What is lawn sod

As a bonus, you can introduce fully decomposed organic matter into the topsoil. You can do a basic soil test yourself, or get a lab to do it if you want comprehensive results. The ideal pH level ranges from 6 to 7. Remember how I said not to ditch the rake yet? Final grading will give the yard the shape you want while your instant lawn is on its way to you. Once again, use a heavy-duty rake for small areas, and a tractor-mounted box blade for larger ones.

Now you can finally settle and firm the surface with a lawn roller. I recommend filling it with one-third of water to roll the area. This will give you time for a final re-touch, like adjusting the slopes or filling low spots you missed in the previous steps.

The easiest way is simple — use a measurement tape, paper, and a pencil. Apart from the obvious width and the length of the yard, include all irregular shapes and buildings to your sketch. If you have decided to keep the slopes and lower areas, mark them too. This will help you and the supplier figure out how much sod you need, the costs and the variety of grass to go for.

You also want the grass blades to be dark green and cold to the touch. Check the appearance and the strength of the turf, touch it, turn it upside down, make sure it looks even and healthy. Lay the first sod roll along something straight — a sidewalk or a driveway, then add the rest of the pallets so that the edges look like a brick-wall pattern.

An easy way to check on the progress and the efficiency of your efforts is to lift a corner of one pallet and pierce through it with something long and sharp. If it feels hard to get through or the soil looks dry, add more water. On slopes or hills, start from the lowest point working all the way up, keeping the seams closely together.

If the surface is too steep, lay the sod across the direction of the slope. Enter your address to find available services. Enter a New Address. Should I seed it or sod it? Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are probably the most popular type of grass growing in the northern parts of the US. Turf-type tall fescue is the most common cool-season grass growing in the Transition Zone.

Fine fescue is the preferred species for shady areas. Are you repairing small sections of a lawn or larger, more significant areas? Small spots are better repaired with seed, while larger areas, bigger than one square yard, may be better served by using sod.

Do you have the ability to water on a regular basis? The cost of premium grass seed is much less when compared to the cost of sod for the same size lawn. Low labor investment. Seeding a lawn is a simple process when you follow best practices for planting grass seed.

You can avoid common mistakes — even as a first timer. Expanded grass choices. Seed allows great flexibility in choosing grass varieties to match your growing conditions and complement your environmental and ecological values and desires. Choosing grasses suited to your geography , light and soil translates to better performance and less maintenance, which means more leisure time for you.

For example, Pennington Smart Seed grasses require significantly less water than ordinary grasses, offer improved resistance to disease and pests, and come in regional mixes and blends to match your needs. Established in place. With seed, your grasses continue to grow in the same place where they germinate and root. Grasses can grow deep and healthy root systems, undisturbed. Disadvantages of grass seed Defined window for seeding.

To establish well, seed should be sown during peak growth times for the grass involved. For example, germination and growth of cool-season grasses favor cool conditions, so early fall is the best time to plant these seeds. Improper timing leads to failed seed or weak grass susceptible to insects and disease. Gradual initial establishment. Germination speeds vary between grasses, but newly seeded lawns may need up to 10 to 12 weeks before they're ready for even light foot traffic.

Weather also influences growing speeds. Greater initial maintenance. Watering is critical during seed establishment. Careful monitoring and attention are essential in this phase. Sod also commonly referred to as turf grass is sections of grass that have already grown, which is bound together by a root system or a thin layer of other bio-degradable material.

Common uses include:. In addition to being used as a visually appealing ground cover, there are additional benefits to professional sod installation, including:. When it comes to choosing between grass seed or sod there are valid arguments for and against each one. Here are the pros and cons of sod to help you select the right product for your home or business:. The experienced professionals at The Grounds Guys can help you make the right choice for your home or business whether you opt for grass seed or a sod installation.