Turf vs seed

[OceanPrincess]

Hi all

Looking for some experiences with lawns - establishing from turf or from seed. What have you used? Why? What worked, didn't work? What issues did you encounter? How expensive was it, or wasn't it??

Also - how long did it take, and how long was the area unuseable for??

Thanks!

[Miss.September]

We tried both.

We put turf down in the back, fenced it off for the recommended six weeks, cut it and we were good to go. It took one week for it to be completely destroyed by our dogs running on it. Turf needs more work than seed to keep it nice - fertiliser and watering. We gave up in the backyard and put fake grass down. It's expensive and for it to die off so fast really really sucked.

Front we put seed down. Took 10 days for it to start to grow and probably a month before it was of a thick consistency. Other than the odd weed that came through, we had no issues with it. We didn't water it or fertilise it and it stayed green year round. It was just an inexpensive bag from Bunnings.

Personally, I love the look of turf, that instant lawn and the evenness of it but I wouldn't use it again.

[Jaycee]

We're the opposite, have tried seed, which didn't take at all, so now we're looking at turf. We're looking into the drought tolerant turfs and leaning towards santa anna, it's quite a lush grass and hard to kill apparently. Very expensive though.

[Olive]

We've recently used Patch magic....it's working lol

[OceanPrincess]

Wow Pac - that sucks!!! I'd be shattered!

I think we're looking at around $650 to get the new backyard space done in turf. That's a lot of money, when we could get the seeds from a friend for free... Hmm. I was quite put out by the idea of having to wait 4-6 weeks before the turf can be used... we've just finished building this awesome backyard and now we have to keep the kids off it for six weeks? Not sure how that would work!

At least the seed we can throw down and the kids can still be out there, even if we just ask them to keep off it most of the time...

I wonder if the seed would look like a real lawn in three weeks?? Pac, what seed did you put down?

[Rowellen]

We've done both too. Dh tried seed several times and it just wouldn't grow. We got turf (Sir Walter) and it's been great. DH watered it a lot when it first went in but apart from that, we haven't done much to it at all. The bit that we didn't do is full of weeds and looking terrible. The sir walter is starting to grow through it now.

[OceanPrincess]

We've recently used Patch magic....it's working lol

Are you growing a whole lawn with it or just repairing patches?? (Just googled it)

[Miss.September]

Wow Pac - that sucks!!! I'd be shattered!

I wonder if the seed would look like a real lawn in three weeks?? Pac, what seed did you put down?

It massively sucked. I was so disappointed, especially when we had explained we had dogs and we were assured it was strong and would cope. It didn't die because it was weed on, it was the dogs running around and playing on it that killed it so I wonder how it would go with kids on it constantly. We got it from a turf company and paid around $200 for it (pretty pricey given our backyard - you remember it?)

The seeds - I think it was called "Instant Lawn". I picked it because it was the cheapest bag at Bunnings lol! We only needed a small bag and I think it was around $20. We are testing my memory though, this is going back about five years!

[Teeki]

Good thread OP, we've been wondering the same!

We've got our backyard spread with dirt and good healthy topsoil. Unfortunately now though funds have run out and we've been thinking maybe we shouldn't go with turf - it's quite a big area and will be expensive. DH wanted to go get a couple of bags of seed and just see how it goes.

I've noticed though, Pak you're in Vic, I'm near Jaycee - is it maybe the weather that was different for you guys and seed won't work for us either? And will the soil and watering make a difference? Because I know our dirt is good and we're going to lay out a cheap and simple drip-feed watering system so that should help it right?

Sorry for the hijack OP, but didn't want to start another thread the same

[Miss.September]

I've noticed though, Pak you're in Vic, I'm near Jaycee - is it maybe the weather that was different for you guys and seed won't work for us either? And will the soil and watering make a difference? Because I know our dirt is good and we're going to lay out a cheap and simple drip-feed watering system so that should help it right?

Could be! It's recommended that you seed here as it's getting warmer and our weather is so inconsistent! I know my dad had turf and was successful with it but he did water it a lot and fertilise it twice a year. He's in Vic too. Plus the added bonus of no kids or dogs running on it!!! I know soil plays a big part in it. Some seeds need a more sandy soil, others need something richer.

[Teeki]

Thanks Pac We've got quite inconsistent weather too, very hot to very cool quite quickly. Very annoying! I'm a bit nervous about the dry heat ruining expensive turf so I'm hoping that having good soil and a watering system will be enough for seeds, and if not then we haven't wasted so much money!

[AnyDream]

We're the opposite, have tried seed, which didn't take at all, so now we're looking at turf. We're looking into the drought tolerant turfs and leaning towards santa anna, it's quite a lush grass and hard to kill apparently. Very expensive though.

We had santa anna lawns when we moved in, it was rock solid, lovely underfoot, nice even growth, etc. However, we moved away and the tenants trashed the lawn. DH reseeded the empty holes with some other budget lawn seed and it has taken over completely and the lawn is now some other horrible mix. The santa anna lawn was so nice in comparison. Go the santa anna if you can afford it.

[OceanPrincess]

Thanks all!

Pac, yes, I remember your backyard! Poor turf

Teeki, that's our thought, if the seeds don't take at least we didn't waste hundreds of dollars. We have a large area too... 50sq m.

So I've rung a few turf places and a few Bunnings/Masters types... Turf varies greatly! One place was going to charge me around $900, Bunnings like $600. Turf place said don't walk on it for 6 weeks, Bunnings said it'll be right after a week or so. How can there be such variance??

I think we're going to try seed. I want it, wanted I should say, for my family Christmas do on Dec 21. Turf won't be "settled" by then so it will render the whole lawn useless for the Christmas do. So I think we will seed it on the weekend, see how it grows, and if it is an epic fail then maybe we will try turf in the new year.

[inlove]

We have done turf at two different houses, we used sir Walter and it has been great no problems at all. It only needs to be watered at the start, then only if you get a big run of hot days over summer. Otherwise just need to mow it.

[AnyDream]

If you have a lot of ants, it can pay to sprinkle ant dust when you put the seeds down otherwise the buggers eat them.

[Miss.September]

I'm thinking you should put new pics in your backyard blitz album

[~Hestia~]

Seed worked really well for us. I'm no green thumb I just threw it on the ground (literally while I had a little helper,) and watered it for a few days. We walked on it after about a week as well as drove on it, we had a massive downpour that I thought would ruin everything but it didn't take long to start coming up and now after 2 months I can't tell what is new and what is not. This was a box from Bunnings but couldn't tell you what brand!

[lilima]

We did turf and it was awesome. We have two big dogs and there have been no probs. you just have to learn what is the right type of grass for where you are and what you want it for.
Tried seeds. No good. The native birds ate it all. Also you can't really let kids on it while it is growing.