Turf vs Seed – Which is best?

Turf vs Grass Seed – Which is best?

Creating a new lawn?  Then you’re faced with two choices.  Maybe turf or maybe grass seed.  In this article we look at the pros and cons of each.

Turf – what’s good about it?

So, turf is easy to lay and will make an instant difference – a turfed lawn is normally ready to use in 3-6 weeks

When you buy turf, you’re buying 6-12 months worth of time.  Plus, you’re also saving a lot of hassle for yourself.

• No need to worry about seed varieties or quality – it’s been done for you
• The seed has been sown evenly (which isn’t easy to do!) – no clumps or bald patches in your new lawn
• The birds won’t pinch your new turf but they will scoff grass seed like it’s going out of fashion
• You won’t have trouble with cats digging up your turf to “fertilize” the soil
• Turf is green from day 1.
• It takes as little as 3 weeks until your turf can be walked on.

What’s not to like about turf?

• It’s perishable. So if you don’t lay it on the same day as it’s delivered the quality will go downhill fast.
• Laying it will require a bit of muscle power and energy (it also burns calories!)
• It’s dirty – best to have it delivered unless you like having soil in your car

Grass seed – the good bits

Grass seed gives you lots of choice but it does take longer to establish a lawn from seed than from turf

It will cost less than turf and it does have some advantages over it too

• With a bit of research, you’ll be able to choose the exact seed mix for your requirements
• Seed can be stored until the weather is nice and the ground has been prepared
• It weighs very little – you don’t need to be strong, energetic or agile to sow grass seed
• It’s not at all messy
• Excess seed can be put in the shed and used for lawn repairs in the future

Products that can help…

Grass seed – the disadvantages

So, in many ways, grass seed is the opposite of turf.  Where turfing is instant but more expensive, grass seed is cheaper but takes time.

• There’s a confusing and an overwhelming number of grass seed mixes out there.
• So choosing the right one can be difficult.
• Germination is often uneven, and in colder weather it can be slow.
• You will need to protect grass seed against marauders.
• Birds will eat the seed, cats will use the soft soil as a lavatory.
• You’ll probably find that all sorts of weeds germinate alongside your grass – be prepared to remove them.
• It takes 6-12 months to create a mature lawn from seed

So, there you have it – the facts.  I can’t tell you whether turf is better than grass seed or vice-versa, it’s all a matter of personal preference.

Even the professionals have different views. The best golf courses are normally grown from lawn seed.  The best sports pitches are turfed.

Over to you……….

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