A:
John Fech, a horticulturist at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, replies: There are several considerations when pondering the question of seed versus sod, but the most important two are how patient you are and how much money you have to spend on the lawn.
If it is important to you to have a lawn that can be used and enjoyed within a few weeks, then spend the money for sod. Once the site is prepared through rough grading, soil testing, incorporation of necessary amendments, and final grading, sod can be installed. Under favorable conditions, it will root quickly and be ready for use in a month or less. Sodding can be done at almost any time of the year when the ground is not frozen, though it’s best to avoid hot midsummer temperatures.
However, if you’re like most people who have just built a new house, you don’t have a lot of money left for the lawn. Fear not; the cost of seeding is reasonable. Of course, you don’t get something for nothing. To save money, you’ll have to wait a few months for the seed to establish itself.
The best time to seed your new lawn is when temperatures and moisture conditions are most favorable for seed germination, and when there is a low potential for weed germination and the invasion of diseases and insects. For best results, a six- to eight-week period should be allowed when seeding.
The preferred time for seeding cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue) is early fall. A second but less desirable time to seed is early spring. However, wider temperature and moisture fluctuations and higher weed germination potential will lessen the chances for success.
Warm season grasses (Zoysiagrass, Bermudagrass, St. Augustine) are, for the most part, propagated vegetatively. However, each grass species has its own set of possibilities. For example, Zoysiagrass can be seeded, sodded, or plugged. Bermudagrass can be sprigged, seeded, sodded, or plugged. St. Augustine is mostly established from sprigs, which are similar in many ways to bedding plants.
Warm-season grasses are best established in late spring or early summer. This provides for a long period of high soil temperatures, which encourages rapid establishment of warm-season species. Avoid late summer or fall seedings, as there is not usually adequate time for the grass to root sufficiently.
