I am looking to landscape my yard. Which is the best method and what are the pros and cons?
Personally I prefer sod to hydroseed for areas that will see immediate use (after 1 month). Sod is also great for areas that are smaller such as residential yards. There is a significant cost savings to installing hydroseed on large areas. I would suggest it’s use on large commercial projects in areas of the site where no use will be seen within the first few months. Hydroseeding with a natural mix is also a good options to reduce maintenance areas of a large commercial site. This can reduce maintenance costs as well as water usage.
For the way of life California sod would be the best. It is instant gratification.
Hydroseed would produce a better quality product and root system for longevity over time as long as your installation is done accurately. Sod is better for instant gratification however can be more problematic over time.
While more expensive up front, sod is the preferred route that I recommend to clients. There is a limited time frame when weed seed is not as prevalent in the air and rarely does this coincide with the project schedule. Hydroseed will require re-applying bare spots that did not take initially. If you have a major rain event the whole process may have to be done again at a minimum there will be areas that need to be re-sprayed.
Bottom line - When a client pays tens of thousands of dollars or more to have their landscape designed and installed it is a major let down to have to wait for the lawn to germinate.
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