Seeds of Destruction

These are grass seeds, coated in plastic. Mix them in concrete, pour a pad, construct a building over it, and nothing happens. Not until years later, when Wal-Mart has gone to the other side of town, leaving only that unsightly and indestructible pad. A year or two of exposure to rain, and the polymer softens; the seeds begin to absorb water. They begin to grow, developing hydrostatic pressure, pushing against the concrete. A web of almost invisible cracks form in the surface, and more water seeps in. It’s an accelerating process. Within months, the once monolithic structure is reduced to gravel, covered with tall fescue.