Move Over Sod: Planting Grass Seed Is the Best Way to Get a New Lawn—Here’s Why

• Sod is the quicker lawn method, but you can’t walk on your new lawn right away and it’s much more expensive
• Planting grass seed takes longer but saves you much more money long-term.
• Both methods require the same amount of work to establish your lawn.

The goal of many homeowners is to have a well-manicured, lush green lawn in the front yard. But the question is, What’s the best way to achieve that? Some people are looking to have an instant lawn, no matter the cost. Sod may be the best path for them.

Others are on a tight budget and don’t mind waiting a bit for their new lawn as long it means saving money. In this case, seed may be the way to go. Whichever camp you fall into, this article provides the answers for you.

What Is Sod?

Sod is a product grown and harvested by a sod farmer, then delivered to your yard for installation. It comes in rolls or squares, consisting of grass blades, roots, and the soil in which the roots are growing.

Most of the installation work comes in the form of preparation. Proper preparation includes removing the existing grass, having the soil tested, and amending the soil accordingly. 

After the preparation phase, the sod is laid out on top of the ground. You must then take the proper steps to help the sod become established, including watering it faithfully until it takes hold.

Starting a new lawn from sod has some advantages over starting one from seed, but there are also disadvantages.

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Pros of Using Sod

• Sodding is quick: The sod method will give you a new lawn faster, because you are essentially transplanting grass that has already been grown for you.
• Sod becomes established faster: A sod lawn will be ready for regular use (foot traffic, etc.) sooner than a lawn started from seed.
• Its installation window is bigger: Because sod becomes established faster than a seeded lawn, you have more flexibility in choosing a time to lay it. The time not to lay sod is during the worst heat of the summer.

Cons of Using Sod

• Sodding is just as much work: Although the actual process of laying sod goes quickly, there is more to the job than that. Just as much preparation goes into starting a sod lawn as goes into starting a new lawn from seed. So, although you will have a new lawn faster by using the sod method, do not expect there to be any less work involved.
• Sodding is expensive: The sod method is not a great option for those looking to cut costs.
• You can’t walk a lot on sod right away: Sod is said to give you an “instant lawn.” That is true to the extent that you will have a pretty lawn to look at immediately. But a sod lawn is not ready for regular use until it has become established. This means that, initially, you should avoid walking across it every day to get from point A to point B; nor should it be used for children or pets to play on.
• Some expertise is helpful: Laying sod properly can be tricky. The goal is achieving a finished lawn that is seamless. The problem is that, if the sod is not laid properly, the seams may show. One trick is to stagger the ends of the rolls in adjacent rows by cutting the first roll in half and laying the two halves separately, then laying the second row in one complete strip.
• Tight coordination is necessary: With the seeding method, you can buy the seed ahead of time, then sow it when the time is right. Not so with sod: Sod should be laid within 24 hours of being harvested. Plan on setting aside a significant block of time for the project.

Using Grass Seed

As with the sodding method, starting a new lawn from seed has both pros and cons.

Pros of Planting Grass Seed

• Sowing seed is economical: If you do not mind the wait, you will save a lot of money starting a new lawn from seed rather than from sod. Seed can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of sod.
• Seeding is relatively easy: While you do have to take the proper steps while seeding for the job to come out right, this method does not require expertise. You can also easily correct mistakes by overseeding.
• Flexibility in taking on the job: Grass seed can last a couple of years in storage (after that, germination rate can go down). So you can buy it ahead of time, then undertake the job later, at your convenience.

Cons of Planting Grass Seed

• Seeding is a slower method: If you need a new lawn fast to show a potential buyer of your property, seeding is not the way to go.
• A seeded lawn can’t be used as quickly: Even if you are not selling your home and do not need the instant pizazz provided by sod, consider that it could take months for a seeded lawn to become usable (without damaging it).
• Its installation window is smaller: Because a seeded lawn becomes established slower than a sod lawn, you have less flexibility in choosing a time for the project. A new lawn must become established before the worst heat of the summer arrives. So, with the seeding method, you must get the job done earlier in spring.

How to Decide Which Is Right for You

If you have a tight budget, the seeding method is unquestionably the right one for you in most situations. The main caveat is that you will have to exercise patience. You will not have a nice lawn to look at right away, and it may take months for the lawn to become established enough for regular use (constant walking on it, playing on it, etc.).

But it is not only the wealthy and/or impatient who may choose to start a lawn from sod. Sometimes, special circumstances arise that force you to make room in your budget for the more expensive alternative. For example, if you are starting a new lawn on a hill, erosion control may be a paramount concern. Because sod provides an instant lawn, it won’t take as long for it to hold back the soil during a rainstorm. Yes, the sod will cost you more money than seed in the short term. However, longer term, the damage done to your property by erosion may cost you even more money, making sod the right choice is this case.