| Time and money should be considered when | | | | Whichever you decide, preparing the site |
| choosing a new lawn | | | | is basically the same. The following |
| Want a new lawn? You've got two options: | | | | steps are broad guidelines, so consult a |
| you can plant seed and sprout your own | | | | garden professional for specifics |
| turf, or you can buy sod and roll it out | | | | appropriate to your area. |
| like a plush new carpet. Either way, the | | | | First, clear the ground of old or dead |
| results are the same. Which begs the | | | | grass, undesirable roots and large |
| larger question: To seed or not to seed? | | | | stones. |
| | | | Water to encourage weeds to emerge, then |
| The answer boils down to time and | | | | kill them with an herbicide and remove. |
| money—and which you can afford more | | | | Amend the soil with organic matter and |
| of. "Sod is instant lawn. You can go | | | | rototill. |
| from dirt to grass in one day," says Jim | | | | Level the soil while it's dry, tamping |
| Shaw, director of marketing at Superior | | | | with a rake or roller. "Because sod is |
| Sod in Tehachapi, Ca. "It's like getting | | | | thick, you need to grade the soil an |
| a pre-roasted chicken at the | | | | inch lower than sidewalks and |
| supermarket. We've done all the work for | | | | driveways," Shaw says. For seed, soil |
| you." | | | | should be even with hardscaping. |
| Once the province of landscape | | | | Apply a granular fertilizer and moisten |
| contractors, laying sod is now common | | | | slightly. |
| among do-it-yourselfers. After all, few | | | | Add the grass. "Sod is perishable, so |
| of us can resist the temptation to | | | | install it immediately after delivery," |
| transform our yards in the blink of an | | | | Shaw says. Place the pieces end to end |
| eye with grass harvested and trucked in | | | | in precise rows, with no gaps and |
| from a commercial farm. The catch is | | | | staggering seams like brickwork. Seed |
| that sod remains the pricier | | | | should be spread evenly at the rate |
| alternative. | | | | prescribed on the package and covered |
| If, however, you don't mind waiting | | | | lightly with mulch. Netting helps |
| three or four months while your lawn | | | | protect against hungry birds. |
| grows in, then starting from scratch is | | | | Water daily to prevent drying. For sod, |
| cheaper. "Generally speaking, seed will | | | | keep the grass wet for one to two weeks. |
| cost about $20 per 1,000 square feet and | | | | When using seed, light but frequent |
| sod will cost about 35 cents for just | | | | irrigation for two to four weeks is |
| one square foot," says Stephen Knutson, | | | | recommended to avoid washing seed away |
| vice president of Stover Seed Company in | | | | before it germinates. |
| Los Angeles. Do the math and that | | | | Mow only after the grass is one-third |
| five-pound bag of seed translates into | | | | taller than it should be. If you want it |
| savings of more than $300. | | | | to be two inches, let it reach three |
| Other reasons to consider seed include | | | | inches before trimming. |
| the wider array of grass varieties to | | | | Once your lawn is established, continue |
| choose from, and the ability to cover | | | | to water, mow and fertilize regularly. |
| hard-to-reach sites such as steep | | | | Shaw and Knutson agree that with proper |
| slopes. And, according to Knutson, you | | | | maintenance, your lawn should remain |
| won't import any potentially troublesome | | | | lush and inviting regardless of its |
| non-native soil either. | | | | origins. |