hydroseed ?

[BryPaulD]

I"m not experienced with it. I got some quotes to do my yard from 4 different, well, 3 different people cause one didn't show up. Anyway, 2 guys are charging 10 cents a foot and the other is at 5 cents a foot. My question is, why is that guy 1/2 the price? Is there like good and bad hydroseeding. What maybe should I be aware of? Thank you :)

[AintNoFun]

10 cents is a fair price for residential... the only way he could be doing a good job at 5 cents is if he buy A LOT of material but even still thats tough....

[muddstopper]

You will find hydroseeding prices all over the place. What counts is what you are getting for your money. Material costs will run around 2 cents a sqft. Thats not the total cost of the hydroseeding job. I do a lot of seeding in the 5 cent range but that is for large acreages, not a residential lawn. There are differences in material cost as well. Lawns generally get more seed. Even cheap seed is now around a $1 per lb and can add another penny persqft for residental type seeding. Then you have the drive factor. It cost me as much fuel and time to travel to a 5000sqft lawn as it does a 5 acre job. This time and fuel has to be added to the price as well. Now you are up to 7 cents a sqft and you still havent even figured in your wages or your profit. My insurance and taxes and tags cost me $12,000 a year, add a few more pennies to the price per sqft. 10 cents is fair for a residental lawn, but that doesnt mean the guy chargeing 5 cents is skimping on materials, he may be doing a lot of volume and can get by with chargeing less. Ask the contractors what kind of materials they plan on using and the amounts. if they are all in the same ball park on materials, then you are probably getting what you are paying for.

[lawncare18]

Post some pics of that hydroseed equipment of yours please for me to check out!!!!

[justanotherlawnguy]

Hydroseed = yard full of weeds!!!

Save the hydroseeding for commercial apps, or if you just dont care about your yard...

[AintNoFun]

someone doesn't know what they are talking about... we get awesome results from hydroseeding... there are def. bad hydroseeding jobs and contractors as there are crappy hardscape and planting contractors as well, but dont shoot it down totally .:rolleyes:


Hydroseed = yard full of weeds!!!

Save the hydroseeding for commercial apps, or if you just dont care about your yard...

[Grassmechanic]

Hydroseed = yard full of weeds!!!

Save the hydroseeding for commercial apps, or if you just dont care about your yard...
Maybe in your case, but I've gotten far superior results from hydroseed than from anything else. I can control which varieties I want for each particular area. You get what the growers have when it comes to sod.

[Planet Landscaping]

Hydroseeding provides great results. 10 cents a sq. is fair for a quality job.:usflag:

[justanotherlawnguy]

someone doesn't know what they are talking about...
Typical Lawnsite response. IF you dont agree with what someone posts, automatically it is ASSumed that the person does not know what they are talking about.

Here in FL, hydroseeding is nearly 99.9% a disaster. I have seen 7 yards that were hydroseeded last year and this year they all look like $ h i t.

I noticed that from the previous guys who posted, most were from up north somewhere, which obviously has a far greater result from the same process.

Rather than just saying that I dont know what I am talking about, maybe you should know all the facts....

To give you an idea how terrible it is there is 1 company that is in the yellow pages for Tampa and surrounding area. Nobody ever even requests it, in fact it is not even an option for most people. They only way to go for folks down here is Sod, anything else and the weeds just take over....

[AintNoFun]

then you shoulda said hydroseeding you've seen in florida on SEVEN jobs look like garbage instead of saying

"Hydroseed = yard full of weeds!!!

Save the hydroseeding for commercial apps, or if you just dont care about your yard..."



thats pretty generic to dont ya think?


Typical Lawnsite response. IF you dont agree with what someone posts, automatically it is ASSumed that the person does not know what they are talking about.

Here in FL, hydroseeding is nearly 99.9% a disaster. I have seen 7 yards that were hydroseeded last year and this year they all look like $ h i t.

I noticed that from the previous guys who posted, most were from up north somewhere, which obviously has a far greater result from the same process.

Rather than just saying that I dont know what I am talking about, maybe you should know all the facts....

To give you an idea how terrible it is there is 1 company that is in the yellow pages for Tampa and surrounding area. Nobody ever even requests it, in fact it is not even an option for most people. They only way to go for folks down here is Sod, anything else and the weeds just take over....

