Sodding for a new lawn installation or lawn repair will give you a usable lawn surface almost instantly. Corliss Landscape and Irrigation has had a great deal of experience installing lawns, whether from sod or from seed. An important and often overlooked element to a healthy lawn is soil quality and preparation. Other key elements to establishing a healthy lawn are irrigation, proper lighting conditions, and regular fertilization.
We recommend installing a minimum of 4 to 6 inches of good quality screened loam on top of a good base soil. If your existing soil quality is poor, a thicker layer of loam may be required. Once the proper soil depth is achieved it is, if applicable, time to install irrigation. The soil is then raked and graded, either manually or by machine, to remove large pieces of debris. Small stones the size of a quarter or smaller should remain in the soil to keep it loose and friable. Having properly graded the loam it is time to apply either the seed or sod.
Sodding will give you a usable lawn surface almost instantly, although it can be very perishable if not rolled-out within a few hours of delivery. Sod would prefer to have full sun exposure for most of the day and to be watered regularly.
Seeding, either mechanically (with a broadcast spreader) or with a hydroseed solution will give you a thick healthy lawn if cared for properly. Germination generally takes a few weeks and the lawn should be usable within six weeks. It may take one to two seasons for a seed lawn to fully fill in with proper watering and fertilization.
