Technology has never been my favorite subject. All the new gizmos and widgets that supposedly make our lives easier are rarely on my radar, much less my shopping list. I’ll take pen and paper over a keyboard any day and a letter will always be my preferred form of correspondence.
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But this embargo against the latest and greatest in technology stops short when it comes to gardening. I’m always interested in what’s new in the gardening world. Earlier this fall I was delighted to receive a demonstration in a process that I think will become very beneficial to home gardeners. It’s called hydroseeding.
Hydroseeding is not a new technology; highway departments and commercial developers have been using this method of seeding large areas for years. But within the last decade advancements in machine size and capabilities have made this process accessible to home gardeners.
Here is how it works. The seed of your choice is mixed with a liquid called ‘slurry,’ which is made from recycled newspapers, green dye, water retentive polymers, and fertilizer. The slurry and seed are sprayed onto the prepared ground using a large hose. Everything is included in one step, so all you need to do is prepare the soil. The slurry dries into a paper mache-like blanket that holds moisture and controls erosion while allowing the soil beneath the covering to breath. Because the slurry stays in place, it is a great solution for gardeners trying to establish grass or wildflowers on a severe slope.
Depending on the rainfall, you should see germination within 2 or 3 weeks after hydroseeding and have a full lawn in 4 to 6 weeks!