Mixing the load to the proper specifications is one of the most important steps to completing a hydroseed job. If you do not have the right amount of material mixed in the tank you might be under applying and not end up with a good end product, or if there is too much material you will be over applying and might have problems with spray distance.
Recommended amounts vary on what type of material used, normally the amount per square foot is listed on the material packaging.
When mixing a load the first step you want to do is add water to the tank. We make this easy no matter what your water source is. All of our models include a garden hose fill bulkhead with camlock fittings. Screw the female camlock onto the end of your garden hose and hook it up to the male end on the tank. This means you do not have to worry about the hose falling out of the tank while filling or have it in the way while trying to load. If your hydroseeder has the pond suction feature (standard on 300 JAH and up, optional for 110 JAH and 200 JAH) then we offer adapters to either fill from a bigger water source or use the pump on the machine to suck from a pond or lake.
So when you are initially filling your tank with water you want it to be about 3/4 full. Then it is time to start your engine and rev it up to full speed. Leave your agitation all the way open to make sure no hoses are plugged from previous use if the machine was not cleaned out. Paper mulch rarely clogs in our machines but if the agitation was full of material for a week or two it may have plugged up the agitation lines after drying out.
When its clear your machine is running properly, then its time to start adding materials. We recommend that you put half of your mulch in the machine to start with, then add your seed, fertilizer, tackifier, etc.. We have found that doing it this way mixes the other materials better in the tank. If your other materials are added after adding all the mulch they tend to float on the top longer which is not a big deal but can increase mixing time. When your other materials are added then it is time to add the rest of the mulch. After all the mulch is added then it is time to top off your tank with water if you need to.
Then leave the agitation open and open the bale buster on the top of the machine (not applicable for 110 JAH and 200 JAH). This will ensure that there are no clumps of hydroseed floating on the top of the tank and will bust them up if there is. Once the slurry is mixed (2-10 minutes depending on machine size) then you are ready to spray.
When adding materials follow the manufacturers specifications for 1,000-1,200 square feet per 100 gallons of hydroseed. We recommend that you cover about 1,000-1,200 square feet per 100 gallons because you do not want to under apply and end up with a poor product and have to go back and fix it.
So to sum up the mixing instructions:
- Fill tank to 3/4 full
- Turn on your engine with full agitation
- Add half of the mulch
- Add seed, fertilizer, tackifier, etc.
- Add rest of the mulch
- Leave agitation open and open the bale buster
- Let mix for 2-10 minutes depending on machine size
- Close bale buster
- Slurry should be ready to spray
