Frequently Asked Questions
If your question is not addressed in this list or you need additional clarification or you would like to order hydro seed please call at 801-501-0708. Ask for Dave, Shawn, Sheri or Mike.
We offer our customers the very best value in the Industry! Price + service +knowledge +experience + materials = Value
How much does it cost to hydro seed?
It depends mainly on the size of the area you are seeding and what type of seed you are using. There is a minimum charge of $250.00. If your square footage is above the minimum the per sq. ft. pricing is around $.06 per sq. ft. Wildflower and native grass seeding are different so please call for pricing or it you have very large areas from 1 acre to hundreds of acres call for job specific pricing. If your area is large then we usually drill seed and hydro mulch areas 1 acre and over.
Do you match competitors pricing??
Yes!! On an apples to apples comparison we can at very least match and in most cases beat any of our competitors pricing. It has often been said that the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a good price. While this is very true and we urge you to choose the best materials when hydro seeding as they make a world of difference in the long term health of a lawn we will make sure you get the absolute best pricing available.
How far out are you? When can you get to us?
We are the largest hydro seed contractor is the State of Utah. We currently operate 6 hydro seeders. We have large, small, and four wheel drive seeders for all types of applications. Our busiest time for seeding is in the Fall and so lead time does vary but typically we can arrange to hydro seed your landscape within just a few days of when you call.
What is the difference between hydro seed and sod??
In the end there is no difference between hydro seed and sod. In the beginning hydro seeding is significantly less expensive. When you buy sod your buying from a sod farmer who takes care of the grass seed by fertilizing, watering, mowing, and weeding until the sod is ready to sell. With hydro seeding you are simply taking the place of the farmer and their duties to tend the grass until maturity and that is why hydro seeding is so much less expensive than sod. Both are great products it just depends on how much you want to spend. In the end hydro seeding is a much better value as it is about 4 times less expensive than sod. The price for hydro seeding is typically around $.06 per sq. ft. The price for sod is around $.25-$.30. per sq. ft.
When is the best time to hydro seed?
Soil temperature needs to be about 60 degrees for grass to germinate and actively grow. Because of this, the turf grass (residential lawn and park grass) seeding window is from April 15th to September 30th of any given year. This time frame is used for areas that will be grown in the same year they are seeded. It is a common misconception that the only time to seed turf grass is in the coolest part of the year like spring or fall. Our favorite time of the year to seed is in the dead heat of the summer! Why? Because since heat dictates how fast the lawn establishes you can get a lawn to fully establish in 4 weeks. If your area is ready outside of this seeding window call us for instructions on how to have a successful dormant seeding. For wildflowers and non- irrigated native grass seeding the seeding time frames can be different!
Do I need to bring in top soil for hydro seeding?? How much should I bring in??
We recommend that you do bring in top soil. We recommend a minimum of 2 inches of top soil and maximum of 6 inches. Although the grass will grow without top soil, you can easily tell lawns that do not have adequate top toil in the hot summer months. The heat of summer will expose areas that do not have deep root systems and they will turn brown! Deep root systems and healthy lawns come from good top soil, proper watering and fertilization.
How should I prepare my lawn for hydro seeding ??
You need to have an automatic sprinkling system as the hydro seeded areas will need light but very frequent waterings. Remove all debris, weeds and any rocks that are larger than the size of a quarter. Grade your top soil or existing soil to your desired finished grade sloping away from your house and make sure your sprinkling system has double coverage to all areas. Also make sure the soil is dry and loose when we arrive to spray down the hydro seed slurry mix. The mixture is sprayed at high pressure so if the soil is dry and loose then the seed gets planted into the soil.
What kind of seed do you use??
If you have a preference we can use any seed that you like! The mixture we use depends on the area we are seeding and the desired characteristics the customer wants. Probably 90% of the turf grass lawns here in Utah are a mixture of Kentucky Bluegrass and Perrenial Ryegrass or Fine Fescues. Those three grasses do the best in this climate. Our favorite for residential turfgrass seeding and what I have in my own lawn is a 60% Kentucky bluegrass a nd 40% perennial Ryegrass. Perrenail Ryegrass is the same kind of grass you see in golf course fairways, soccer and football fields. It greens up early it can be mowed short and is the most traffic tolerance grass available. Bluegrass is the best all around grass but does not do well is shade. If you have a shades area a mixture containing fine fescues is best. Other grass choices are buffalo grass, blue gramma grass, various fescue varieties and warm season varieties such as Bermuda or zoisa grass. Make sure you call and consult with us prior to ordering a specialty grass.
