Should You Use Turf or Grass Seed For Your New Lawn – A 2024 Guide

If you want to renovate your backyard, one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is whether you should lay turf or if you should opt for sowing grass seeds. People don’t make differences between the two and they can be overwhelmed and confused as to what they should choose.

Luckily, this article might shed some light on the entire topic. How? Well, in this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of both choices, all of which will help you make a more informed decision. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the differences between the two alternatives:

Laying Turf: Pros

1. You’ll Be Able to Lay it Quickly

When you are done preparing the ground, laying turf will be easy and quick. No matter if you choose to do it by yourself or have someone do it, it won’t take too much time to complete it. Additionally, when compared to sowing grass seeds, it is easier to maintain.

2. You Could Lay it Even in Winter

The best time to lay it is during the fall, mostly because the earth is warm and there is a lot of sunshine. However, it is even possible during the winter. Keep in mind, you’ll only need to provide it with water, but, that is all you’ll need to do.

3. It Will Be Appealing Right Away

Properly looking and maintained backyards can provide you with various benefits and when you install it, you’ll be able to immediately make your entire yard more appealing. This means that your lawn will be green from the moment you place it. Besides this, it will also raise your property value – which is quite important if you are planning on selling your house later on.

4. You’ll Be Able to Use it Right Away

According to the experts from A View Turf, it will take a turf approximately a week to fully establish itself, this means that you’ll be able to use it immediately. On the other hand, the other option could easily take a month to establish and in some situations where there isn’t a lot of sunshine, it might take even a year.

Laying Turf: Cons

1. It’s More Pricey

Although there are various benefits you can gain from opting for this alternative, the largest drawback is the price tag. Of course, this will also depend on the area you need to cover, nonetheless, it will probably still be more expensive than sowing grass. Hence, think about the type you’ll choose and the manufacturer as well.

2. There Aren’t a Lot of Alternatives

When choosing a particular option, you need to think about the conditions it will be exposed to. If your yard is mostly in shade, you need to opt for something that will work in cooler conditions and the same goes if your yard is exposed to the sun. This means that you’ll have fewer options to choose from, depending on the climate you live in.

Sowing Grass Seeds: Pros

1. It is More Affordable

As we already mentioned, laying turf will cost you approximately 7 times more than sowing seeds. Hence, if you are on a tight budget, you might want to consider choosing this alternative for your lawn. When searching for your options, you’ll again need to think about your climate in order for the roots to grow.

2. There Are Various Types You Can Purchase

With artificial grass, you won’t have a lot of options to choose from. On the other hand, if you choose to sow, you’ll literally have hundreds of options to opt from. Hence, if you are searching for that perfect blend that will suit your needs, you’ll mostly be able to find it.

3. It Can Be Stored For Longer

When you order turf, you need to lay it right away. However, by choosing this alternative, you do not need to use them until you are prepared to sow them. So, even if you do order them during winter, you can wait for that perfect weather and then sow the roots in your backyard.

Sowing Grass Seeds: Cons

1. It Will Take Longer to Grow

One of the first disadvantages – which also makes people choose the other option – is that, in some cases, it might take a year for it to fully establish. On the other hand, you can lay the turf immediately and it will only take a week for it to establish, hence, it might be a better option if you, for example, want to sell your home as soon as you can.

2. Animals Can Easily Destroy it

Birds, as well as some pests really enjoy grass seeds, which is why they’ll gladly eat the ones you have sown. Additionally, if you have a pet, they could also contribute to it deteriorating and not establishing itself. So, if you choose this option, you’ll need to protect it from pests, birds, and your pet.

3. Weeds Will Be a Problem

This is something that you’ll definitely come across if you sow your lawn in spring. Why? Well, during this period, thousands if not millions of weeds spread, which will spread with the help of birds and the wind. Nonetheless, you’ll probably have problems with it even when the lawn fully grows, so, if maintenance is not your strong suit, you might want to consider artificial grass.

4. It Needs to Be Maintained All The Time

With turf, you’ll only need to water it every day, however, if you choose sowing seeds, you won’t only need to water it, but, you’ll need to deal with all of the disadvantages mentioned above. Protecting it from animals, re-seeding some areas, weeding, all of these will take a lot of time, so, consider whether you are up for this amount of maintenance.

Conclusion

As you were able to read, there is a wide range of things you’ll need to consider when it comes to choosing between grass seeds and turf. Generally speaking, laying turf will be easier and less time-consuming, however, sowing grass is often less expensive and it looks more natural. This means that you’ll need to carefully think about all the pros and cons you can come across before choosing.

So, now that you are aware of all the advantages and disadvantages you could come across, you might not want to lose any more time. Instead, return to the beginning of the article and go through it once again in order to determine which of the two options might suit your needs and requirements.