Having a great lawn is a tough job. Among many things, you may need to make the difficult choice between St. Augustine plugs vs. sod.
Plugs and sod are just two common ways of planting grass and growing it, each with its own distinct benefits.
This article will venture into their pros and cons and help you decide which one to pick.
Plugs and Sod: A Brief Overview
St. Augustine grass is quite familiar to those living and working in temperate regions.
Whether you are working in a cattle ranch preparing pastures or simply picking lawn grass for your front grass, this kind of grass must have been on your list.
There are a couple of good ways to plant St. Augustine grass. You need to know a bit more about each of them in order to figure out which one is right for you. So, here is a brief overview:
PLUGS
Grass plugs are individual turfs of grass grown in a tray-like fashion. The tray consists of a relatively thin layer of soil and grass.
The size may vary but usually tends to be around 2-3 inches in both length and width. As it is apparent, these are pretty small in proportion.
Plugs are planted about 10-12 inches apart in every direction.
What this accomplishes is that as the grass plugs grow and eventually, the entire ground including the gaps in the middle is covered by a layer of grass.
Now, why do people use grass plugs? Well, the reasoning is actually pretty straightforward.
Grass plugs are easy to create or obtain and can be planted easily.
Grass plugs typically have a couple of purposes.
The first is to fill in the gaps. In case there are areas in an existing lawn where there are clear cut gaps, a few grass plugs being planted there would make the lawn look perfect again.
It can also fix damaged areas, like the ones damaged by fungus or rot.
However, grass plugs can be used other than for repair purposes as well.
When grass sods are not available or cannot be availed for any logistical reason, grass plugs are a pretty good alternative to fill up an entire lawn or pasture.
SODS
Grass sods, commonly known as just sod or turf, are a form of grass where there is a thin layer of soil holding together a layer of grass by their roots.
It is like a foldable grass carpet in shape and form.
Sods are pretty great and useful in the sense that they can cover a large area and can instantly give the appearance of a fully developed lawn or field with little need for growth.
Sods are developed by experienced farmers, and they pick the healthiest, freshest grass for this purpose.
Sods are typically seen in a few places, for instance, football or sporting fields, golf courses, and lawns worldwide.
They are typically well regarded because of ease of maintenance and the absence of a growing period.
Plugs Vs. Sod: Which One is Better?
You must have a clear overview in your head about St. Augustine grass, plugs, and sods. Now comes the important discussion surrounding which one is better, St. Augustine plugs or sod.
But first, we must explore the differences between them.
At first, comes cost and accessibility. St Augustine plugs typically cost less than sod, as it requires less effort to prepare them.
The lower cost makes it cheaper and easier to obtain for a lot of people. This effect becomes more pronounced when you have to cover a large area, like a large lawn or pasture.
On the other hand, St. Augustine sod costs more on average. This high cost is because growing sod requires more effort.
Professional farmers carefully pick grass and nurture them in the form of sod. The higher cost, however, could be a deterrent for many.
Next up comes the ease of application. This is one area where plugs fall behind sod.
Don’t get us wrong, plugs are not that difficult to maintain or apply; relative to sods they require a more thorough process.
In the case of plugs, you must apply St Augustine plugs across a long area in the soil. After you take the time to do that, the whole area must be watered regularly.
Once planted, it takes St Augustine grass about 7-14 days to fully grow and cover the whole area.
On the flip side, the process with St Augustine sod is a lot more straightforward. The cultivators already prepare it in such a way that the grass beds can be rolled into carpet-like form.
All you have to do with the sod is to prepare the land first and place the sod.
Reasons to Pick St. Augustine Plug
If you are looking for a relatively lower cost alternative and need to fill up a large region like a pasture, or need to fill up the gaps in your lawn, then plugs might just be the perfect choice for you.
By going for plugs, you will also be saving quite a decent amount of money, and 7-14 days isn’t a huge waiting period.
Reasons to Pick St. Augustine Sod
On the flip side, if you want a high-quality well-finished lawn, then sod is the best way to go. Sod is easy to apply and does not have a waiting period.
Besides, St Augustine sod is great at preventing soil erosion, is drought friendly, and simply requires less maintenance. It also looks better than plugs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Plugs are better only when you don’t mind having a few bare spots on your lawn for a while and you need to save some money. But for an instant lawn, sod is the right choice.
It takes around 7 to 14 days for St. Augustine plugs to spread with regular watering (when needed).
Of course, you can! When you need to stretch the coverage area, it’s completely okay to do that.
Yes, you can. In fact, it’s beneficial for new sod.
Sure, you can!
Finally
The name St. Augustine probably sounds pretty familiar to you, especially if you are into ranching or have familiarized yourself with different types of grasses.
Commonly known as ‘Buffalo turf’ in many places, this is a popular warm-season grass cultivated for pastures, ranches, or even lawn grass.
Depending on your situation, you can pick either sod or plugs. Just make sure it matches your needs.
This article will hopefully give you a detailed overview of St. Augustine plugs vs. sod. Picking between these two options can often be quite tricky, but knowing their pros and cons can go a long way.
You can identify your specific purpose or use case and decide which option is the best for you.
A well-crafted lawn or a field with lush greenery can elevate the look of any lawn or space. We hope this article helps you achieve just that.
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