Valley lots and fire-country hillsides

Hydroseeding in Poway, CA

Slope cover and lawns in a valley that was evacuated in both the 2003 and 2007 fires.

No-charge site visit, with your estimate put in writing
Seed mix matched to coastal or inland conditions
A written watering plan with every new lawn

Covering Hillsides in a Fire-Prone Valley

Hydroseeding in Poway often starts on a hillside. Major parts of the town were evacuated during the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, and properties along the brushy edges know what bare, burned ground does when the next winter rains come. Hydromulch with a quick-cover seed mix is one of the fastest ways to put a protective layer back on scorched or cleared slopes.

Brush clearance leaves bare soil

Defensible-space clearing around homes removes the plants that were holding the soil. On gentle ground we can seed a low-growing cover; on steeper ground we spray a bonded fiber matrix or pin down blankets and add fiber rolls along the contour. The goal is a surface that resists rain without bringing back tall, fuel-heavy brush.

Rocky terrace soil

The USDA's Olivenhain soil series has its typical pedon about 2 miles northwest of Poway. It is a very cobbly loam on dissected marine terraces, with roughly 25 percent cobbles in the surface layer and very slow permeability. On rocky ground like that, we bring in topsoil for lawn areas and keep irrigation cycles short so water does not pond and run off.

Valley climate

Poway averages 13.55 inches of rain a year, with February the wettest at about 3 inches and July nearly dry. July highs average about 82 degrees, and the record is 114. Lawns need regular summer irrigation here. The valley's water history shows how seriously that is taken: the water district once limited lawn watering to three days a week for a short time.

Rural lots and horse property

Poway was a cattle range for about a century, then grew peaches, grapes, apricots, hay and alfalfa, then avocados and citrus. Subdivision homes arrived in 1959, but larger parcels and dirt roads used by horses remain. On those properties we seed pasture, stabilize driveway and trail cuts, and install silt fence where new barns or pads are being built.

What Poway clients need

Post-fire and brush-clearance slope seeding
Lawn installation with topsoil on rocky ground
Pasture and acreage seeding
Silt fence for barns and additions

Get a free estimate or call (619) 673-9356.

Poway Ground and Fire History

Wildfire evacuations. Major portions of Poway were evacuated during the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire.
Olivenhain soil. The Olivenhain series typical pedon is about 2 miles northwest of Poway: very cobbly loam, very slow permeability.
Rainfall. Poway averages 13.55 inches of rain a year; June through August get about a tenth of an inch or less each month.
Ranch roots. Mission San Diego used the valley as cattle range, and Poway served as a stock range for about a century.

Our Services in Poway, CA

Poway Questions

Our hillside burned. How soon should it be seeded?

Ideally before the first heavy winter rain. Hydromulch with a quick-cover mix gives the soil protection within days of application.

Will seeding after brush clearance bring the fire hazard back?

Not if the mix is chosen for low growth. We seed short covers on cleared zones rather than tall brush species.

The ground is full of cobbles. Can a lawn grow here?

Yes, with topsoil. We spread a workable layer over rocky ground before seeding the lawn area.

Do you seed horse pastures in Poway?

Yes. We seed pasture and also stabilize trail cuts and driveway shoulders on larger lots.

Free Estimates in Poway, CA

Ask for a written estimate on your Poway slope, pasture or lawn.

Call (619) 673-9356 Free Estimate