[upidstay]

Good lord what a bunch of catty little &^%$#@! you guys can be. God forbid anybody disagree with you!!
Anyway, the guy asked for an answer to his qustion, not start an argument over other contractors' knowledge base.

Anyway, BryPaulD, hydroseeding costs vary with the materials used. What kind of seed, mulch, fertilizer, lime, tackifier, will they be using? How much will they be using? I know some guys who are top notch contractors and charge a top price. There are also some real hacks out there who do bad work and charge a top price. Make sure you know WHAT you are getting and WHO you are getting it from. Always ask around and check out your contractors before you sign anything.

[BryPaulD]

Sorry, I didn't get pics of the rig.

19.76% Omega 3 perennial ryegrass
19.58% Enterprise perennial ryegrass
14.87% Annual ryegrass
14.72% Kentucky Bluegrass
14.62% Creeping red fescue
14.37% Perennial ryegrass
0.32% Other crop
1.72% Inert matter
0.04% weed seed

This was the card given to me as to what was in the mix

[justanotherlawnguy]

Idiot, again you missed the meaning of my 2nd post.

I will shoot down hydroseeding for my area, because every job I have seen is garbage. I will go out on a limb and say that any other LCO's in FL would agree.

If it works with good results in your area, then god bless you and the beautiful job you can do with it. But like I said for here it is garbage and nobody wants it or even offers the service.

Go ahead and tear this post apart as well and further solidify my disgust for people from NJ. That place is so nasty and the people s u c k, and are infesting FL left and right. I get calls from A-holes with a Jersey accent and I tell them that I dont service their area.

See what you made me do: it turned this post into an anti-NJ rant.......THanks.

[muddstopper]

Justanotherlawnguy,
I can pretty much guarantee that the weeds didnt come from the hydroseeding. There are no weeds seeds in the mulch or other materials in the hydroseeding slurry. This means that the weeds came from the seeds already present in the soil before the seeding took place. Fl is a hard place to hydroseed simply because of the grass types used. St. Augustine grass cant be hydroseeded since there isnt any available viable seed to be purchased anywhere. Hydrosprigging St. Augustine hasnt proven to be to successful either. That leaves Bermuda and Centipede or Sahara as about the only options for the hydroseeding contractor in Fl. Then you have the problems of the sandy soil, moisture quickly disappears and so does the fertilizers. This makes followup care much more critical until the new grass establishes. Just for info, sod wont fair well either if it isnt maintained. Now as for hydroseeding not being used or prefered in Fl. I know for a fact that thats a bunch of bull. I have been asked in the past by a large company to give bids for hydroseeding in Fl. They cant seem to find enough hydroseeding contractors in the state to do all the work that they already have lined up. Hydroseeding is a viable seeding option in Fl, you just need to get out of your hole a little more and you will see it. Thats not to say all hydroseeding contractors are doing a good job, or that hydroseeding is magic.

[muddstopper]

Post some pics of that hydroseed equipment of yours please for me to check out!!!!

Here is a pic of my old Bowie and straw blower. I dont have any pics of my new truck and seeder on this laptop.

[AintNoFun]

wow what a well thought out post.. you must really be a true tough guy. i wouldn't rag on jersians to bad, they are bringing A LOT of money into your state but your probably to dumb enough to realize that. thats probably one of the reasons why your doing so good down there with your 21" push mower and craftsman weedwacker. go put some more home made fliers in mailboxes and get off it....



Idiot, again you missed the meaning of my 2nd post.

I will shoot down hydroseeding for my area, because every job I have seen is garbage. I will go out on a limb and say that any other LCO's in FL would agree.

If it works with good results in your area, then god bless you and the beautiful job you can do with it. But like I said for here it is garbage and nobody wants it or even offers the service.

Go ahead and tear this post apart as well and further solidify my disgust for people from NJ. That place is so nasty and the people s u c k, and are infesting FL left and right. I get calls from A-holes with a Jersey accent and I tell them that I dont service their area.

See what you made me do: it turned this post into an anti-NJ rant.......THanks.

[AintNoFun]

heres our strawblower and our hydroseeder... all finn..



Post some pics of that hydroseed equipment of yours please for me to check out!!!!

