compared to sod installation and dry seeding, hydroseeding provides superior rooting strength, higher germination rates, and improved soil performance. Hydroseeding materials contain much more than water and seed; the slurry typically includes beneficial fertilizers, essential nutrients, enzymes, plant hormones, pH stabilizers, seaweed extracts, beneficial microorganisms, and bio-stimulants. This enriched mixture enhances soil fertility and creates ideal conditions for long-lasting, healthy turf.

Today, many large-scale projects are transitioning from conventional seeding methods to hydroseeding due to its efficiency and long-term performance.

Hydroseeding: The Superior Method

Hydroseeding vs. Hand Seeding

• Hydroseeding delivers faster and more consistent turf establishment.

• Hydroseeding significantly improves moisture retention in the soil.

• Seeds bond to the soil more effectively, increasing germination success.

• Hydroseeding creates natural resistance against unwanted weed competition.

• The visual results are superior—dense, uniform, and greener turf.

• Hydroseeding ensures homogeneous coverage across the entire area.

• Applications are completed much faster.

• Machine application (hydroseeder / hydro mulcher) minimizes human error.

• Hydroseeding allows seeding on steep slopes, riverbanks, and areas where hand seeding is impossible.

• Soil rehabilitation through hydroseeding is more economical, faster, and easier.

Hydroseeding vs. Sod Installation (Roll Turf)

• Both methods can produce quality turf, but hydroseeding eliminates many intermediate costs.

• Hydroseeding requires less irrigation, significantly reducing water use.

• No soil transport is needed; turf grows naturally in its native soil.

• Sod can be damaged during transport, while hydroseeded turf develops naturally without stress.

• Sod roots are cut short for harvesting, causing transplant shock; hydroseeding has zero shock risk.

• Sod is usually uniform, while hydroseeding allows custom seed blends tailored to the site’s climate, soil, and purpose.

• Sod may shrink within 1–2 months; hydroseeding is natural and does not shrink.

• Preparing, transporting, and installing sod is labor-intensive, whereas hydroseeding is faster, easier, and based on modern engineering principles.

• Hydroseeding can be applied on steep slopes and riverbanks where sod cannot be installed.