Frequently Asked Questions

Depending on which national guide you read, residential hydroseeding runs from about $0.06 up to $0.35 a square foot, and HomeAdvisor's normal range for a project is $650 to $2,200. Most companies also have a minimum charge; LawnStarter puts it at $300 to $500. Slopes, extra grading or topsoil raise the total. Your bill matches the figure on the estimate you approve with us.

Nebraska Extension recommends tall fescue for eastern Nebraska, with Kentucky bluegrass more common in the west. Turf-type tall fescue handles Omaha's summer heat and dry spells well. We often blend in some bluegrass for sunny lawns that will be irrigated and use fine fescue in heavy shade.

August 15 to September 15 is the window Nebraska Extension recommends for cool-season grass. Spring after the soil can be worked is the second choice. Summer seeding is possible with steady watering, and dormant seeding from late November through March is an option for some sites.

Usually about four to six weeks, once most of the grass is three to four inches tall. Mow with a sharp blade at the highest setting and do not take off more than a third of the height.

The tackifier and mulch hold it far better than dry seed, but a big storm on a steep, freshly graded slope can still cut rills. That is why we raise the mulch rate or add an erosion control blanket on steeper ground and swales.

Not for seeding a normal residential yard. Permits come in when the disturbed ground totals an acre or more, or the job belongs to a larger development; in the Papillion Creek watershed those need a state stormwater permit and a local grading permit. Builders and site contractors usually hold those, and our work fits into their plan.

It depends on the job. Sod is instant but costs more and is hard to fit on curves and slopes. Hydroseed costs less, covers irregular ground evenly and roots into the soil you have, but it takes a few weeks of watering before it looks like a lawn.

HomeGuide prices a 5,000-square-foot lawn in the $1,000 to $1,750 range, and per-square-foot ranges run from about $0.06 to $0.35 depending on the source. Prep, topsoil and slope add to that. We give a written price after a site visit.

Grass usually shows within a week in warm weather. The first mowing typically comes in four to six weeks, and the yard looks like a finished lawn after a full fall season of growth.

Keep foot traffic, pets and kids off until after the second or third mow. Walking on damp new seed leaves footprints that stay bare.

No. Leave the mulch where it is. Your job is watering and, later, mowing.

Call us. Small rills can be raked and resprayed. If the same spot keeps washing, it usually needs a grade fix or a blanket.

Yes. Much of our commercial work comes from builders and site contractors who need disturbed areas covered on a schedule.

Yes. If the plan or specs name a mix, rate or mulch, we price and apply to that.

Yes. Stockpiles and idle phases can get a quick cover crop under hydromulch to hold soil until final grading.

Published guides range from about $2,000 to $8,700 per acre depending on the source and conditions. Mulch rate, blankets, access and travel between areas change the number. We price from your plans and a walk.

On steeper slopes and in swales that carry water, yes. On gentle ground, hydromulch is usually enough and costs less. Many slopes get both: seed and mulch underneath, a blanket on top.

Straw and coir blankets break down over one or more seasons while the turf roots through them. Certain types are made with plastic netting; we can use netting-free types near areas with wildlife or where you plan to mow soon.

Usually water is concentrating from above, from a downspout, a neighbor's yard or a driveway. Until that flow is spread out or redirected, seed alone will not hold. We look for the source on the visit.

Yes, with a blanket and steady watering, but August to mid-September is the stronger window in eastern Nebraska. A summer blanket protects the soil even if the grass is slow.

Until the area it protects is stabilized, usually when the seeded ground above has a good stand of grass. Pulling it too early just lets sediment go.

If it is part of a larger subdivision plan, usually yes under that plan. Even when no permit requires it, a short run of fence and protected inlets keep mud off the street and out of neighbors' yards.

Whoever holds the stormwater permit is responsible for it. We can handle inspections, repairs and cleanout on a schedule or after storms.

Yes. We pull the fabric and stakes, smooth the trench line and seed it.

Not always. If the surface is native soil in decent shape, seeding directly works. If the builder left pale, compacted subsoil or fill on top, topsoil gives the grass a much better start.

Your local building code and your builder's plan set the requirement. The goal is a steady fall away from the foundation, with no low spots that hold water next to the house.

Often, yes, by reshaping the side-yard swale and handling downspout water. If the problem crosses property lines, both owners usually need to agree on the fix.

We handle the shallow excavation and trenching that drainage and seeding prep need. Foundations, deep utility work and large earthmoving are for an excavation contractor.

August 15 to September 15 is the window Nebraska Extension recommends for eastern Nebraska. Spring is the second choice but brings more weeds and less time before summer heat.

Most pre-emergent products also stop grass seed from sprouting for weeks to months. Check the label; if it is still active, wait or let us know so we can plan around it.

It helps a lot. Aeration opens the soil so seed reaches it. Extension guidance calls for several passes to expose enough bare soil.

If more than half the lawn is decent turf, overseed and patch. If it is mostly weeds or bare, renovating the whole thing usually costs less over time.

Yes. We loosen and level the settled trench, add topsoil if needed and hydroseed or overseed it to blend with the lawn.