The new lawn game. The great lakes area is the area where no one seems to know how much money they can save by putting their new lawn in via hydro-seeding. So much so, the landscapers in the area don’t even know about hydro-seeding. They still do it the cave man way via straw/seed. Yes, very hard to believe. People even insist in some cases that the straw/seed way be used or nothing. This is like someone stating they will only use a corded phone in their house that is screwed into wall and use a cell phone, well you get the idea. The state of Wisconsin is really hit hard in this area. Very few if any know what hydro-seeding is or that it exists at all. Even the builders use straw and seed and don’t really know what hydro-seeding is. The high end builders who keep up with the standards and look to give their customers a premium lawn know what hydro-seeding is. The rest that don’t care about their customers or who just look to save a buck use the straw/seed method and again many don’t even know about hydro-seeding, building the home is their part not the lawn.
The real kicker is hydro-seeded lawns far out perform a straw/seed lawn. The real deal is that even with hydro-seeding being so much better people don’t know about it and even pay more for a lesser quality product. Even the builders are paying more for lesser quality lawns and don’t even know it. You would think a builder would keep up on these types of things. Some even get letters from hydro-seeding companies and their secretaries just throw them away not even realizing they could save the company alot of money and get a high quality product. See, they just keep using the same guy over and over not knowing any better. Again their are some quality builders that do get the value and high quality value of a hydro-seeded lawn on their construction site. What is really shocking is the commercial construction companies are paying these straw/seed guys way more and getting a lesser product by far. Hydro-seeding is one of the best erosion barriers that is safe for the environment also. That’s right go green with green. The commercial sites have been using a seed/straw blankets for grass and erosion control. I don’t know why no one has said anything about the plastic netting that never dissolves is being allowed to be used at all. Wild life can become stuck in the netting and it never will dissolve and it is covering large amounts the earths dirt surface. We have learned how bad plastics are for our environment and still it is being used even encouraged in some cases to cover our soil or ground surfaces with it.
Their are new EPA laws in some areas that mandate run off or water retention ponds be built by builders. When they build these ponds the sides need to have a ground erosion barriers applied, grass. But they use these straw blankets with the plastic netting inside to hold the seed and straw in place. Creating huge land masses covered in plastic netting. These ponds weree built to help the environment and water run off systems in our communities and now some one has found a new way to make a buck and destroy out environment out of what was meant to save it. The local agencies are telling the builders they have to put down a erosion barrier so they hire what they think is the cheapest lawn or erosion barrier installation company. Little do most of them know, they could spend less money and still help the environment if they would just hydro-seed instead of straw/seed applications. That’s right costs a builder less money and still be good for all. Remember, the whole letter and secretary garbage thing? Hydro-seeding is so new in the Midwest areas they just throw it out and it never reaches the building companies management to even see the huge cost savings they would get by hydro-seeding, not to mention saving the earth.
There are a few quality builders that know about hydro-seeding. The problem is most don’t and some when they look into it, ask the guy who is currently doing their lawns and barriers, well that guy is clueless and he knows he would not get his big bucks for his straw/seed application with the plastic netting inside. So, its not to say that they are not a quality home builder they just don’t know. The general public needs to be informed about hydro-seeding and all the cost savings and how it is green to all. The hydro-seeded lawn is so cost effective especially for new construction home owners and builders. The Midwest is growing colder this time of year and grass is not a big deal, what is a big deal is our environment and saving it. Educating people about hydro-seeding and saving the environment is a everyday and season job. The sad part is, hydro-seeding is cheaper than the seed/straw blanket barriers and still people go with the lower quality and higher price of the straw blanket with the plastic in it. I could understand a builder saying that it costs them so much more to hydro-seed, but it does not and is cheaper material cost wise. We can only hope the high quality builders tell other builders that hydro-seeding is more cost effective than straw and seed, not to mention a far higher quality product. Hopefully the builders in Wisconsin will start talking to each other more to find out how much time and money hydro-seeding would save them and their customers.
The applications for hydro-seeding don’t stop at nice green lawns. There are wild flower seed blends that can be sprayed and erosion sprays also. The benefits of hydro-seeding just go on and on. You can even spray prairie grass for pastures that have been used for farm animals.
Please feel free to ask about hydro-seeding a lawn and all of its cost savings and benefits. I encourage all new construction home owners and builders please inquire about pricing and quality of hydro-seeded lawns and erosion barriers. Ask your builder for a local company who hydro-seeds or if they don’t know just do a search on line for hydro-seeding contractors in your area. To give it more credibility there is the International Association Of Hydroseeding professionals which can help you find a quality hydro-seeding company in your area.
Remember safety always first.
