The Factors

• Whether you opt for sod or seed depends on a variety of factors. While both can provide you with a beautiful lawn, each has its positives and negatives. Weigh each of the factors to determine which approach works best for your specific needs. It is possible, and somewhat likely, that two individuals will make different decisions on whether to choose fescue sod or seed.
  
  

Fescue Sod

• Planting fescue sod costs more. If you have a limited budget, you might not be able to afford it. If you can handle the extra expense, though, you might save money down the road and enjoy lots of extra convenience. That's because fescue sod requires less watering and less fertilization.
  
  Convenience also makes sod a desirable option. Sod can be installed almost year-round. The amount of time you must wait before your lawn is ready for foot traffic is only two weeks with the application of sod. Conversely, you often must wait more than two months before assuming normal foot traffic on a seeded fescue lawn.
  
  

Fescue Seed

• Planting seed has its pluses and minuses, too. Foremost, it costs much less to purchase. Therefore, it's a good option for those on a budget. This is particularly true if you have an inexpensive source of water. A newly seeded lawn requires lots of water.
  
  With seed, you also have better control of what goes into the soil. With sod, only the sod supplier knows the truth about the quality of the grass and the soil in which it is grown. In fact, some sods are grown in areas with different climates than where you live and this sod could have difficulty growing in your climate. Soil composition is often overlooked when sod is planted while it can't be ignored when seed is grown. After all, sod can be placed over any soil. Seed, though, needs good soil conditions before it can grow.
  
  One of the chief disadvantages of planting fescue is that development takes several months. In some cases, seeding a lawn might not be practical. You are limited in when you can plant fescue seed. This cool-season grass grows best when planted while soil temperatures are between 50 and 65 degrees F. This generally occurs in the mid portion of the fall months or the early portion of spring. Typically, the best time to plant fescue in the fall is between Sept. 15 and Nov. 1. If you need mature grass in less time, fescue sod is the better option.