Hydroseeding... Terraseeding - What's the difference?

What is the difference between hydroseeding and Terraseeding?  Which is a better application or more successful?  At Denbow we offer both services, as each project is unique in the seeding method that will work best.

Hydroseeding is a popular, well-known seeding method - applying a slurry mixture of water, fibre, seed and fertilizer by sprayer using a hydroseeder machine.  Additives can be added for slope or other applications.  

• Pros:
  • Cost Effective
  • Large or small scale
• Cons:
  • Subject to weather (washed away in the rain), soil conditions, moisture availability
  • Does not add structure or nutrition to soil

Best used in applications where the existing site soil is of good quality.  As the seed is applied on top of the current soil, germination will only be successful if there are nutrients available in the soil.  Hydroseeding is also a great option for temporary seeding on construction sites.

Terraseeding™ is a patented process where seed it injected into growing medium as it's installed into place with an Express Blower truck.  The seed is planted rather than topically applied. The seeder on the truck is calibrated and metered to ensure the correct seed rate. 

• Pros:
  • Non-invasive one step process
  • Seed is protected from weather
  • The warmth and moisture available to the seed within the growing medium
  • Seed will start to germinate quickly 
  • Growing medium can be site specific
    • GrowMedia for slopes 
    • TurfZone for lawns
    • NurtiMend for riparian areas
    • Custom blends for greenroofs, etc
  • Good connectivity to level uneven surface - all gaps are filled with growing medium
  • Application depth of the growing medium can be adjusted to the site conditions
  • Sustainable & organic
  • Improves soil
  • Large or small scale
• Cons:
  • If site soil is nutritious, a growing medium may not be necessary

Using a compost-based growing medium has many benefits:

• promotes natural soil conditions
• provides instant soil structure which promotes soil life
• maximum protection against invasive species
• filtration 'matrix' formed by compost particles as they're 3 dimensional - not a single membrane or piece of cloth
• closes the 'gap' in the organics loops and provides a truly sustainable solution to ESC and organics recycling

The Terraseeding specification describes in detail growing medium selection, depth, seeding rates, etc.  It can be copied or referenced in project specifications to ensure the correct application.

Terraseeding vs. Hydroseeding: Which, When and Why?  The short: it depends on the project site conditions and the long term goals.  Hydroseeding can be the answer, where the site soil is healthy and nutritious - for flat ground or slopes.  If soil or a growing medium needs to be added before seeding, Terraseeding is the answer as a one-step process to blow in soil and inject the seed at the same time.  For slopes, a Terraseeded EcoBlanket is often the best option, which includes tackifier Microblend to immediately stabilize the slope until the seed germination takes over.

Ultimately, It is best to contact us to arrange for a site visit.  A Technical Sales Rep will visit the site, asses the site and current soil and make recommendations, provide a quote and ensure the correct application is installed for the best seed germination.