During the summer of 2020 we were able to team up with JML Landscape Development and Southland Organics to hydroseed a pond bank. The job was on a large farm with 3 mid sized ponds. The ponds were located near the main living house. It was both a focal point of the property and entertainment area for the homeowners.
On this particular project, there was little to no vegetation on the pond banks. When storms passed through, the family's natural swimming and play area became unusable. Heavy rains were causing massive erosion on the banks, threatening the structure of the ponds. The ponds had to be reshaped several times, costing the family time and money. Erosion near water not only causes structural damage but it can turn a clear pond into a muddy mess. The banks on this project were primarily red clay. When dealing with erosion, compacted soil is a real problem.
When soil structure evolves to the point where it no longer absorbs water, erosion will no doubt happen. There is less water retention in compacted clay and rocky ground. There is also little chance to establish vegetation on compacted soils in order to prevent further erosion. Because this was the case for these homeowners, our biggest job was hauling in useable dirt. Building a layer of porous dirt helps prevents erosion on steep banks by building soil structure. Vegetation is able to grow and help keep loose soil in tact, lessoning the chance of hillside runoff.
Our main goal for this hydroseeding job was to establish a plan root system as quickly as possible. This would solve their erosion problem as well as keep their swimming hole clear of red clay. With any hydroseeding job, the ground has to be prepared for seed. Our Drain + Tree crew hauled in two dump truck loads of soil. Now that's a lot of dirt. Drain + Tree handled the smoothing, raking and reshaping of the bank. Next our friends at JML applied a slurry mixture containing Arden 15 seed and Southland Organics Omega Soil Activator for faster seed germination. You can see the results below. After 21 days, the grass was established giving the homeowners a beautiful place to spend time with friends and family.
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