Sodding is one of the most common methods used to cover a lawn in thick green grass. Sod is made out of individual pieces of dirt with grass already fully grown in them. These squares of dirt can then be placed on a lawn and the grass will take root in the underlying soil. This unique method of seeding for grass in your yard necessarily carries a number of advantages and drawbacks: understanding what those pros and cons are can help you decide whether or not sodding is the right fit for your yard’s requirements.
Advantages Sodding
Sod Installation: The main advantage of sodding your yard is that it is extremely easy to install sod, and you effectively are given a lush, fully grown lawn as soon as the last piece of sod is put down. This means you won’t have to deal with large patches of dirt and half-grown grass as you would with other methods of grass seeding.
Reduces Erosion
In a similar vein to the above point, since sodding is fully grown and comes with its own layer of dirt, sod installation in your yard can help reduce and prevent soil erosion, which can be a serious problem for any landscaping project. In addition, this can help stop dust from rising from a dirt yard and spreading all over your home and the surrounding area, another major aesthetic consideration.
No Weeds
Sodding also does not come with any weeds, as the grass is carefully cultivated and all other plants and seeds are removed from the equation before the sodding actually is put up for sale. This can help maintain your lawn quality over the long term, as you will have to do less weeding to protect your grass.
Properly established and maintained lawns are a lifetime investment, adding to the value of the property, its safe, clean, and enjoyable use, and even a benefit to the environment as the tightly inter-woven plants of a mature lawn clean the air by releasing oxygen as it uses carbon dioxide, traps participate pollution and cleanses runoff water that helps restore our groundwater supplies.
Soil Preparation: Same for all types of lawn for sod installation: Deeply till the soil, add necessary amendments and fertilizer, grade and level for a smooth surface, remove all debris, lightly pack and moisten.
Seed Quality: Typically highest available sodding quality, certified, elite seed. May be certified to prove specific variety. Mixtures and blends used to suit area needs.
Water Requirements: Lowest water needs. Water at sod installation for seven to ten days, then light watering for the next two to three weeks. The grass will shade the soil and prevent drying.
Uniformity of Coverage: 99 to 100% uniformity with the use of mature turfgrass sod.
Weed Control: Minimal, if any chemical control required.Runoff/Erosion: Capable of accepting heavy rains without erosion or damage. Excellent control on even very steep slopes.Visual Impact: Immediate beauty of a ‘complete’ and mature landscape.
Usability: Low traffic immediately. Normal, high traffic levels within two to three weeks.
Sod Installation cost: Cost vs. value: Sod Installation costs offset by the added value of timing, usability, uniformity, and visual appeal. Reduced maintenance, chemical, and water costs. Pride. Highest value as a green contributor. Nursery grown sod quality immediately.