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Chapter 4: Seeding or Sodding
After
they'd discussed soil, Scott Greenlawn told Bud Brownmud, "Now
you'll need to decide whether to seed or sod your
lawn."
Bud's face looked confused. "Seed or
sod?"
"Seeding involves tilling up the soil to aerate
it, mixing in some fertilizer, and then spreading grass seed
around. Sodding is...well, you remember that big truck that
delivered the pallets of grass to that new house that was
being built down the street?" Scott asked.
"Yes, I
remember," Bud answered.
It was pre-grown grass, in
little mats about 25 by 25 centimeters (9.75 by 9.75 inches.)
They laid it down like carpet, and it looked good right away.
"Why don't I do that?"
"Well, let's go over the pros
and cons," Scott replied.
One important decision you'll
need to consider early on is whether to seed or sod your lawn.
Seeding has a certain appeal; it's certainly much less work to
slit open a bag, pour seed into a spreader, and push the
spreader around on bare dirt to spread seed than it is to lift
and carry endless plots of heavy grass sod.
Seed generally costs less and
offers a wide variety of choices, but obviously takes longer
to establish itself and become hearty. It also requires
careful attention during the early growing periods. Added
attention to the soil preparation is needed for the seed to
grow and the seed is more susceptible to wash-outs and damage
during its early stages of growth.
Deciding whether to seed or
sod involves a number of factors. Assuming planting is done
properly, the end result of a healthy lawn should be the same
whether it was established from seeding or sodding.
Seeding
|
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| More grass types and
varieties |
Initial establishment is
longer |
| Less expensive than sodding |
Seeding time limited: late summer/early
fall |
| Stronger initial root system
development |
Moisture is critical for the young
seedlings |
Timing is critical in
assuring success when seeding lawns. In the northern reaches
of the northern hemisphere, mid-August to early September is
the ideal time for seeding lawns. April would be a second
choice. Seeding in late spring through mid-summer often leads
to problems. Exceeding seeding rates may result in weak, frail
seedlings and potential disease development. Newly seeded
grasses must receive adequate moisture to assure germination
and early seedling survival. Putting down a light straw mulch
can help prevent rapid drying and helps keep the soil in place
until the grass is established. Use about 1 bale per 92 square
meters (307 square feet.)
So How, Exactly, Do You Seed a
Lawn?
A lawn can be successfully
started from seed anytime during the growing season. However,
it's easier to
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Helpful Hints
If you’re the proud pal of a four-legged
friend or two, your lawn will do much better in the long
run if you can manage to keep them off of the newly
seeded (or sodded) areas of the lawn. Try walking them
until the grass is established. Hey, couldn’t you use a
workout anyway? | establish
cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, in late
summer. Warm season grasses, such as buffalo grass, are
usually seeded in May or June.
Before seeding grass,
have a basic soil test done to help determine specific
fertilizer requirements. And control perennial weeds in the
area to be seeded prior to disturbing the soil. If you use an
herbicide, select one with no soil-residual
activity.
Cultivate the area to be seeded to loosen the
top 30 cm (11.75 in.) of soil, and make any grade adjustments
to direct drainage away from building foundations. Remove
large rocks and other debris.
Till three to five cubic
meters (10 to 16.67 cubic feet) of decomposed manure, compost,
or sphagnum peat moss, along with fertilizers called for by
the soil test results, into the top 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in.)
of soil. Otherwise, apply any starter-type lawn fertilizer or
one pound of nitrogen per 92 square-meters (307 square feet)
of area.
Next, smooth and firm the soil surface to be
seeded. Scatter the seed in two directions to evenly apply the
recommended rate. Gently drag the back side of a rake to
lightly cover seed with soil.
Lightly water often
enough to keep the surface of the soil moist during seed
germination, which can take up to two weeks. Watering
frequency will be determined by the time of year and weather
conditions. As the roots grow deeper into the soil, gradually
decrease the frequency and increase the amount of water to
encourage deep-rooted, healthy plants.
What About Sodding My
Lawn Instead?
When sodding, purchase
quality sod that has been freshly cut. Try to use sod that has
been grown on a  similar type of soil as exists on the site; most of
northern Illinois has mineral soils so try to get sod grown on
mineral soil. Install promptly. Stagger edges in a similar
pattern as laying bricks. Avoid stretching sod or leaving gaps
between pieces of sod.
