Hydroseeding, which involves spraying a mixture of seed, mulch, and fertilizer in a water-based slurry to the soil surface, can also be used to prepare a seedbed ^[1]. Hydroseeding is particularly useful for erosion control and minimizing seed loss to seed eating animals, wind, and desiccation stress. This method is less labor intensive than hand seeding, can be useful for seeding areas inaccessible to drills, and can quickly cover large areas (approximately 1-2 hours per acre, depending on tank size; Steinfeld et al. 2008). However, this approach can be subject to high failure rates in plant establishment, is often costly (approximately $2,000 - $4,000 per acre), and requires access to machinery. Hydroseeding can be improved by scarifying the soil surface and hydromulching ^[2].

Resources

• Seeding the Way: A Guide to Restoring Native Plants in Great Salt Lake Wetlands | USU Extension
• Conservation Planting Methods for Native and Introduced Species
• How to Sow Wildflower Seeds - Hydroseeding
• Comparing Three Common Seeding Techniques for Pipeline Vegetation Restoration: A Case Study in South Texas
• Hydroseeding for Restoring Degraded Semi-Arid Mediterranean Environments: A Review of Challenges
• Seed use in the field: delivering seeds for restoration success - Shaw et al 2020 - Restoration Ecology

References