Ah, the age old question of seeding your lawn vs sodding your lawn. What is a homeowner to do? Your lawn has probably seen better days and you need to make a decision on how to improve it and fast (BBQ season is right around the corner, after all)! We all want that luscious, green, weed-free grass that our neighbors will envy. The question is, how do we get it? Sadly, the answer is usually starting from scratch. So, say your farewells to your old lawn and let’s dig in!
Your decision on how to repair or replace your lawn starts with a few things: your budget, your time frame, your knowledge, and how much work you want to do yourself.
Seeding
Seeding is a less expensive option overall but takes much longer to get that beautiful lawn you’ve been dreaming of every night. Seeding your lawn from scratch in Minnesota is generally advised in the late summer or early fall. This means you have to look at a lawn you may not like all spring and into the summer and start seeding later in the season. Another benefit of seeding your lawn vs sodding your lawn is grass choice. In Minnesota you have several seed options for our climate. For example, you can choose between Kentucky bluegrass, a fine fescue and perennial ryegrasses. You can also mix and match these seed types based on sunny and shaded areas in your lawn. When seeding, you also have to keep in mind watering your little seedlings so they will germinate and produce that gorgeous end result. It may take 6-12 weeks of watering before your lawn is mature enough to fend for itself.
Sodding
Sodding is a great alternative to seeding because your lawn is ready to enjoy much faster. There’s no waiting for the grass to germinate and grow, that work was done for you on the farm- hence the added cost. There is some initial maintenance with sodding but much less maintenance than seeding. Here are some things to keep in mind: You want to use FRESH SOD! Make sure that the pieces of sod were cut less than 24 hours before delivery. It will take a few days of watering the fresh sod before the roots have established and another two-three months before your lawn is 100% established. You will have less options for your sunny and shady parts of your lawn with sodding as typically one grass type is purchased and used on your entire lawn. To offset this you won’t have to worry about weeds right away as the grass is weed-free right off the delivery truck. This more expensive option is less maintenance-intensive will be ready to use and look beautiful right away.
To Sum it Up- Should you Seed or Sod Your Lawn?
The benefits of seeding your lawn vs sodding your lawn comes down to two important things; money and time. There is never a perfect catch-all answer but by scheduling a consultation with 3 Bears Landscaping, we can assess your lawn and your concerns and develop and plan that fits your budget and your time frame.
