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Gardening

When preparing to establish a new lawn, the options can be overwhelming. "Should I seed or sod? What is the difference between a spring and a plug, and why in the world would I use them? How did Mr. Lawn Guru up the street get such a thick lawn? I just want some grass!" Don't let all these pressing questions drive you to distraction; get in control of your lawn dilemma and learn which lawn establishment method will work the best for you, your budget, and your sanity.

There are a variety of options to choose from when you are planning to establish a lawn. While each selection has it's pros and cons, there is no ultimate 'best option;'' it all depends on your individual wants and needs for your property. There are four general forms that turfgrass are available in: seed, springs, plugs, and sod. To best determine which option is most fitting for your landscape, do a bit of research on the different types and then evaluate your lawn based on the information you have learned.

Using seed to establish a lawn is a popular option because of it's easiness and lower cost compared with other options. However, if not done correctly, you can end up spending much more money than needed. Check the seed container label for the ratings. Do not buy the seed if it contains more than 10% weed seed. Also check the germination rate, which you would like to be around 85%. If you end up choosing a seed with a lower quality rate because it is cheaper, you might end up having to buy more of the seed to fully establish your lawn, which will cost you more money in the end. By choosing a quality seed from a reputable company, you will be able to establish a grand lawn.

Another bit of information to remember about seed is it is produced by pollination of grass plants, which produces a hybridized seed. Though many quality grasses are produced in this manner, the type or variety of grass you desire might not be able to be produced by seed. Some popular grass varieties are sterile and can only be reproduced by sprigging, plugging, or sodding. Check the variety of grass you are considering to see if it is available through seed.

The other lawn options all involve vegetative reproduction, which means the grass you use to establish your lawn will look just like the parent grass it was cut from. Many grass varieties are bred for a certain trait like shade or drought tolerance, and vegetative reproduction will prevent those traits from being lost. Using sprigs or plugs of grass, while usually more expensive than seeding, is cheaper than establishing your lawn with sod. Sprigs are stems or runners of grass that include two to four nodes, which the actual grass blades originate from. You can either find them commercially (where they are sold by the bushel) or you can pull them from sod yourself.

Sprigging is the least expensive of the vegetative reproduction method, but it also is the longest to establish a thick lawn. However, with sprigging you are able to establish a lawn with the sterile varieties of grass that you are unable to grow through seed. This is what makes sprigging a viable option for those who desire a nice variety of turf.

Plugging involves establishing a lawn using small cuts of sod, which are about two to four inches in diameter and are two to three inches deep, which includes some soil and roots as well as grass blades and stems. This option will help create a full lawn faster than by sprigging without requiring as much sod as a fully sodded yard. Plugs are seldom available in the trade, but you can cut your own plugs from purchased sod. This is a viable option for spreading grasses, but it does not work well at all for the clumping grasses like fescue.

The last method of establishing a lawn is by sodding. Sod is basically turfgrass that is harvested, cut into manageable pieces, and transplanted to a new location, where it is laid down on a prepared surface end to end to create an instant lawn. The main feature of this method is that 'instant lawn' creation; there is no waiting for seeds to grow or sprigs or plugs to fill in bare areas. Sodding is also more effective in preventing runoff and erosion on a site than a lawn that was established by seeds, sprigs, or plugs up to three years after establishment. The downside to sod is the initial cost, which is the most of all the establishing methods. However, if it is in your budget, creating your lawn through sodding is the fastest, most aesthetically pleasing way to create a lawn on your property.

Whether you choose to create your prefect lawn using seed, sprigs, plugs, or sod, make sure you prepare the site well to get the best results. You will save both your time and your money by taking some time to do your homework and decide which method will work the best for you. However, be forewarned: once you have a gorgeous sweep of lawn, all your friends and neighbors will be coming to you, the new Lawn Guru, with the very same questions you were tormenting yourself with earlier. Use your newfound celebrity with responsibility . . . oh, and send me an autograph.