Dewitt Single Net Excelsior Blanket, Green, 4 x 112.5 Feet – Aspen Wood Fiber Erosion Control Mat with Netting for Soil Protection, Grass & Seed Establishment, Ground Cover and Landscaping

Last year I got a roll of this in the spring to minimize the mud the dogs tracks in from the snow in the winter and to help new seed growth. It worked perfectly! I read that if you plant seeds late enough in the fall they lay dormant until spring. Even better! So I got another roll and put down a larger section this year. The mesh is basically just fish line so depending on what shoes or boots you wear it can trip you up so you have to be careful. The dogs don't seem to mind, however. Also, it didn't really biodegrade much so I had to fill the trashcan with it in the spring, unfortunately. Also, the landscape staples didn't come up with it so after a number of years of application there will be a substantial number of staples left in the ground. Last year was first attempt at any kind of solution so I have nothing to compare it to. Still, its effectiveness exceeded my expectations in terms of reducing mud tracked in the house and supporting new grass growth (under a big tree.) BTW, I tested raking in grass seed versus just sprinkling over the ground and it didn't make enough of a difference to warrant the extra work. Just spreading seed was sufficient. The dogs ran over the area multiple times a day which also didn't seem to have a negative effect.

I seldom write reviews of products but I’m making an exception for this product, which has worked very effectively for me. I had two locations in my yard that would not grow grass successfully despite several annual efforts. The one in my front yard was a knoll-even when I roughed up the dirt and worked in the grass seed and fertilizer, watering washed most of it away. For this year’s grass planting I wanted to try something new and decided on this erosion control blanket to hold the seed and fertilizer in place. It took a bit of time to lay out the blanket, but it turned out to be worth my efforts. This year I had a very nice stand of grass that is still looking good at the present (October); this was a place that formerly looked good at first but turned bare by July. The second one was in my backyard which was not only on a slope but received direct sun all day long. Having had success with the blanket in my front yard I laid it down over my seed and fertilizer in the back yard-it has again produced a sturdy stand of grass. Not only did the blanket hold the seed and fertilizer in place but watering took a minimum of time and water, as the blanket held the moisture; I started with two 20-minute waterings per day and after a couple of weeks was able to reduce watering to15-minutes once a day. If not for the blanket, I would have been out there off and on all day long to keep the new grass from drying out in the direct sun. The fiber material in the blanket dissipates, so no removal is necessary. In sum, I highly recommend this product. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary, but this blanket worked great for me.

This product was easy to use except for one of the ends was hard to unroll because it was entangled within itself so I had to cut as I unrolled one end. Some areas were rather thin but we covered a lot more square footage than I thought it would. Now let's hope it keeps my Hill from eroding.

I ordered (4) of these and only placed out 2 so far. I read the reviews and noted the people complaining about how hard it was to roll out and the people who said they had no issues. Rolled the dice and on the 1st 2 delivered: First mat was perfect, rolled out great and was done in a matter of minutes. 2nd mat was a nightmare and did not roll out like the first. It took 45 minutes to roll it out and it was a mess, not even sure it will do what it's suppose too. From what we could figure out, the problem was how the manufacturer rolled the mat since it was clearly different from the other one. Finding the starting end was not hard on either roll, but depending on how the factory rolls them is the issue. I have (2) more rolls, and if they start out bad - then I'm returning the product. It's not worth the frustration nor the fact it turns into a mess that probably won't help your erosion issue one bit. I'll up-load pictures of the mats I have down in a few days since I'm curious if the one will even stay together.

2025 Update: It does breakdown after some time, but the thin elastic black netting does not and will get wrapped up in your mower, yard sweeper. Just a heads up, don't let it get all wrapped around your lawn equipment without removing it. I liked how much material I got out of this roll. It was VERY easy to unroll, if you take the time to look at the label, it shows you which direction it unrolls. Simply unwrap the shipping plastic and you'll easy find the end (red paint). Mine unrolled without an issue whatsoever. Really covers a good distance, and seems strong enough to hold my dirt berm.

This is a thick landscape fabric. I put it down last week and grass is already coming up through it. I was a bit concerned that it was too thick but it seems breathable enough yet keeps the grass seeds in place for erosion protection which was why I bought it in the first place. It hasn't been long enough for me to see how it degrades into the soil but so far so good. It's a bit expensive but if it helps grow grass on sloped lawn that is sensitive to wash outs, then I'll be happy. There was a shipping issue and they helped resolve that quickly. So far, I would recommend this product if you need to grow grass on a slope.

Have used this product before with excellent results. Mostly using it to keep bare areas moist and covered (especially during this heat) while the seed gets really established. It is supposed to be be biodegradable and I am sure it is but I lift it to prevent the grass getting caught in it and lay it back down because I need this new lawn THIS year for a wedding. It is doing an awesome job. I saw a few folks had a hard time unrolling it ... the ends are painted with a little red color so that you can see where they are. A little patience is all it to to fully unroll.

It rolls out easily. Seems to have good strength in the fabric, in that it does not cut easily, which I think is a good sign.