It’s a pretty common concern we hear from homeowners. They want to know if we have the best quality hydroseed because they have seen freshly hydroseeded lawns flush with weeds. Any turf grass seed – whether bags or hydroseed bales – will have a small percentage of inert matter (which can be weeds or chaff). What is more likely, however, is that the homeowner was seeing a hydro-seeded lawn in springtime.
Any spring lawn installation will flush with weeds. It’s not so much an issue of quality hydroseed or even quality loam. All screened loam will have millions of weed seeds that lay dormant. As soon as the fresh loam is raked out and those weed seeds are exposed to the surface, they will germinate within 10 to 14 days and compete with the freshly planted grass seed.
Most hydroseed used on lawns in New Hampshire is a blend of rye grass and bluegrass, with some fescue grasses for shade areas. As much as 40% can be comprised of perennial rye, which sprouts fast and puts down roots quickly. Although it seems like it’s not growing, it is going to ultimately win out in the fall. Most weeds that sprout from fresh loam are annual – that is, they will die at the first frost.
New lawn installations are best done in the fall when the air temperatures are too cool for most annual weed seeds to germinate. A fall hydroseeded lawn will typically establish itself within six weeks. Fall is also the best time if you wanted a predominantly blue grass lawn, as it takes longer for Kentucky bluegrass to establish itself.
However, if you had a spring lawn installation, don’t panic! Simply cut your grass as you normally would. In the fall you will start to see your beautiful new lawn appearing as the perennial rye grass wins out over the weeds. Signing up for Groundhog Turf Care’s scheduled lawn care program immediately after seeding will give your newly seeded lawn a head start, and ensure that you have a lush, weed-free lawn the following season.