Home Improvement Articles - Why Buy Sod for Your Yard?


by HUGH BRAATEN - Date: 2009-06-11 - Word Count: 691 Share This!

Whether you are landscaping a yard for the first time or replacing an existing landscape, adding sod instead of seeding a lawn can be an option to save money, time and water while maximizing the beauty of your property inside and out. Sod is a significant investment in your property. Grass seed is often an appealing alternative because seed is easily and inexpensively purchased at local hardware and home materials stores. However, seeded lawns often have hidden costs that can make the investment in sod worthwhile. The first key to making your investment in sod pay off is planning. Draw a diagram of your lawn and measure it accurately. Take this drawing to your sod provider and get help calculating the correct amount of sod you should buy for your needs Second, spend time preparing your yard by removing rocks and breaking up large clumps of soil. Till your soil and if needed, add more topsoil - 4 to 6 inches is optimal. Also consider testing your soil to determine if you need to fertilize. Finish grading your soil to assure that rocks, holes and clumps are eliminated then use a lawn roller to pack the soil down. Finally, water the soil immediately before installing your sod. The time and effort you spend preparing your yard will increase the odds that your lawn establishes quickly and your investment in sod is a good one. In contrast, although grass seed is less expensive to purchase the risks to success can be greater. Sod is weed free, but grass seed often includes the grass you want to grow and seeds for weeds you don't want. Seeded grass does not have the same natural protections from erosion and wind that sod provides. You may need to reseed patches of your lawn two or more times to get the desired coverage. All of these factors can significantly increase the cost of a seeded lawn and make your project more expensive overall. Grass is a living organism and newly laid sod needs a significant amount of water in the initial two to three weeks after installation. Sod's water needs actually begin before the roll is spread on to the ground. For the best results, soil should be moist before installing sod atop it. Sod should be watered no later than 30 minutes after it has been placed. It will need further watering at least once a day for the next two to three weeks in order to allow roots to establish themselves. After this initial period, however, your new lawn will require no more water than an established, mature lawn. Once established your should expect to water for 15 to 30 minute periods of water approximately three times each week. In contrast, a newly seeded lawn will need water throughout the growing cycle. Grass-seeded lawns do not have the same ability to hold water that a mature or newly sodded lawn has, so you will need to keep the area moist until the grass is completely filled-in. Laying sod takes effort and should be completed as quickly as possible. Cut sod should be placed the same day it is delivered to avoid drying . Spreading grass seed is, by comparison, much easier. Grass seed is not at risk of drying out and dying, so it isn't as time sensitive as sod. However, grass seed takes longer to establish. Seed spread in northern climates in autumn will not be ready for foot traffic until late May. Grass seed often requires more than one application, and frequently you must remove weeds that have sprouted along with your lawn. Sod provides protection against erosion and is definitely the best fit for areas that are erosion prone. Sod will provide a mature, weed-free lawn in a matter of weeks. Your lawn will look better sooner, and there's less risk of mud and dust impacting your home. Sod will tolerate foot traffic sooner and will decrease its needs water needs much more quickly than a seeded lawn. In summary, sod - although initially more expensive, provides the opportunity for a beautiful lawn quickly with minimal negative impact on the rest of your property.



Related Tags: buy sod, sod farms in, bluegrass sod

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