Hydroseeding in Fort Mill, SC

Hydroseeding in Fort Mill means working with Cecil soil, the most common soil series in town. USDA describes Cecil as a very deep, well-drained Piedmont soil with a sandy loam surface over a red clay subsoil. When a builder grades a lot, that thin sandy loam is often scraped off or buried, and the red clay ends up on top. Grass can grow in it, but it needs help.

Why the clay matters

Cecil's surface layer lets water in fairly well, but the clay subsoil is much slower. Medium surface runoff is normal. On a graded lot with clay at the surface, rain sheets off and carries seed with it unless the seed is anchored. Hydroseeding puts seed, fertilizer and fiber mulch with tackifier on in one layer, which holds far better than loose straw.

Our prep on Fort Mill lots

• Loosen packed clay so roots can get in
• Add topsoil where the original surface is gone
• Fine grade so runoff heads toward the street
• Lime and fertilize based on a soil test
• Hydroseed and set a watering schedule

Explosive growth

Fort Mill grew from 10,811 people in 2010 to 24,521 in 2020, an increase of 126.8 percent, and a 2008 annexation doubled the town's physical size. After the textile mills shut down, the town became a major Charlotte suburb. That means a lot of new subdivisions, new schools and new commercial space, all needing silt fence during construction and permanent seeding at the end.

Weather to plan around

Fort Mill has a humid subtropical climate with thunderstorm-prone summers and rainy winters with occasional sleet and snow. Summer storms can wash fresh seed off clay quickly, so on slopes and in swales we add erosion control blankets. Early fall is our preferred window for fescue lawns here.

Open space nearby

The Anne Springs Close Greenway covers about 2,300 acres of lakes, forests and pastures. Homes near its edges often have wooded borders and shade, which affects seed choice.

Get a free estimate or call (704) 387-5959.