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Tidewater Hydroseeding Inc., serving customers throughout Virginia and North Carolina Hampton Roads, Virginia Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk Peninsula Area Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Yorktown, Williamsburg North Carolina Moyok, Northeastern North Carolina, Outer Banks

Care and Watering

Your new lawn has been seeded with the best seed available.  We have used a balanced 16-45-07 starter fertilizer, a biostimulant, soil amendments, and lime as necessary.  A mulch mixture of 70% virgin wood and 30% clean recycled paper with a tackifier is the base to hold the seed, soil and moisture together in order for proper germination to occur.  Now it is up to you to make this process complete.

By far your most important duty is to provide the seed water to germinate.  The establishment of your new lawn requires water. The hydroseed is in place and waiting. The lawn must be kept moist at all times during the first 14 days. The frequency and amount of water applied will be determined by soil composition, temperature, grass, and equipment used to water.  Initially, the lawn will usually require 3 to 4 waterings per day.  Watering should be approximately 5 -10 minutes each time.  The goal is to keep the mulch mixture moist not saturated.

1. Around 5:00 am the lawn should be provided a generous soaking.  This establishes the base for the remainder of the day.
2. Around 10:00 am the lawn should receive a second watering to renew the moisture in the mulch mixture.
3. Around 4:00 pm the lawn should receive a third renewing watering.

During a hot and dry period, an intermediate watering may be incorporated. The intermediate watering should take place at 2:00 pm.  As a result, the 4:00 pm watering should be moved to 5:30 pm.  Watering after 6:00 pm can promote rot and is NOT recommended.

This watering process should be done for the first 2 - 2 1/2 weeks then gradually reduced until the first mowing. Do not let the mulch dry out. After the first mowing, reduce the frequency of watering intervals while increasing the amount of water per watering. 

DO NOT OVERWATER!  Remember moist seed not floating seed.  No puddles or standing water.  Watch for areas that are getting minimal water.  You may want to hand water the areas that are getting minimal water.

You can walk on the lawn, but please no soccer for the first month or so.

Depending upon watering or rainfall amounts, a properly hydroseeded lawn should show results in as little as three days and should be fully established in three weeks or less.

Mowing

Mowing can begin once the new lawn is 2-3" tall in most areas. Mowing stimulates growth and increases thickness. Set the mower high at first only cut ¼” off the top.  With subsequent mowings gradually lower the cut. Try to cut only 1/3 of the blade of grass at a time.  (See Chart)  Allow clippings to drop back into the lawn. This will feed the lawn.

Fertilizing

We used a high phosphorus balanced 20-20-20 fertilized for the initial application. The phosphorus will stimulate root growth, and in the early stages it is important to get good root growth before you stimulate a vigorous top growth with nitrogen. One month after seeding, fertilize your new lawn using a high nitrogen fertilizer. (The first of the 3 numbers on the fertilizer bag).This will stimulate vigorous top growth and a healthy lawn. 

Weed Control

This is very serious—do not use weed control products on a newly seeded lawn. The grass at this stage may react severely to the chemicals and dye. Weeds invade the grass all the time and you may want to hand pull or spot treat the lawn but never use weed and feed, pre-emergent, or treat the total lawn with weed killer at least for the first year of growth. The best defense on weeds is a healthy lawn. Proper mowing, using quality fertilizer, and water will create a beautiful and healthy lawn.

Continued Care

30 days after germination you should apply a balanced 20-20-20 granular fertilizer without weed control.  Talk to your landscape professional to see if he has a program for continued care of your lawn with regular treatments of fertilizer and treatments for weed and insect problems as required.