Your lawn is one of the most important things about your house, and it makes a huge difference in how people perceive it. Getting a perfect lawn, however, demands a lot of attention, effort, and knowledge. When it comes to getting a new lawn, most people hesitate between grass seed and sod. Both options have their benefits and disadvantages, and one might be better for you depending on your budget, the kind of results you’re looking for, and future maintenance. Let’s take a look at both grass seed and sod, and the pros and cons of each so you can make the right decision.
When Grass Seed is Better
One of the biggest benefits of grass seed vs sod is price. Laying seeds could cost you as much as 20 times less than sod. Depending on the people you work with, the lawn size, and the type of grass, you could end up saving a few thousand dollars by going with seeds.
Another benefit of grass seed is variety. You just can’t beat grass seed when it comes to the number of varieties available – pick blue fescue grass, the lush zoysia palisades, or bermuda grass, and you’ll be all set. With seeds, you can choose the perfect type of lawn for your climate, lighting conditions, and soil. You could also go with varieties that are more pest resistant, or are more resistant to pestilence or drought.
Installing grass seed is much less labor extensive as well. You can use a spreader to disperse seeds easily, fast, and uniformly. With sod, you’ll have to find ways to make the strips fit. It’s also much harder work, and something you might not be able to do on your own if you have a fragile back.
When Sod is Better
One of the best things about sod is that you’ll be able to enjoy it immediately. With grass seed, you have to barricade the area to protect seedlings from wildlife, runoff, and foot traffic. Another great thing about sod is that you can pretty much install it anytime besides winter. Grass seed needs to be planted at specific times during the year for better results.
Sod also tends to work better for difficult spots. If you want to cover a slope, for instance, then sod would be a better choice since it won’t be washed away by rain. Sod is also very low maintenance compared to grass seed, and it’s difficult to go wrong. Just making sure that you water and mow it regularly will be enough for the first year. Only after that will you have to think about fertilizer.
What About Hydroseeding?
However, there’s a third option that many may not be aware of: hydroseeding. Hydroseeding uses a mixture of water, mulch, and seed and turns it into a slurry that is spread over the soil.
When it comes to hydroseed or sod, hydroseed gives you the best of both worlds. Hydroseed is a bit more expensive than grass seed, but much less than sod. Also, hydroseed is more resistant to erosion, and can be applied on tough spots without water washing it away. And, while you won’t be able to walk on your hydroseeded lawn immediately, it only takes a few weeks to germinate and you could enjoy your new lawn in as little as a month.
So, if you still didn’t know which method would be better for your lawn, we hope we were able to make the job easier for you.
Make sure that you evaluate each option in detail, and work with a team that will be happy and willing to give you some advice on which would be better for your particular situation.
