Civils and stations

Sowing the seed

RTM tells the story of RMB Craftscapes’ work at Castley Hill, Somerset

Earlier this year RMB Craftscapes Ltd was contacted by Dean and Dyball Rail to assist in establishing new vegetation on several areas around their site at Castley Hill, Somerset - an area of special scientific interest. Due to the steep slopes and difficultly in accessing areas requiring seeding, hydroseeding was the only option.

Hydroseeding is a grass seeding process that sprays a mixture of seed, water, mulch, organic tackifier, fertiliser and trace elements in a single operation to establish vegetation on areas that might otherwise be too inaccessible, steep or impractical for conventional seeding. Spraying is discharged either from a discharge gun on the top of the machine or extension hose, enabling seeding to be undertaken up to 100 metres from the unit.

The water-retaining mulch, made from recycled wood fibre, protects and keeps the seeds moist. This prevents erosion from the elements and holding essential nutrients necessary for the establishment of healthy grass.

The Castley Hill project, like many undertaken by RMB Craftscapes ltd, is an SSI site; the area is home to many rare species of insects and plant life, most of which are found only on Castley Hill. To help existing wildlife and encourage new species, RMB Craftscapes ltd worked closely with English Nature and local ecologists, using a special wild flora seed mixture, harvested locally. This mixture was introduce to ensure no unwanted species were allowed to vegetate on the embankment.

Various restrictions on access to the areas requiring seeding, such as 100-year-old ant hills and ancient hedgerows, might otherwise have prevented any seeding from taking place. To overcome these obstacles, without disturbing the local wildlife, RMB Craftscapes ltd drew on 35 years’ experience, and utilised a range of specialist equipment.

Each site is different and for every project there is an individual seed mix - whether it be grass, wildflower or tree and shrub seed. When specifying different seed mixtures there are some important factors to consider, such as location, climate and soil type. Given this variety of factors, what might work well for one site might not work on another. Using a local provenance seed mixture is one of the best ways to enhance or improve a scheme such as this, because local seeds are tolerant to the conditions, and the native species of plants cannot be smothered by the encroachment of competing species.

Hydroseeding can be applied to either a natural profile or a prepared area, should the client wish. No matter how large or small the project, Hydroseeding is an extremely cost-effective and successful method of establishing new vegetation and preventing erosion, even on inhospitable sites.

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