If you are considering installing a new lawn, or restoring an old one, deciding whether to use seed or sod is critical in preparing the soil. If neglected, it could lead to unfavorable results. Your lawn will set up much better with proper soil preparation.
The preparation part of renovating or installing a new lawn is arguably the most difficult and daunting part of the process. It requires a lot of hard work or specialized heavy machinery. We can come in and help you with an much of the process as you want. If you want to save some money and do some of the work yourself, we can help you out.
TIPS & PREPARATION
To ensure the ground is ready for tilling, please review the following steps before we arrive at your location.
Measure the lawn area. You can measure by hand or use a program such as google earth to determine the area of your lawn area.
Eliminate existing vegetation by applying an herbicide such as glyphosate. Wait the recommended time for vegetation to die. Re-apply if needed.
Remove any rocks or other debris. Make sure any stumps, roots, bricks or other major obstacles below the surface are removed.
Examine the soil. The soil is made up of sand, silt, and clay particles. The percentage of these ingredients determines the texture of your soil. Sandy soils will let water and air pass readily be, however, they also dry out very quickly allowing nutrients levels to be flushed away before they have a chance to do any good. Clay soils transfer water and air very slowly and cause soils to remain soggy while starving the roots of needed oxygen. Adding organic matter will greatly enhance both sand and clay soils.
Establish a rough grade. Fill in low spots, and make sure to grade slopes away from buildings. If you need grading work done call us and we can give you a quote for a small tractor to grade your yard.
Spread soil amendments (decomposed organic matter). Enough organic matter should be added to physically change the texture of the soil to a depth of about 5 to 6 inches. It is best to avoid having layers of different soil in the top 5-6 inches. About 1-2 inches of organic matter mixed into the top 4-6 inches of soil is usually sufficient (3-6 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet). Topsoil is a very vague term. Most of the soils on the market are manufactures products and vary a great deal in composition. Make some inquiries before purchasing.
Till organic material down to 5 to 6 inches (Call Pro Tilling and Hydroseeding to schedule tilling)
Ensure sprinkler system is functioning property. It may be best to install a new sprinkler system prior to tilling to avoid re-compacting the soil.
Rake the soil smooth to establish the final grade.
Call Pro Tilling and Hydroseeding to schedule your custom hydroseeding. We use only the highest quality seed, mulch and fertilizers. Our products and workmanship are guaranteed.
How to prepare for hydroseeding
Properly prepared soil will directly reflect the health and appearance of the lawn for years to come. Ideally, we would like to see the top 4-6 inches of soil loosened prior to hydroseeding.
A high percentage of turf problems can be traced to poor or improperly prepared soil. Most construction sites become severely compacted and this impedes the movement of air, water and the ability of the roots to penetrate through the soil. Sometimes the original topsoil is removed or covered up by the spoils from the basement excavation of the new home.
Adding a few inches of topsoil over compacted soil will not completely fix the situation. This will cause a shallow root system that will not be drought tolerant. The best approach to properly prepared for turf is to amend the existing soil by tilling decomposed organic matter into the existing soil (i.e. fertile mulch, peat moss, decomposed sawdust, etc.) If this approach is not possible due to extremely rocky soil or other reasons then the next best option would be to bring in enough good topsoil to spread at least 6 inches over the entire area.
Pro tilling and Hydroseeding Warranty
ProTilling and Hydroseeding warrants that high-quality ingredients are used in our hydroseeding process.
If your hydroseeded lawn does not establish property, for up to one year, because of product or workmanship we will re-hydroseed the affected areas at a reduced rate to cover cost of materials.
The warranty does not cover: 1. A lawn that is washed out because of heavy rain fall. 2. Lack of growth due to: the of lack of fertilizing, over fertilizing, using the wrong fertilizer or the improper use of chemicals to kill weeds. 3. Lack of growth due to improper preparation of the soil prior to hydroseeding. (I will discuss this with you prior to hydroseeding if necessary) 4. Lack of growth due to improper watering.
90% of the success of your lawn comes from the care and attention it receives after it has been seeded.
