Home Lawn Hydroseeding in Denver, CO

Home lawn hydroseeding in Denver usually starts with a lot that was graded by a builder and then left bare, a yard torn up by a sewer or sprinkler repair, or an old lawn so thin and weedy that patching it no longer makes sense. We prepare the soil, spray a seed mix chosen for your yard, and leave you with clear instructions for the weeks it takes a hydroseed lawn to fill in. It is the most common lawn installation job we do across the metro.

Choosing the grass

CSU Extension calls Kentucky bluegrass the most widely used lawn grass in Colorado, and for a sunny, irrigated yard that gets played on, a blend of two to five bluegrass cultivars is still the standard. Turf-type tall fescue handles more shade and somewhat less water. Perennial ryegrass sprouts fast and is often mixed in to cover the ground quickly. Fine fescues suit shady spots that get little traffic. For homeowners who want to cut watering, buffalograss and blue grama are native warm-season grasses that stay green in summer and go tan in winter. We will ask how the lawn is used, how much sun it gets and what your irrigation can do before we recommend a mix.

Soil prep is most of the job

CSU Extension's guidance for seeding a lawn is to test the soil, control perennial weeds before you disturb the ground, loosen the top 12 inches, grade so water drains away from the foundation, and work organic matter into the top six to eight inches before smoothing and firming the surface. New construction lots along the Front Range often have compacted subsoil at the surface and little organic matter, and many sit on clay that swells when it gets wet. We rip or till, add compost or topsoil where it is needed, set the grade and rake out rocks and clods before the hydroseeder ever arrives.

Timing a Denver lawn

CSU recommends sowing bluegrass in late August to early September. The worst of the heat is over, nights are cooler, and the grass has the whole fall to root before winter. Seeding from May through July works, but July highs near 90 degrees and strong sun mean more watering and closer attention. Very late fall seedings run into early snow and cold nights and may not establish until spring.

Watering the first month

The mulch holds moisture, but in Denver's dry air it does not hold it for long. Plan on short sprinkler cycles at least twice daily through roughly the first two weeks, enough to keep the surface damp, then switch to fewer and deeper waterings as the grass fills in. CSU notes germination can take up to two weeks. HomeGuide says most hydroseed lawns are ready to mow after four to six weeks. We give you a written schedule on the day we spray.

Overseeding instead of starting over

If the lawn is thin but the grade is fine and the grass that is left is the type you want, overseeding may be enough. We aerate or slit the soil, spray seed into the existing turf, and topdress bare spots. If the lawn is mostly weeds, the grade holds water against the house, or the soil is compacted, a full renovation usually costs less in the long run than repeated patching.