How long does it take for the grass to start growing? When does is fully establish??
It depends on the grass and the time of year the grass is seeded as the heat is the primary dictator of how fast the grass with start growing and establish. On average the seed will start growing in about 7-10 days and fully establish is about 4-6 weeks.
When can I mow the grass for the first time??
When the lawn reaches 3 inches in height then mow it. It is important that you don't let the grass grow longer than 3 inches, if you do and the grass gets really long then it will start falling over on itself and begin to compost which will kill the grass.
What is in your hydro seed slurry??
The hydro seed slurry is a green mixture that sprays out of our hydro seeder. The exact blend of slurry depends on the specification for the job site, but generally the slurry is comprised of wood fiber mulch, grass seed, water, fertilizer, soil conditioner, micro rhizee and tupersan. This does vary by job site and application.
When should we fertilize the lawn??
There is fertilizer in our initial slurry mix, which will last about 4 weeks and then the lawn will need to be fertilized again. We recommend a typical 16-16-8 fertilizer for follow up applications. The lawn should be fertilized at 21, 42, and 63 days after seeding is done and then as needed.
What about weeds? What should we do about weeds?
Getting some weeds are normal in the hydro seed process, they are also very normal when sod is grown at the sod farm. Getting a lot of weeds is not normal. Usually when a person gets a lot of weeds it is because they did not bring in screened top soil or they did not get rid of the weeds before they had us seed. At the start of the hydro seed process we are only concerned about getting the grass established and weeds are really not hard to get rid of once you start mowing regularly. Typically after the lawn is established (4-6 Weeks) A few herbicide applications will get rid of the weeds. Normal weed maintenance will follow after the initial grow in.
How far do you go to hydro seed?
We really have no boundaries and have traveled all over the western United States to do hydro seed and drill seed work. We are based in the Salt Lake Valley but will travel where necessary depending on job size and so forth.
What other services do you offer?
We are primarily hydro seed company, but we also do erosion control work, silt fence, drill seeding, storm water pollution prevention work, bark blowing, fertilization, tree care and pest control. If you need information on any of these services please contact the office at 801-501-0708.
What other types of grasses and flowers do you seed?
We really can seed anything. Other than turf grass we seed all types of non irrigated as well as irrigated native grasses and wildflowers. We specialize in steep slope stabilization work. A common question is if we seed ground covers . Unfortunately they must be planted. We also seed shade tolerant specialty grasses as well as salt tolerant grasses. We also drill seed for larger areas, and offer terra-seeding which is where compost soil and seed are blown in at the same time which eliminates the need for you to bring in top soil. This is done with our Express Blower Truck.
How long have you been in business??
We have been in business since 1997. We are the largest hydro seed contractor in the State of Utah both by the amount of hydro seeders we operate and by the annual dollar volume of work that we do.
Do you have any referrals of satisfied customers that we may contact??
Yes! Thousands in fact. Tell us where you live and we can likely direct you to a residential lawn or commercial park close by that we have hydro seeded so you can see our work.
Do you offer a guarantee?
Absolutely! We offer a written guarantee that the grass will germinate and the most reasonable warranty you'll find anywhere. Our guarantee basically guarantees the grass will germinate if you follow the written watering instructions that we provide. If anything is our fault then we will come back free of charge to fix whatever problems you have that are specifically related to the seeding of the grass. Hypothetically speaking if you forget to water and are out of town for instance and as a result the grass does not grown in, or some other reason that is your fault. (killing the lawn with fertilizer) We will still come and re-seed any areas you desire for ½ the initial per s.f. cost.
How often do we need to water the area after you hydro seed??
Upon completion of the hydro seed process we will provide you with a written watering instruction packet as well as a mature lawn mowing and fertilization instruction packet. These instructions will answer any questions you may have with regard to the watering and care of you hydro seeded area.
Does Grass Master Inc. do any full service landscaping like sprinkling systems or can you help with preparing the area to hydro seed?
We are not a full service landscaper, but the good news is that we work or have worked for most every reputable landscape contractor in the valley and so we can refer you to someone if you need landscape services done. We do not assist will preparation.