Growing New Grass: Sod or Seed?
When a dead or dying lawn becomes an eyesore, it’s time to take action. For many homeowners, however, it’s not always easy to know the best course of action. Choosing between sowing grass seed or installing sod can be a big decision, especially if you’re not sure of the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
Seeding Your Lawn
The primary advantage of sowing grass seed is the larger selection of species available to the homeowner. Depending on the quality of your soil, amount of sunlight versus shade on your property and the climate of your region, you’ll need specific varieties in order for your lawn to thrive. Sowing grass seeds allows you to choose the right grasses for your region and property, and is a smaller up-front investment when compared to sod.
The biggest disadvantages of seeding your lawn lies in the critical timing of planting. September is ideal in many regions, but may vary widely between one zone and another. You’ll be forced to wait longer for a dense, even lawn. Wash-out from the requisite heavy watering, paired with the possibility of low germination, can also create the need for additional reseeding. Until your seeded lawn is well-established, watering is critical to its health and weeds can present a very real problem.
Installing Sod
When sod is installed on your property, you have an instant cover of lush, healthy grass. Sod can be walked on fairly soon after it’s planted, weeds are a low priority and erosion is less of a problem than with grass seed. Sod installation can be done at any point during the growing season, giving homeowners a much larger window of opportunity.
There is a smaller range of varieties available in sod, and it may shrink if it’s not properly installed. You’ll need to water at high volumes in the beginning, and it’s a bit more expensive initially.
Work with a landscaping professional in your area to determine which option is best suited to your property, and to ensure proper seeding or installation.
Posted on behalf of Dusty Edinger, Tommy Gun Lawn Care
