Are you frustrated because your lawn is sparse and unattractive despite all your hard work? Do you wish your lawn could become lush and green overnight? If so, consider lawn turf—also called sod—for your landscape.
Sod is extremely popular with homeowners because it allows them to get an established lawn quickly without having to grow and nurture grass seeds.
Read on to discover what turf is and why it is the ultimate upgrade for your landscape.
What Is Turf?
Turf describes a large area of sod or an entire patch of lawn.
Sod describes smaller areas of greenery that are often found in landscapes.
The sod product consists of pre-grown grass and soil that’s bonded together by the grass’s root system. Professionals create it at specialized farms where they grow grass from seed.
The sod is harvested ten to eighteen months after the seeds are planted. It is then sold in rolls.
Sod quality can vary, so it’s important to purchase sod from a trusted professional who provides healthy and superior sod.
Types of Sod
Various types of sod meet different landscaping needs, such as the ability to:
- Grow well in the shade
- Be drought-tolerant
- Stand up to heavy foot traffic
In New Jersey, Kentucky Bluegrass is a popular sod. This grass thrives in full sun, has a deep green color, and adapts to warmer summer and colder winter climates.
Why Homeowners Love Turf
Sodding your lawn offers many advantages for homeowners. But the number one benefit is that it will quickly transform your landscape into a lush, green paradise!
If you’re planning to host a large outdoor event soon, you can feel confident that your new lawn will be ready to welcome and wow your guests in a matter of weeks.
Here are some great ideas for outdoor entertaining spaces.
Growing a lawn from seed takes a significant amount of time.
The entire process is complex, time-consuming, and can be extremely frustrating. The lawn will look unattractive and bare for most of the growing period.
Additionally, the new lawn often fails to meet expectations—it simply isn’t the lush lawn you had hoped for.
The Benefits of Sod
Homeowners are turning to sod to instantly transform their outdoor space and elevate their landscape for these reasons
Instant Beauty for Your Landscape
Sodding your lawn provides immediate gratification!
Once the lawn preparation is completed, the sod is usually installed in one day. Your lawn will immediately look lush and well-manicured—just like you always dreamed it would be!
Then, you’ll need to stay off your lawn for a short time (about two weeks) while the sod’s roots become firmly established in the ground. Once these few weeks have passed, family and guests can walk and play on the lawn with no risk of damaging or disrupting it.
You Can Lay Sod Almost Any Time
You can lay down sod at almost any time of the year as long as the ground isn’t frozen. This flexibility allows you to enjoy a beautiful lawn no matter the season.
Added Curb Appeal
An attractive lawn adds beauty and perceived value to your home. This is great news if you’re planning on selling your home or simply want to enjoy its beauty for yourself.
Realtors recognize the importance of the effect of curb appeal on the market value of your home.
When home buyers see a nice lawn, they envision their children and pets playing in the yard and will want to experience this joy for themselves.
Even if you’re not planning to sell your home, imagine the delight you’d feel every day when you arrive home to see its beautiful, inviting greenery.
Less Watering
You must water a lawn planted from seed up to four times a day for the first three weeks for seed germination, and then usually daily afterward.
After planting sod, it only requires watering about 2-3 times a day for the first few weeks and 1-2 times a week thereafter.
Specific watering instructions depend on weather, location, and other factors.
Provides a Safe Cushion
Established turf helps keep little ones safe; it cushions kids and pets during outside play and helps prevent injuries.
Here are more ways to make your landscaping pet friendly.
Works Against Weeds
Turf effectively suppresses weed growth. The dense grass cover makes it difficult for weeds to take root, reducing the need for chemical weed control.
Prevents Soil Erosion
Turf installation will help limit the erosion of your landscape.
The roots of the mature sod will stabilize the soil and protect the property from water runoff or wind. The sod layer of thick grass will allow rainwater to percolate and reduce destructive surface runoff.
Provides Health Benefits
You will love your new turf even more once you know the health benefits you and your family will enjoy.
They include:
- Reduced noise due to the lawn absorbing and deflecting sound
- Purer air with less dust and smoke particles
- Better allergy control due to fewer weeds and less dust and pollen
- Less annoying light reflection due to turf’s anti-glare properties
How to Prepare a Lawn for Turf
Sod installation is a project that homeowners can perform themselves.
However, it’s best to call in a landscape company with the experience, manpower, and equipment needed to properly prepare the soil and install the newly delivered sod quickly.
Ground preparation for turf should be done 8-10 days before installing sod.
It is an involved process that includes:
- Clearing the site
- Grading the soil
- Tilling the soil
- Adding nutrient-rich topsoil
- Apply a pre-turfing fertilizer
- Settling the area
To achieve the best results, the land preparation must be complete before the sod arrives. It’s best to lay the sod within 24 hours to ensure its health and vitality.
Sod is a living thing. Proper care and installation are necessary for the sod to thrive.
Sponzilli Landscape Group offers exceptional landscaping design and installation services for residential and commercial properties in New Jersey and New York. Contact us.
