Fall Hydroseeding for Solar Farms

Fall is just around the corner here in Alabama. This is good news for solar farm managers in need of erosion control solutions. In fact, many solar farm managers take advantage of the favorable fall climate to quickly grow grass that helps control erosion on their solar farm. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why fall is the right time for solar farm managers to use hydroseeding for erosion control on their solar farms.

The Benefits of Hydroseeding for Solar Farms

Hydroseeding has many benefits for solar farms. Of course, erosion control is the foremost benefit of hydroseeding. Erosion control is of utmost importance to solar farms in particular because of the risk for equipment failure and damage that comes with soil erosion. The entire network of solar panels planted in the ground at any solar farm can be threatened if erosion control isn’t a priority by the solar farm’s management.

By establishing a field of healthy grass through hydroseeding, plant managers take a huge step towards ensuring the structural integrity of their solar farm. Once sprouted, the grass grows a thick network of grass roots throughout the field. This layer of grass then locks soil into place and holds it firmly in place during heavy winds and rain. Without the root network holding the soil together, soil often washes away in storms. Soil can also be scorched by the sun and blown away in strong winds without a protective layer of grass.

What the Hydroseeding Process Looks Like

For solar farms, the hydroseeding process is actually quite simple. The hydroseeding team arrives at the solar farm, prepares the soil, and then applies the hydroseeding slurry. Prepping an area’s soil for hydroseeding can include tilling rough soil, pre-watering the soil, and otherwise ensuring the soil around the solar farm is best prepared to receive the hydroseeding slurry.

After the soil has been prepared, the hydroseeding team sprays the hydroseeding slurry onto the designated area around the solar farm. The hydroseeding slurry is a mixture of native grass seeds, fertilizer, and water. After being sprayed on the soil of a solar farm, the slurry quickly begins growing into a healthy field of green grass. After the seeds sprout, the root network continues to expand and strengthen, and quickly a whole field of thick and healthy grass will cover the solar farm’s ground.

The Advantage of Hydroseeding in the Fall

There are several key advantages of hydroseeding in the fall. Notably, the weather and temperatures in Alabama are ideal for quick grass growth. Soil will be warm from the summer. With the favorable temperature range of Alabama’s fall climate and warm soil, seeds germinate quickly and develop into stable turf. This makes hydroseeding in the fall particularly beneficial for plant managers. Taking advantage of the advantageous climate conditions of the Alabama fall season can be the best decision for your solar farm if you are in need of erosion control.