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Seed or Sod?

by Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor,University of Vermont    

Once you have prepared the bed for your new lawn, it's time to plant. You have two choices: seeding or laying down sod.

If you plan to start your lawn from seed, keep in mind that the best time to plant grass seed is late April through May and late August to early September. Spring and fall provide favorable growing conditions for cool season lawn grasses.

Grass seed can be spread over the ground with a fertilizer spreader. Use about four pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet of area. Drag a lawn rake over the seeded area to mix the seed into the soil surface. Next, cover the new seeding with straw, using one bale for each 500 square feet of area.

Watering is critical for new seedings. Sprinkle the ground lightly several times a day to keep the soil surface cool and moist.

When the grass is about two inches tall, remove half the straw. The rest can be allowed to decompose naturally. Begin mowing when the grass is two to three inches tall. The mower blade must be sharp. Dull blades will pull the young plants out of the ground rather than cut the leaves.

Fertilize with a lawn fertilizer when the plants are two inches tall. Be sure to water in the fertilizer if the instructions on the bag say to do so. Water so that an inch of water per week is applied to the new seeding.

Sod can provide a lawn in a shorter time than seed. A prime disadvantage of sod is the limited number of grass species included in sod mixes. Most sod is a blend of several Kentucky bluegrass cultivars.

Sodding can be done when the soil is dry enough to work, and the sod will have enough time to root before winter. Do not lay sod during dry weather if water cannot be provided. Rolled-up sod heats up, and this heat can kill the sod. To avoid injury, lay the sod within 24 to 48 hours after it was cut.

Do not lay sod on hot, dry soil. Moisten the soil to a depth of six inches then lay the sod in a pattern that looks like bricks in a wall. This can be done by starting alternate rows with half a roll of sod rather than a full one. The edges of the rolls should be touching to prevent the sod from drying out.

Once all the sod is laid, roll it to remove air pockets. Hold sod laid on a slope in place with wooden stakes.

Water the sod immediately after rolling. Water every day after laying the sod until the roots have grown into the soil. Rooting can take two to three weeks. Reduce watering gradually once the sod has rooted into the soil.