[muddstopper]

I would reconize that pink truck anywheres:drinkup:

[justanotherlawnguy]

wow what a well thought out post.. you must really be a true tough guy. i wouldn't rag on jersians to bad, they are bringing A LOT of money into your state but your probably to dumb enough to realize that. thats probably one of the reasons why your doing so good down there with your 21" push mower and craftsman weedwacker. go put some more home made fliers in mailboxes and get off it....
AIntnoFUn, What an idiot....

You really live up to be what an a$$ comes out of Jersey. Not that is any of your business but I have nearly $25k in equipement that is all fairly new equipment (and paid for)...

Another wrong ASSumption on your part: I dont pass out fliers, havent EVER passed out fliers, I dont have to chase business. Booked open to close M-F and Dont even bother to answer my phone from June-October.

Anymore ASSumptions you need cleared up Jeresy a$$?

[justanotherlawnguy]

Justanotherlawnguy,
I can pretty much guarantee that the weeds didnt come from the hydroseeding. There are no weeds seeds in the mulch or other materials in the hydroseeding slurry. This means that the weeds came from the seeds already present in the soil before the seeding took place. Fl is a hard place to hydroseed simply because of the grass types used. St. Augustine grass cant be hydroseeded since there isnt any available viable seed to be purchased anywhere. Hydrosprigging St. Augustine hasnt proven to be to successful either. That leaves Bermuda and Centipede or Sahara as about the only options for the hydroseeding contractor in Fl. Then you have the problems of the sandy soil, moisture quickly disappears and so does the fertilizers. This makes followup care much more critical until the new grass establishes. Just for info, sod wont fair well either if it isnt maintained. Now as for hydroseeding not being used or prefered in Fl. I know for a fact that thats a bunch of bull. I have been asked in the past by a large company to give bids for hydroseeding in Fl. They cant seem to find enough hydroseeding contractors in the state to do all the work that they already have lined up. Hydroseeding is a viable seeding option in Fl, you just need to get out of your hole a little more and you will see it. Thats not to say all hydroseeding contractors are doing a good job, or that hydroseeding is magic.


Wow, another well thought out critical posting in typical lawnsite fashion.

Thanks for the lecture. I am sure hydroseeding has its place in FL, typically in Large industrial/commercial applications.

Even when DOT does large projects for the highways, what do they use? Bahia SOD....

MY point was that for 99.99999999999999999% of residential consumers that want a new yard, sod is the only option. NOBODY does hydroseeding for these customers. In fact, most HOA's are deed restricted so they have to have some hybrid of ST AUgustine.

THere is no disputing the fact that hydroseeding has its place in FL, I am just saying not in a residential setting.....

By the way, I dont live in a hole, any other questions/statements you need clarification on? Cause I would be happy to answer them............

[AintNoFun]

i love when people say this... look at my 2 riders.. people that brag about the value of their equipment usually never pay taxes or insurance but instead - wow look at me and my 25k worth of equipment.. are you serious? have you been lurking in the shadows for 2 weeks now totaling the value of you scab operation? i think with that 25k worth of equipment you have a shot in making the lawn and landscape top 100.. i would contact the editor of the magazine when you get home from 21'inching peoples back yards today. no seriously id get on it so you dont miss the next annual issue.




top 100 weakest companies maybe..


Not that is any of your business but I have nearly $25k in equipement that is all fairly new equipment (and paid for)...

[muddstopper]

THere is no disputing the fact that hydroseeding has its place in FL, I am just saying not in a residential setting.....

Hydroseeding is an excepted method for establishing grass, including lawns, in every state in the US and even third world countries. They even hydroseed in the desert. Please let us know why hydroseeding wont work in Florida. Or is the reason hydroseeding wont work in Florida is simply because you dont know how.

[BryPaulD]

whale fock. Had the seed done a week ago and yesterday we had huge downpour and I think the whole seed deal got washed away.

[muddstopper]

If the hydroseeding wasnt applied correctly, it could have very well washed away, but if the ocntractor has experience, he probably used the correct materials and most likely, the color has just faded from your mulch as well as some splashing of mud has coverd it somewhat making it appear to be gone. give it a couple of weeks and see what comes up before starting to panic. I have seen many jobs where the customer swears the hydroseeding washed out, only to have the lawn come in fine in a couple of weeks. not saying yours will do the same, but time is the best indicator.