Sowing the Seeds: You Can Add Hydroseeding to Your Contracting Business

By Erik Skindrud, regional editor

Before you learn, it looks simple. You spray a colored mixture on the ground and in a matter of weeks, you?EUR??,,????'???re rewarded with rich, lush green. The job is more complicated once you scratch the surface, however. Using a mixing tank and sprayer, the contractor mixes water, fertilizer, mulch, seed and an erosion-control compound called tackifier?EUR??,,????'??+all of which are applied at a precise rate.

Glenn Young of Tyler, Texas, uses a hose attachment to apply wood-fiber mulch at a hydroseeders?EUR??,,????'??? gathering in 2003. Educational events are a good way to learn tips from the pro?EUR??,,????'???s. Learn more at www.hydroseeding.org, the International Association of HydroSeeding Professionals?EUR??,,????'??? web site.

If done correctly, hydroseeding is cheaper, faster and more reliable than old, multiple-step methods like seed-and-straw. What?EUR??,,????'???s more, the same equipment that is used for seeding can apply mixtures tailored for erosion control and other specialized functions. (One of the newer spray-application products is Bonded Fiber Matrix, or BFMs, which help hold loose soil in place during rainy periods.) This is a bonus for the operator, who can do different jobs in different seasons, adding value to the initial investment in the equipment.

Hydroseeding has taken off like a fertilized lawn over the past 10 years. For the small business-owner, it continues to grow, too. But there?EUR??,,????'???s more than meets the eye to this rewarding technology.

Here are a few of the reasons hydroseeding works so well. The grass seed is suspended in a nutrient-rich slurry. The contact of the seed with the water in the machine triggers the germination cycle. The mulch layer seals in moisture (whether natural or irrigated), and holds the soil in place. The seed is placed at an ideal depth for good results. If the operator follows instructions, conditions can be right to produce a lush green lawn in a very short time.

John Larson, of Clarkston, Wash.-based Apex Curb and Turf built this 4,000-gallon beauty, which is used for post-fire work and big projects along highways. The spray nozzles operate with 185-hp pumps and are among the biggest in the industry.

Aiming for Profit

Sprayer manufacturers (and the makers of spray products) are eager to help beginners learn how to do it right. Almost all offer information on web sites, and many will be happy to answer more detailed questions over the phone.

The new operator should expect a few snags as he (or she) starts out. Getting the mixes right can take some trial and error.

Some products mix up better than others, and some work better in some machines than others. (Some machines, for example, use mechanical mixers and others employ spray-jet ones.)

A rule of thumb is that basic seeding costs the operator about
$.02 per square foot. That holds for basic seeding with rye or other quick-growing grasses?EUR??,,????'??+putting bermudagrass, wildflower mix or more exotic seeds into the tank can up the basic cost to $.04, according to Rob Badger, sales manager at Turbo Technologies.

 

A team performed this demonstration to show the state of Delaware?EUR??,,????'???s highway maintenance department what this 900-gallon Finn hydroseeder can do. The machine is usually loaded with 200 lbs. of wood fiber mulch per tank for such a job.

The amount operators charge customers varies greatly by area, Badger explained, with rates around a big East Coast city like Boston approaching $.14 per square foot, while in rural Pennsylvania the price hovers closer to $.06. ?EUR??,,????'??It really varies by area?EUR??,,????'??+by what the competition is charging and how many people are seeding,?EUR??,,????'?? Badger said.

?EUR??,,????'??It also depends if the job is commercial or residential. With commercial jobs you can?EUR??,,????'???t charge as much (per square foot) because you?EUR??,,????'???re seeding a much bigger area.?EUR??,,????'??

When it comes to profit, other factors come into play?EUR??,,????'??+factors that seeders with experience will learn to deal with more efficiently. A supply of water close to the job site is important, as having to drive the tank half an hour for each fill-up greatly reduces per-hour efficiency. For small residential jobs, operators can often fill up with garden hoses. For bigger areas, some seeders will fill up at local ponds, or pay for access to municipal water supplies via hydrants.

For bigger jobs, bigger tanks will be much more efficient in terms of time and labor.

This towed, 900-gallon-tank Easy Lawn sprayer has a top deck that gives the gun operator a good view and enough storage space to stock an ample supply of 50 lb. bags of mulch.

History and Technology

The history of hydroseeding dates to at least 1950, when Norman Gray of Medford, Mass. built a 1,000-gallon model.

The technology came into wider use as state transportation departments discovered that spraying water-suspended seed was a great way to get cover on steep, bare areas. For years, however, almost all hydroseeding was carried out by large, truck-sized rigs that were beyond the reach of small business owners.

It wasn?EUR??,,????'???t until the 1990s that newer, lighter units sparked seeding?EUR??,,????'???s spread to small operators, who usually run their operations as seasonal businesses. Driven by cycles of precipitation and drought, hydroseeding is a highly seasonal enterprise. In the West, most jobs are completed in the fall to prepare ground for the coming dry season. In the South and East, jobs often happen in the spring.

