Best Fertilizer For Hydroseeded Lawn

With so many different fertilizers out on the market, it’s challenging to arrive at one you can consider the best. How could one outdo all the other ones? Which fertilizer mix ratios can make your lawn pop the soonest? The best fertilizer for hydroseeded lawn varies from one to the other.

You maintain a hydroseeded lawn by proper watering, mowing, fertilizing, and weeding. The ideal fertilizer to use after hydroseeding depends on your garden’s condition, which should promote good shoot and root growth. Generally, you need about a pound of nitrogen in your fertilizer per 1000 feet.

Read on for practical fertilizer recommendations for hydroseeded lawns and how to condition your yard to make the most of them.

How Do You Maintain a Hydroseeded Lawn?

Before seeking the best fertilizer for your hydroseeded lawn, there are a few things you have to consider.

Watering

The first thing that’ll get your lawn looking its best is proper watering. Watering is king for all lawn types, irrespective of the method used for grass propagation.

For moderate temperature with occasional rain, you can water your hydroseeded lawn once a day. However, two or three times should suffice during warm, dry times.

Avoid overwatering but ensure the top inch has ample water to remain moist. Reduce your watering frequency past the two-inch grass height. You can water with an inch of water per week after the third mowing.

Run a Soil Sample

Soil samples tell you precisely what your hydroseeded lawn needs. If you didn’t take one before hydroseeding, it’s time to grab a shovel and get some samples.

This is the first step toward the best fertilizer. If you never run a soil sample, you’ll never know what you require. Based on the nutrient deficiency of the sample, you can determine the most worthwhile option to add to your hydroseeded lawn.

Pay attention. Lawns talk loud and clear: they tell you what they’re looking for. You’ll see signs

and symptoms. Fertilizers are just a supplement for what your lawn needs. They

aren’t always necessary.

If you’re amending your soil deep down, it’ll start feeding your grass over time. So, working on your soil does make a more significant difference in the long run.

What Fertilizer to Use After Hydroseeding?

Timing is critical when it comes down to fertilization. So, when is the best time to apply fertilizer to a hydroseeded lawn?

It depends on the age of your lawn and also the appearance. If the grass is pale green or shows yellowing signs, it may be time to boost its nutrient supply.

A month past the time of hydroseeding, you can fertilize your lawn for the second time. Remember, you fertilize your garden as you lay down the seeds and the mulch at the initial stage. Then, you also need to fertilize it a third time, two months after hydroseeding.

Use a fertilizer rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorous amounts. It’s essential to achieve sound root systems during the early stages. Adequate phosphorus stimulates proper root development, allowing the grass to tap into the other nutrients.

Meanwhile, nitrogen enhances leaf development, encouraging the grass to cover the lawn faster.

Your lawn should be dry during fertilizer application for the best results. Upon fertilization, water the lawn. Watering is essential for the fertilizer to disintegrate and supply nutrients to the soil.

Established Hydroseeded Lawn

The ideal fertilizing time for most established lawns is when going into winter. At this time, your yard is under much stress. It’ll wake up and go dormant over and over again. If it doesn’t come out with nutrients, it’ll have a hard time which won’t be so if you supply the needed nutrients.

If it wakes up when the temperatures pop above 40 degrees and has supplies ready, it’ll scoop them up and use them to flourish. So, start thinking about timing versus what you’re applying because the latter depends on your lawn’s needs.

It’s wise to opt for a 30 to 70% slow-release fertilizer. This way, the fertilizer feeds your lawn throughout the whole winter. Besides, due to the temperatures, the nitrogen doesn’t volatilize easily. So, you get to keep the nutrients right where your grass needs them.

If you’ll use a quick release, wait until the temperatures drop below 40 degrees, and

they’re not above this level during the day either. In this case, the fertilizer lasts longer.

Best Fertilizer for Hydroseeded Lawn

Which fertilizers provide you with superb nitrogen and phosphorous levels for your lawn? Here are some recommendations:

Scotts Turf Builder

The Scotts Turf Builder is an excellent pick as it works for all grass types. This 24-25-4 fertilizer has rich nitrogen and phosphorus levels, providing good root and shoot nourishment for rapid growth. 