New sod should be watered
thoroughly after installation and then frequently until the
sod is established. Water should go down through the sod to
moisten the soil underneath for good root development. Mow
newly sodded lawns on a regular basis so that no more than one
third of the grass height is removed in a single mowing. A
height between 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in.) is suggested. Core
aerate a sodded lawn after the sod has firmly rooted to the
soil. Don't fertilize newly sodded lawns until the next
suggested time in the normal fertilizing
schedule.
Using sod to create your lawn produces
results very quickly. Call it instant gratification! In less
than one day, your yard is transformed from bare dirt into a
lush, green lawn. Unlike seed, sod can be successfully
installed all year, even during extreme heat or cold.
Preparing for a sod yard is much like preparing the lawn for
seed. Follow these steps in sequence.
1.
Kill and clean existing weeds and turf from the lawn
area. If redoing a previously- sodded yard, remove
the old sod completely. Use a herbicide that does not leave a
toxic residue. These products work best on actively growing
weeds and grasses. Water thoroughly, wait a day or so, then
apply the herbicide according to label instructions. A second
application 1-2 weeks later may be necessary to kill all grass
and weeds. Remove all vegetation after it is completely
brown.
2. Clear the area of
rocks and other debris. Add organic soil amendments
at the rate of 0.05 cubic meters (0.20 cubic feet) per each
2.2 to 2.8 square meters (7.33 to 9.33 square feet) and
rototill as deeply as possible. Remove underground
obstructions as you encounter them. If heavy clay and
caliche-riddled soil makes it impossible to rototill, break
soil surface with a pick or digging bar and add a 7-10 cm
(2.75-4.00 in.) layer of topsoil over the area. Use a
landscape rake to level out the high and low
spots.
3. Install a quality
sprinkler system to insure successful lawn
establishment. Unless the area is extremely small,
watering by hand is very labor intensive, time consuming, and
may not be successful, especially during the hot summer
months. A Star Nursery irrigation specialist will help you
plan the system best suited to your needs. Do not install
sprinkler heads until final grading and leveling have been
completed.
4. Rake and level
the area for final grading and removal of stones.
Spread a starter fertilizer at the rate of 0.5 kg (1 lb.) per
23 square meters (76.67 square feet) and lightly rake into the
soil surface. Now install the sprinkler heads. Adjust height
for the thickness of the sod mat (usually 2-3 cm [0.75-1.00
in.]) and recommended grass mowing height before cutting
sprinkler risers.
5. Water the
area the day before your sod arrives. Several short
irrigations, an hour apart, should soak the ground to a depth
of 15 cm (6 in.) or more while preventing runoff. This will
allow the sod to root more quickly. Sod stacked on pallets
builds up heat very quickly. For best results, plan to lay
your sod the same day it arrives.
 6. Lay the sod along the longest
straight line from back to front. Work from this line
to avoid stepping on the freshly placed sod. Butt edges and
ends together tightly. Lay strips of sod in a brick pattern to
minimize visible lines while it takes root. Avoid splicing
curved and angled areas with small pieces and strips. The
bigger the piece, the better it will root. Use a sharp sod
knife to make clean, defined edges around trees, sprinklers,
and contours. Use a water roller to insure good sod contact
with the ground after installation.
7. Water
thoroughly after installation. New sod should be kept
very wet for 10 days to 2 weeks. Water 3 to 6 times a day
depending on the weather- -more often in the summer, less
often in colder weather. After a week or so, check rooting
progress by gently tugging on individual strips. If the sod
doesn't come up easily, the rooting process is well under way.
If it still hasn't begun to root or shows gray, dry looking
areas, increase the water. Keep foot traffic off the sod until
it is well-rooted.
8. Keep grass height high
for the first few cuttings. Let it reach a 10 or 12
cm (4 or 4.75 in.) height before mowing, take two cm (0.75
in.) off the top, wait a few days, and do it again. Mow when
grass blades are dry, then water. Low-cutting new sod can
disturb the strips and damage new roots.
9.
After the sod is established, usually after a month or so,
water according to weather and soil conditions. Watch
the weather and adjust with it to establish a responsible,
efficient watering schedule. Watch your lawn carefully, check
water coverage, adjust sprinklers as needed, and use hand
watering to deal with any "hot spots" (smoky gray areas) that
might arise during hot or windy weather. No need to water the
entire lawn to fix a few small problem
spots.
10. Fertilize lightly after the second
mowing with a seasonal lawn fertilizer. To avoid
changing fertilizers every season, try using a premium lawn
food that will condition your soil while providing
long-lasting, complete, and balanced nutrition for your grass
year- round. Other seasonal fertilizers will also be available
depending on where you live.
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