What is Sod? Ultimate Guide

What is Sod?

Do you need to have a beautiful, lush, green lawn? Naturally, you do, all homeowners want to have beautiful properties, and having a nice lawn is essential. It's also crucial to keep your lawn hunting wonderful if you would like to ensure that your home's worth increases and not decreases. 1 way you'll be able to create a fantastic looking lawn would be to use sod grass. You'll be able to also get a lawn within a relatively brief period of time, so you can start off enjoying it within a couple of weeks of laying it.

So, what is sod means anyway? Generally, sod is the grass that has currently been planted. Also known as turf grass, sod is sold in sections which might be grass and soil held together by roots or other components. This type of lawn is preferred by golfers since it's lusher and grows more evenly. It is usually longer than other types of grass at the same time. See also How to Plant Grass Seed

Where Is Sod Used?

Sod is most commonly used In lawns for private homes, businesses, schools, Golf courses, and Sports stadiums

What Is Sod Used for?

Sod is used to easily build a lawn in areas where seeding may be too costly or would fly away. Sod is widely used as a roofing material in Scandinavia. Sod was used to build houses in the early history of the western United States. Sod may help to increase the quality of the air and water in the surrounding environment. It may be useful in avoiding flooding in the area.

How Is Sod Grown and Harvested?

In the United States, nearly 1,500 specialized sod-growing farms occupy nearly 370,000 acres, growing a wide range of sod varieties. The majority of sod is grown and sold locally, but new strains and methods are constantly being produced. Sod is harvested and sold in a number of shapes, including square slabs, rolled rectangles, and four-foot-wide rolls for large-scale repairs. Mississippi State University is creating a hydroponic sod that is thinner than conventional sod but can move greater distances.

Different Types of sod

Sod comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Different types of grass thrive in different environments. Some have been bred specifically to deal with the conditions in a given area.

Bermuda Grass. Celebration Bermuda Grass and Discovery Bermuda Grass are two subspecies of Bermuda Grass. Both are widely used in the Southeastern United States. Because of its slow growth, Discovery is an excellent low-maintenance option.
Bella Bluegrass. The first bluegrass type to be sold exclusively as sod is Bella Bluegrass. It is drought tolerant and thrives in a range of soil conditions. It only requires a small amount of mowing to keep it at the proper height.
St. Augustine and Captive St. Augustine are both found in the warmer regions of the southern U.S. It is also found in parts of Mexico, Australia, and Africa. It does not do well in the cold and is available as sod only.
In 1916, Centipede Grass and Covington were introduced from Southeast Asia. It has a coarser look than other grasses due to its larger leaves. It will retain its color later in the fall and turn green early in the spring, unlike most grass types.

Should You Use Sod grass for Your Lawn?

Some people like to use grass seed, and a few like to use sod. You will find all sorts of great arguments for making use of both, and truly, it all comes down to basically getting a matter of decision. Grass sod is a lot more reliable than grass seed, that is among the main causes why it's so common with homeowners. Many individuals begin out asking “what is sod when compared to grass seed”. Here are a few of the benefits and drawbacks to utilizing each sod and grass seed:

Sod vs Seed

sod grass / grass rolls

Sod Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
You might have a lawn much quicker than you do whenever you use grass seed	Employing sod can be a lot more pricey than lawn seed
You'll be able to begin mowing your lawn sooner because the grass will likely be growing so nicely	Some sections may not take root and also you will have to take them out and put new sections in
You don’t have to wait for certain times from the year to install sod like you do with grass seed	Grass sod is tougher to install than it truly is to spread grass seed
Sod takes root better than seed and is far more dependable
You won’t be spending your summer pulling weeds if you use sod instead of grass seed
If you are also busy watering your lawn each and every day, don’t worry because sod does not want as considerably water as seed

grass seed

Grass Seed Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
The grass seed is easy to spread, and it only takes a number of minutes to complete it	You've to wait for a good deal longer to have a nice lawn than you do in case you use grass sod
You can choose from many various varieties of grass seed	Sometimes, not all seeds germinate and also you have to spread new lawn seeds in specific locations of one's lawn
The seed is better to use on yards that might be hilly, sloped, or have shaded areas	When you use grass seed, you get weeds
	You might not have the ability to use your yard for as long as two or 3 months soon after seeding
	You have to water your lawn day-to-day to be sure that the grass seeds germinate and sprout

Installing Your own personal Sod grass

Though there is much more work involved in installing grass sod rather than spreading grass seed, it really is an effortless job for anyone to perform. In the event you do not want the expense of a contractor, you'll be able to simply install your own personal sod in the event you possess the time and energy. We discovered an additional good resource to help you choose which route you desire to go. Prior to it is possible to lay the sod, you have to get the ground prepared for it. Ensure that you rake the yard and that you can find no rocks. The yard should be as level as you possibly can. You are able to also add some fertilizer to the soil to help make certain that your grass will grow nicely.

Caring for New Sod grass

In addition to standard watering, you can find other issues you'll be able to do to take care of the newly laid sod. Be gentle with it, specifically for the duration of the initial few days. Yes, it is possible to use sod considerably sooner than you can use a lawn developed from grass seed, nevertheless, it needs to be off-limits to foot site visitors for a minimum of a couple of days. Don’t cut it too short, and don’t use any weed killers (you won’t need to have them anyway). What is grass sod in case you don’t care for it properly? One issue is for confidence, it really is not a nice looking lawn.

Sod is one of the easiest ways to keep a lawn established. When choosing the types of sod you want, it's vital to understand the conditions under which it will flourish. You should pick a variety that will flourish in your environment and can endure the challenges.