Author: John R. Hall III, Extension Agronomist, Virginia Tech
Posted April 1997
Successful establishment of quality turfgrass can be difficult in Virginia. The extremes in temperature and moisture availability create severe stresses on both cool- and warm-season grasses. The humidity common in this region promotes increased fungal activity, and when coupled with the stresses created by the difficult climate, all turfgrass plants have difficulty surviving. Therefore, selecting the appropriate turf and method of establishment requires some forethought.
Advantages and disadvantages of each method of lawn establishment should be considered. The advantages of a quality sodding include:
Sod installation provides a mature turf which has less probability of failing than a new seeding. Quality sod will be weed-free, whereas any new seeding will have some weed invasion. Sod is normally usable within two to three weeks. When consumers make a decision to buy sod, they can see the product they are buying, but when purchasing seed, there is great difficulty in estimating the turf quality of the end product.
Sodding may have advantages, but it has problems, too. The initial expense of sodding is prohibitive for some. The limited sod mixture selection may be a handicap in certain environments such as shade or where one desires exotic varieties. The successful rooting of sod is dependent upon many factors. It has been observed that Kentucky bluegrass has difficulty rooting in the early summer after seed-head inflorescences have emerged. Summer sod installation of cool-season grasses such as bluegrass can be successful if irrigation and sod-bed preparation are adequate.
Situations where sod is the obvious answer to the establishment problem include :
Sodding is frequently considered to be an expensive means of establishing turfgrass; however, if one is careful to consider the total cost of a seeding, especially in situations where seeding is being used in marginal areas, the cost of sodding can often be cheaper in the long run.
If you decide to sod, be sure you purchase quality, certified sod. Contact your Extension Service for specific information about the types of quality, certified sod available in your area.
(Originally published as "Should I Seed or Sod?," by John R. Hall III, Extension Agronomist, Virginia Tech, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 5, Number 2.)