Hydroseeding Vs Sod
The Benefits:
Hydroseed
1.
Residential hydroseed can save you up to 75% of the price of sod installation (conditions apply)
2.
Hydroseeding Establishes very quickly during the growing season. Results can be seen in as little as 3 days and ready to play in 3 weeks
3.
Hydroseeding is sprayed uniformly across the area, there are no sod lines or crop lines
4.
Once applied, the hydroseed slurry / mix immediately suppresses dust and provides a great erosion control
5.
Because we mix our hydroseeders on site, we can tailor specific seed blends for your landscaping needs. We have special blends of seed such as: pet burn resistant, high alkaline soils, drought tolerant and shade tolerant blends
6.
Since we mix our hydroseeders on site, we can mix a blend of seed creating a healthier lawn, where as sod is typically a Monoculture it is susceptible to diseases and fungus
7.
Environmentally friendly. Hydroseeding is a completely safe and non-toxic method of growing grass that is harmless to kids, pets, wildlife and the environment.
Sod
1.
Sodding creates instant grass. In many cases, sod can be installed in as little as one day
2.
Sod acts as a sponge, soaking up water very easily and can start establishing its roots within days of being installed
3.
Grass acts as a great heatsink and sound absorber. This can help keep your home cool and road noise down
4.
Sod is grown for approximately 2 years before it is cut and installed. This provides a mature lawn that suppresses weeds
5.
Sod also provides some soil erosion and dust suppression
6.
Flexibility in timing. Sod can be installed anytime in the growing season, except in very high heat. Sod roots fastest when laid during the period of peak growth for the type of grass involved.
7.
Quick traffic turnaround. Once sod roots establish, it's ready for normal lawn traffic, including entertaining, play and pets
The Negatives to be aware of:
Hydroseeding
1.
Hydroseeding has a smaller window for installation because the grass has to mature strong enough to survive our harsh winters.
2.
If the soil is contaminated with weed seeds, they can benefit from the growing environment from the hydroseeding. We do use a high seed rate to overwhelm and choke out the weeds but is not a perfect solution. We do recommend herbiciding any weeds.
3.
Irrigation / water management. The grass seed is very delicate and does need careful attention.
4.
Cannot have any traffic on the hydroseeded area during establishment as this can severely damage the young grass.
Sod
3.
The majority of sod grown & sold in Alberta is Kentucky Blue Grass because it has a shallow root system allowing it to be cut for transportation. This has a few negatives such as low drought tolerance (needs lots of water), Not as pet friendly (roots get saturated in urine & burnt), Monoculture (zaps nutrients, more susceptible to disease)