Looking like a tank cannon, the sprayer?EUR??,,????'???s nozzle can shoot seed mix over 150 feet and has the capacity to cover 7,000 square feet in about 20 minutes. It takes about 25 minutes to reload the rig, however.

Christy Lowe, who supplies hydroseeding products to operators all over the country, said there are no easy rules for prices, profit margins and times of peak operation. ?EUR??,,????'??Every region is different,?EUR??,,????'?? she said. ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s a very seasonal job. I would say 40 percent happens in the spring and 60 percent happens in the fall.?EUR??,,????'??

Lowe works with Wyoming-based Rantec Corporation, which distributes mulch, tackifier and other products from more than a dozen warehouses across the country.

Pennsylvania-based Turbo Technologies helped pioneer the smaller Turbo Turf hydroseeding systems, which has spread the technology to small business owners. With tanks as small as 50 gallons, one person can operate a machine, simultaneously applying hydromulch, seed, fertilizer, tackifier and water. Unlike broadcast seeding, the use of straw is eliminated. Sold in bags, hydromulch is easier to store and transport than straw. It doesn?EUR??,,????'???t produce dust during application. Hydromulch tends not to blow off, and does not need to be removed. Hydroseeding mulch does not contain weed seed as straw does. It won?EUR??,,????'???t cause a loss of nitrogen as it decomposes. Hydroseeding also lays down a neat green appearance that creates an immediate change on the ground. Hydroseeding is a one-step application?EUR??,,????'??+and one person can easily hydroseed using a small, portable system.?????EUR??,,?EUR

A 900-gallon sprayer?EUR??,,????'???s nozzle in its stowed position. Two nozzle tips are stored under the cover at right. The operator stands in this spot and directs the hydroseed mix while a driver tows the rig at a prearranged speed.

Seed and Fertilizer

Any seed used in lawn or roadside applications can be used in a hydroseeding system. Any grass that can be grown from seed can be set, including wildflowers and crown vetch. Seeds used do not need to be anything special. Since the even application of mulch results in better moisture retention, many people experience an increase in germination rates. Seed can be pre-germinated for even faster growth. One method is to soak the seed overnight in clear water in a container such as a garbage can.

Any type of fertilizer can be used. Liquid, water soluble or granular fertilizers may all be loaded into a tank. Granular fertilizer is the most commonly used. The unit does not dissolve the granules, but suspends them and blends the granules evenly in the mix. The use of lime is not recommended. If the soil pH needs to be changed a liquid lime product such as New Cal is the best choice. Granular or pelletized lime can be used if necessary.

The 100-gallon Turbo Turf sprayer is mounted here on a highly-maneuverable John Deere Gator. At left is a bag of pelletized hydromulch (20 percent wood and 80 percent paper ). The same spray unit can be operated from a short or long-bed pickup truck.

Tackifier and Mulch

Tackifiers are used to hold the material in place on hillsides especially during rainy weather. A wide variety of products may be used in a hydro sprayer. Systems can also be used to apply tackifer or a tackifier mulch mix over straw to hold it in place.

There are two basic types of mulch. Wood fiber mulch is made from wood by-products. Cellulose fiber mulch is made from recycled newsprint. Cellulose mulch is less expensive, easier to use and has the same result. Average cost for a bale of cellulose mulch is $7. The recommended coverage rate is 2,000 square feet per bale?EUR??,,????'??+although this can vary depending on the job.?????EUR??,,?EUR Recently, pelletized mulches have been introduced.?????EUR??,,?EUR

They are a combination of paper and wood fiber and may be simply poured into the machines, greatly reducing loading time.

Multiple contractors were hired to cover close to 1,400 burned acres with hydroseeding mixture after devastating wildfires in San Diego County, Calif. in 2003. To insure slope stability, teams applied 125 lbs. of tackifier per acre.

Final Thoughts

Many other products can be used in the mix. Some of the more common additives are co-polymers that are used when low humidity is a problem. Co-polymers can hold 400 times their weight in water and slowly release trapped moisture to the new seedlings. Locking fibers may also be used. Locking fibers are made from crimped polyester. They will disperse through the load, and when sprayed on, interlock to form a spray-on erosion control blanket. These products are referred to as Bonded Fiber Matrix, or BFMs. Other products to stimulate growth or to enhance the color may also be added to the mix.

A final hint is that many seeders have been successful steadily growing their businesses. The rule is, start out small, then learn and grow.

?EUR??,,????'??We have a lot of customers who start out with 50-gallon tanks, then move up to 100 gallons, then finally up to a 500-gallon tank after about five years,?EUR??,,????'?? Rob Badger said. ?EUR??,,????'??A majority of customers don?EUR??,,????'???t want to make too large of a financial commitment, so they trade in and trade up. We?EUR??,,????'???re happy to give them some trade-in value to help them do that.?EUR??,,????'??

Hose attachments are the way smaller spray units get their tank contents correctly applied in close-in situations. Hydroseeding can apply a variety of turf seed successfully, creating lush lawns at up to one-fourth the cost of sod, manufacturers claim.