The blower truck technology from Ground Solutions is ideal for successfully terraseeding large areas using a compost blanket. A computerized seed control system built into the truck allows for uniform seed distribution throughout the soil. The advantage of this method over hydroseeding is that the seed is within the soil rather than being placed onto the top of the soil. This provides nutrients around the seed as well as a protected growing environment for the seed to germinate.
With a compost blanket, our blower truck mixes amended topsoil or green waste compost with seed as the seed blows into place. This process deposits a one-inch layer of nutrient-rich soil with evenly distributed seed onto bare ground. New seed can germinate easier in this perfect growing environment, establishing strong roots that will take hold easier in the existing soil. The result? Faster growing, hardier plants creating a more successful project.
Because the seed is embedded within the compost layer rather than sprayed on top of bare soil, it’s protected from wind, erosion, and surface drying from the moment it lands. Rain and irrigation work with the compost layer rather than washing seed away – a common failure point with hydroseeding on slopes and disturbed ground.
Both methods are used for large-area revegetation and erosion control, but they produce different results. Hydroseeding sprays a slurry of seed, mulch, and tackifier onto the soil surface. It’s fast and cost-effective on flat, stable ground – but on slopes, compacted soils, or areas prone to runoff, the seed sits exposed at the surface where it’s vulnerable until germination takes hold.
A compost blanket addresses those vulnerabilities directly. The one-inch organic layer moderates soil temperature, retains moisture, and feeds the seed as it germinates. Roots establish more quickly and more deeply because they’re growing in amended organic material, not just existing native soil. For projects where establishment success is critical, highway revegetation, erosion control on disturbed slopes, large commercial sites, compost blanket terraseeding consistently delivers better results than hydroseeding.
Ground Solutions applies the compost blanket method for a range of customers and project types across Colorado and the Mountain West.
Our blower trucks handle large areas efficiently covering ground at a rate that manual methods and smaller equipment simply can’t match. The computerized seed control system ensures even distribution across the full coverage area, so you’re not left with patchy germination or uneven establishment.