Sod Versus Seed

There is always a certain amount of satisfaction when you complete a job and when you sod that satisfaction is more immediate. There is a lot to be said for being able to mow your grass two weeks after it is planted. We experienced hot, dry spells in July this year having set an all time record for heat and lack of rain. These are the perfect conditions for weeds. The upshot is nearly all the grass we planted this spring and summer is now infested with crabgrass and nutsedge.

This makes an even stronger case for fall seeding. The optimal time according to Purdue University to seed in Steuben County is August 15 to October 15. Weed seeds have slowed down, dew helps dampen the seeds and the cooler temperatures promote better germination. When we use only bluegrass seed the results are even more disastrous if the weather does not cooperate. Many of our customers want the benefits of a seeded yard but are not willing to wait out the growing period.

You can expect it to take two growing seasons for a sewn yard to become completely established. Even then you need to work on it, watering, fertilizing, mowing properly; it is the cultural practices of turf maintenance that are most important. Lawns are tricky business and I am often pleased that we do not mow but then again I see the poor techniques used by others and think, Millgrove could do that better. Maybe that is what we will do upon retirement, some lighter landscaping duties.

We completed this guest house on Crooked Lake having changed out the original viburnums I had installed to obtain more privacy for the patio. The customer requested a more symmetrical look so more boxwood's and hydrangeas were added, we moved the Japanese maple planting pachysandra in front of the existing Hickory.

This job is very crisp and well defined it should be pretty easy to maintain and never out grow the location. We will be adding five spruce trees this fall.