To Sod or Not To Sod, That Is The Question.

You might be asking yourself whether it’s worth it to sod or if you should just seed instead. Great question! There are definitely pros and cons to each option and luckily when Sam was an extension educator at the University of Minnesota, he co-authored an article about the very topic. You can reference the whole article yourself, but we pulled directly from the article just the advantages and disadvantages of each for you here:

Seeding

Advantages

• More grass species and varieties to choose from

• Less expensive than sodding

• Stronger root system development initially and long term

• No layering of soil types to cause rooting problems

Disadvantages

• Initial establishment takes more time

• For best results, time of seeding is limited mainly to late summer and early fall

• Moisture is critical for the young seedlings

• It takes nearly a full season to achieve a mature and durable lawn

• Weed pressure will be greater

Sodding

Advantages

• Rapid establishment and relatively weed-free in the beginning

• Good for slopes or areas prone to erosion

• Can be laid virtually any time during the growing season

• "Instant" lawn

Disadvantages

• Less flexibility in choosing species; most sod in Minnesota will be Kentucky bluegrass

• More expensive than seeding

• Labor intensive to install

• Potential layering of soil types that causes rooting issues