[Stonehenge]

Since I was a wee kid of 15, sod has always been the be-all, end-all of lawns. Growing up in Metro Detroit, subdivision covenants required sod installation within X months of occupancy. Seed was not even an option.

In fact, working for one company, when we drove by residential projects being seeded, we'd hang our heads out the window and shout stuff about being cheap, 'why not pay for the real thing', and just general laughter and finger pointing.

Moving to Wiconsin I experienced a bit of culture shock, going from an area that was about 98% sod, 2% seed, to 2% sod, 98% seed.

First I thought it was the frugality of the market (truth be told, this market still does not fully embrace the value of a full landscape, but that's another topic altogether). But as the seasons have worn on, I'm finding myself preferring seed (in some situations) over sod. After 2 seasons, if the seeded lawn was cared for per my instructions, and not some derivative of my instructions, they seem to have a fuller lawn that greens up quicker, stays greener longer.

My own lawn is sodded, and I am never really satisfied with it. Seems to take a great deal more effort, 3 years later, than my seeded lawn neighbors.

I'm thinking a good deal of it has to do with the sod itself...grown in a peat bog, the soil that clings to the bottom of the turf is black as night and flakey/dusty when dry. It seems that the roots much prefer to grow in that soil than the clay soils directly below it, resulting in a less durable stand of grass than the grass that started life out hard, growing in that sometimes unforgiving soil.

So I guess I'm becoming a grass seed convert.

Anyone else care to weigh in?