Moreover, the fertilizer comes labeled according to how much area you should spread it over. There are 1000, 5,000, and 14,000 square feet options. So, you don’t need to waste much time determining the right amount of fertilizer for your lawn.

Besides boosting foliage thickness by over ⅔ its usual size, the Scotts Turf stater also increases growth rates by ⅓.

Pennington 100536600

This is another fertilizer that performs best during the early stage of overseeding. With a slow-release rate of up to three months, it saves you the hassle of replenishing your lawn’s fertilizer levels often.

The Pennington stater fertilizer also features rich nitrogen and phosphorus levels like the Scotts Turf. With its fertilizer mix ratio at 22:23:4, it ensures boosted shoot and root development levels.

Thanks to the 5% iron content, you aren’t just getting swift thick growth but an appealing dark green color. Plus, it also performs well with all grass types, especially during the sprouting phase.

Espoma EOLB30

Remember how it’s crucial to know the needs of your lawn using a soil test? Those soil compositions are handy as the Espoma EOLB30 is quite different from the other options highlighted.

With this fertilizer, you have less nitrogen per pound. Hence, you’ll need slightly more fertilizer than the other two to cover the same lawn area.

The Espoma lawn stater has an 8:0:0 ratio. It’s best for lawns where phosphorus levels aren’t an issue. Although its ratios are lower, it’s still an effective alternative, ensuring your yard looks spectacular in no time.

Notably, it’s a wholly organic product, making it an excellent choice to nourish your garden without worrying about pollution. Besides, this makes it a safe option if you have pets that love roaming in your garden.

How Much Fertilizer Do I Need for Hydroseeding?

You need ¾ to a pound of nitrogen for every 1000 feet. There are numerous ways to determine the amount of nitrogen in your preferred fertilizer. However, here’s the easiest way to go about this.

• Determine the N:P:K ratios of your starter fertilizer.
• Add a decimal before the number allocated for nitrogen. For instance, 15 becomes 0.15.
• Take the ¾ or one pound of nitrogen required and divide by the above decimal. For instance, 3/4×0.15 or 1/0.15. The first gives you five, while the second gives you 6.67.
• The above number provides the quantity of your fertilizer which translate to ¾ or one pound, based on your preferred nitrogen levels.

You can then multiply the number by your lawn’s size and divide the answer by 1000. So, if your lawn is 2000 feet, you’ll need 2000/1000 multiplied by the number you got in step three. The answer gives how much fertilizer your hydroseeded lawn needs.

FAQs

Does Hydroseed Have Fertilizer?

Hydroseed has stater fertilizer that helps the grass grow new shoots faster and enhances the germination success rate. This fertilizer’s nitrogen and phosphorous levels promote better leaf and root development.

Hydroseed also has mulch to cushion against erratic temperature changes and erosion that carries the seeds away.

How Long Does It Take for a Hydroseeded Lawn to Grow?

It takes around a week for a hydroseeded lawn to grow shoots. Provided the weather is favorable, and you properly use starter fertilizer, it only takes a month to get the grass to three inches. It’s at the three-inch height that you can begin periodic trimming.

How Can I Make Hydroseed Grow Faster?

You can make hydroseed grow faster by sowing the grass seeds during an ideal time. Summer heat makes the grass grow the fastest, though you need to water your lawn more.

Moderate rain and warm conditions promote better root development, making spring and fall the best times to hydroseed. 

Winding Up

What is the best fertilizer for hydroseeded lawns? Well, it isn’t a specific fertilizer. The nutrient percentages show you where deficiencies lie if you’ve done your soil test. At this point, you can determine what the best fertilizer for your hydroseeded lawn is.

That said, nitrogen and phosphorus are crucial for quick grass growth. Be sure to adopt a proper lawn care routine while ensuring you’re fertilizing accordingly. Lastly, don’t forget to hydroseed during warm conditions if you’d wish your lawn to get greener sooner.