Sod is grass and the area beneath it held together by the roots, or another piece of thin material.  The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns. Sodding is the best way to instantly have one of the best lawns on the block.  Sodding is more expensive than seeding, but comes with some obvious advantages, namely having a beautiful green lawn – instantly.  

• No waiting.  Although it is not immediately ready for normal foot traffic, you instantly have the look of a finished lawn.
• Sod can be installed earlier in the spring, later in the fall.  Although sod roots fastest during prime spring and fall planting times, it is still possible to install during hot summer months.  Without constant supervision, seed can germinate and die during these times.  
• Immediate erosion control.  Especially on difficult slopes, sod works as a blanket to hold topsoil in place.
• Built-in weed control.  New sod is nearly weed free and since it consists of dense turf from the start, weeds are out-competed and not easily able to find an opening to grow.
• If your lawn is seeded, you will have bare soil that will constantly be wet from watering, which can be a mess if your lawn in used during that period.
• Quick traffic turnaround. Once sod roots establish, it is ready for normal lawn traffic, including entertaining, play and pets.  

Sod (or turf) for lawns is grown on specialist farms, typically locally so long transports, drying out and heat buildup is avoided.  All sod jobs are not created equal.  No two sites are exactly the same.  Our process (the short version):

• We selecting, from two local suppliers, the best turf product for your SPECIFIC site.  
• We develop a unique “recipe” for your site based on your soil conditions.  We then build your new topsoil to support dense, healthy grass.
• We shape the area for drainage, adding drainage solutions if necessary.  
• We hand rake and roll the entire area to ensure a smooth finished lawn.   
• We meticulously install your sod according to our detailed standards.  
• We educate you on the grow-in of your new lawn and provide you with written instructions as to the watering and maintenance schedules.  

With grass seed, you become the grower. This allows you to influence and experience every step of your lawn’s establishment, from germination and rooting to the development of thick, lush, green turf. Starting a lawn from seed has its own distinct set of considerations.  

Sod is grown in open fields that receive full sun all day long. The varieties of grass in the sod are predominately sun loving varieties, so we recommend only using sod in full sun to partial shade areas of your lawn. Sod installed in full shade will deteriorate within a year or two as the sun loving varieties die off in the shade.  We recommend seeding any sections of your lawn that are heavily shaded with a shade tolerant seed mix instead of sodding those areas.  Shade seed mixtures contain shade-tolerant fine fescues that are not found in sod, and give the shaded areas the best chance to succeed.  We select the highest quality seed and fertilizer along with meticulous seeding best practices to insure superior results for your lawn seeding project. 

Artificial turf installation has been a growing trend recently due to droughts, water regulations, the desire to conserve water and the opportunity to cut down on maintenance.  This is not your grandpa’s artificial turf.  The technology of artificial turf has come a long way in the past few years, and it is now a full-fledged option and widely accepted product for use in home landscapes.  Bluegrass Landscape Company installs products from SYNLawn, an industry leader in artificial grass.  Check out SYNLawn of South Dakota here.