 | Peter X. Salmeron
was born in Peru and came to the US in 1971. He attended WSU and KU, earning a BS in Biology. He started Complete Landscaping Systems in 1983, on a part-time basis, and became a full-time entrepreneur in 1987. Today, Complete Landscaping Systems is one of the leading grounds maintenance and landscaping companies in Kansas and recipient of the Department of Commerce Service Company of the Year Award for Kansas in 2001. Mr. Salmeron is former President of the Wichita Garden Show Association and its Board and current Board member, is an executive member of the Board of Directors for Wichita Chamber of Commerce, President of Amigoes de Ser, was named SBA Small Business Person of the Year for 2000, and new Board member of the Wichita Conventions Bureau. You can contact Mr. Salmeron by phone at (316) 832-0061 or by email at petersalmeron@lycos.com |
Lawn, Garden & Landscaping
2004-04-01 13:46:00
Should I seed or sod?
Question: What are the advantages/disadvantages of applying sod versus planting grass seed for a new lawn?
ANSWER: The advantage to installing sod is that you do not have to fight weeds or over seeding once or twice a year. It provides immediate gratification because you can have a beautiful lawn in one or two days. Sod is also very useful to install in areas with steep slopes, but be careful, if you do not water regularly in the first two weeks you may lose your investment. Another advantage of sodding is that you can sod most times of the year, the only exception being when the ground freezes. The biggest disadvantage with sodding is the cost. It can be more than four times the cost of seeding. The biggest advantage of seeding is the cost, which can vary from 8 cents per sq. ft. to 12 cents per sq. ft. (depending on the difficulty of the terrain and the size of the terrain) compared to sodding which can be more than 36 cents per sq. ft. (again depending on the size and the difficulty of the terrain).Seeding has its disadvantages. If you complete the job, and there is a strong storm, you may lose most of the seed in a wash out. If it's very windy when you are seeding, you may again lose most of your seed. Regardless if you choose to sod or seed, you will have to treat weeds that germinate due to the frequent watering which is required. The germination period for fescue seed is 14 to 21 days, depending on soil conditions, humidity and temperature. The germination period for Rye seed is much less, again, depending on environmental conditions. Most of the new lawns in the Wichita Metro area are a mix of fescue seeds. If you're not ready to risk it yourself, hire a professional. They may be able to save you hundreds of dollars, with the proper equipment and know how.
