What is the difference between sod and hydroseed?
The appearance of your lawn is a point of pride for many homeowners and there doesn’t seem to be enough information about Hydroseeding versus Sod in your yard. We all know beautiful lawns and a well-maintained yard can really help boost your home’s curb appeal and value, but with busy schedules, you may not have time to go look up which one is the best choice for your lawn.
That’s where we come in!
The Basics of Hydroseeding and Sod
Sod and hydroseeding are two great ways to turn a brown, patchy or barren landscape into a lush, green new lawn, fast. They both increase your home’s value, curb appeal, and can make your neighbors jealous. Before you install either one, however, it’s also is a great chance to do a soil test and make sure your soil is ready to accept a new plant. Once your lawn sod has settled and the hydroseed has taken root and grown in, either option will create a lush green color we all want surrounding our home. Each one will also require you to use basic lawn care techniques to keep it healthy. We’re talking about mowing, watering, and fertilizing.
What are the benefits of choosing sod?
- Fast – Sodding lawns is the fastest way to get the look you want. Sod can be installed anytime the ground is not frozen, and can usually be installed within a few hours to a day depending on how big the area is, what the soil looks like, and the size of the crew. However, even though sod looks great almost immediately after it is installed, it can take up to 3 weeks for the sod root system to adapt and be ready for everyday use.
- Adds Value to Your Home – Because of how quickly sod can transform a yard, if you’re looking to put your house on the market or make your HOA (Home Owner Association) happy, laying sod will do that for you just a day. A well-landscaped yard can add around 20% to the value of your home. Families love the idea of picturing their kids playing on a soft and healthy yard when they’re house shopping.
- Erosion Deterrent – Sod is only placed once it is fully matured. That’s why it can immediately control erosion in your yard. It can be installed on steep hills and slopes to stabilize your lawn and property.
- Less Irrigation Needed – When we, or any other sod company, comes to install sod in your lawn it will need to be watered about half the amount seeding will. That will quickly save money on your water bill which makes the price difference between hydroseeding and sod that much closer.
What are the benefits of choosing hydroseeding?
Before we list out the benefits, we’ve noticed hydroseeding isn’t as well known of a process as sod is.
Here’s a quick overview of what hydroseeding is and how it is installed.
Hydroseeding uses a mixture of water, seed, mulch, fertilizer, and tackifier (if needed for a sloping area) and is sprayed out over your lawn. The mulch that some companies, including ourselves, include in this mixture serves a couple of purposes. It creates a high moisture bed which produces the best conditions for the germination of the seed and also serves as a safeguard from runoff and birds so your finished product is an even carpet of lawn can develop and flourish.
- Cost Effective – Hydroseeding is definitely a more economical choice when compared to sod. Even though you could have problems will the first seeding due to rain, birds, ect. it is still around 50% cheaper than buying sod for your entire yard. Be sure to take a look at the square footage of your lawn before deciding.
- Long-Lasting Quality – The lawn quality that comes from hydroseeding can create a healthier and greener landscape in your yard. Even though hydroseeding takes longer to see a full green yard, that means the roots are growing deeper and will outlast most sod installations. Hydroseed also includes much fewer weed seeds than normal hand seeding or sod which means your lawn will start out with little or no weeds.
- Easier Customization – Unlike sod, which has to be cut and molded to fit exactly in your landscaping plan, hydroseed can be sprayed anywhere you like to make a uniform lawn that won’t have any lines. Although sod can be installed on slopes, some hydroseeding efforts can be installed on even steeper slopes and other inaccessible areas.
- Health – Unlike sod, hydroseed is grown right in your front yard and does not have to endure putting harvested on a sod farm and transported to a brand new location. The seed can settle in right where it lands and you will know it won’t bring any insects or pests from its previous home. Hydroseeding is also very drought tolerant because of its ability to retain 10 times its weight in water.
Still having trouble deciding which type of new grass you should choose for your lawn? Fill out the form below and one of out experienced professionals will reach out to help steer you in a direction that best fits your needs!