Frequently Asked Questions

It is seeding with a sprayed slurry: grass seed, fiber mulch, fertilizer and a tackifier mixed with water in a tank and pumped onto prepared soil. The fiber keeps the seed from drying out, and the tackifier glues the whole layer down. It is faster than hand seeding on large areas and holds on slopes where loose seed would wash off.

A soft rain after spraying is welcome. A downpour on a slope or in a swale can move seed and mulch, especially in the first few days before the mulch sets. On steep or channelized ground we use heavier hydromulch or an erosion control blanket and try to schedule around forecast storms.

Late August through September is the target for the cool-season grasses we use here. The soil is warm, weeds slow down, and the seedlings get fall and spring to root before summer heat. Mid to late spring works as a second choice; midsummer and late October seedings are more of a gamble.

Cool-season grasses: turf-type tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescues. Sunny, well-drained lots usually get tall fescue or a bluegrass and ryegrass blend; shady yards under oaks and maples lean on fine fescues. We set the mix after seeing the light and soil.

Our work is mostly where there is open ground: Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester and Rockland. We do take city jobs with real soil to seed, such as a large rear yard, a slope or a construction site that needs stabilizing. Call and describe the space.

Grass usually shows within one to two weeks. Keep foot traffic off until it is established, and plan the first mow when the grass is roughly 4 inches tall if you will keep it at 3. Most yards are ready for light use after a couple of mowings.

Usually by a wide margin. National cost guides put hydroseed between $0.12 and $0.35 a square foot and installed sod at $1 to $4. Sod gives you a finished look the same day; a hydroseeded yard needs a few weeks to thicken up, but you get to choose the seed mix.

National guides run from $0.07 up to $0.35 a square foot. HomeGuide's figure for a lawn of about 5,000 square feet is $1,000 to $1,750. Prep is the big variable: topsoil, stripping old turf and slopes all add to it. We give you a line-item number after measuring.

If the lawn is mostly dead or weeds, we strip or treat it and rebuild the surface first, because seed needs contact with soil. If it is thin but healthy, overseeding is usually the better and cheaper choice.

Grass typically shows in one to two weeks, and first mowing comes around four to six weeks. A late-summer seeding usually looks like a real lawn by the next spring.

No, but you need a way to water every part of the lawn daily for the first few weeks. Hoses and sprinklers work. If part of the yard cannot be reached by water, tell us so we can plan around it.

Light rain helps. A heavy storm on a slope can move seed, which is why we use tackifier, add heavier mulch on grades and watch forecasts before booking. If areas wash, we look at them with you and talk about touch-up.

Yes. Send the seeding notes or specification and we will quote that mix and rate. If a listed seed is hard to get, we tell you before the job and propose a substitute for the engineer to approve.

Under the federal rule, disturbed areas must be stabilized immediately once work stops for more than 14 days. Seed with mulch, mulch alone, or blankets are common ways to do it; your SWPPP lists which ones the plan relies on.

Our tanks carry water, and we refill from a hydrant permit or on-site source when the job calls for multiple loads. Tell us what is available on site so we can plan trips.

Yes. Most builder jobs are phased, and we schedule return trips as areas reach final grade.

Blankets give the most protection on slopes that are steep or carry water, and on swale bottoms. Heavier hydromulch or bonded fiber matrix suits large, rough or rocky slopes where pinning blankets is impractical. We decide after looking at the slope and where runoff comes from.

No. Straw and coir rot away on their own, and by then the grass has rooted through the fibers. Netting on some products lasts longer; we can suggest lighter or biodegradable netting near areas pets or wildlife use.

On moderate slopes, yes, once established with a blanket's help. Very steep cuts over shallow rock may never hold mowable turf well; ground covers, terracing or a wall may serve better, and if your bank falls in that group we will say so before quoting seed.

It is a hydraulically sprayed mulch with binders that creates a stronger, connected cover than plain mulch. It is used on steep slopes where blankets are hard to install, and it can carry seed in the same application.

If it is part of a permitted site or a plan disturbing an acre or more, controls are required by the permit. Smaller jobs may still face town requirements or simply need them to keep mud off the street and out of drains. Check with your building department; we can install whatever they ask for.

Along the downhill edges of disturbed soil, following the contour, with the ends turned uphill. It should not go across ditches or swales that carry concentrated flow.

On permitted sites, the permit holder is responsible, and many hire us for scheduled checks and post-storm repairs. On small jobs we show the homeowner or builder what to watch for.

Not well, because it cannot be trenched. On paved edges we use other barriers such as filter socks or weighted bags.

Penn State Extension recommends 1 to 4 percent, a drop of 1 to 4 feet over 100 feet, where the lot allows. On tight lots we create a short, steeper pitch near the foundation and a swale to carry water around the house.

Enough to give roots several inches of loose soil over the subsoil. We check what is there now and import only what is needed, then blend it in so there is no hard layer underneath.

Usually. Some wet spots are a grade problem, some need a trench drain or dry well, and some come from a neighbor's runoff that needs a swale. We look at the source before suggesting a fix.

Yes. Excess soil, rock and debris can be hauled off or spread elsewhere on the property, and that is listed in the quote.

If at least half the lawn is grass you want and the ground is not badly compacted or graded wrong, overseeding is usually enough. When weeds or bare soil make up most of the yard, starting over with a full renovation gets you further.

Most sun grasses thin out under dense shade. Fine fescues tolerate shade better, and raising the tree canopy lets more light through. In very deep shade, a ground cover may serve better than grass.

Many preventers also stop grass seed from sprouting. If you plan spring overseeding, we time it and choose products so they do not cancel each other out; fall overseeding avoids the conflict.

Mow when the new grass reaches roughly a third above your normal height, usually a few weeks after seeding, with a sharp blade.