Our Fast Growing Grass Seed establishes quickly with visible results in just 7 days. Perfect for new lawns, overseeding, or patch repairs.
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When creating a new lawn, you face a fundamental choice: lay turf for instant results or sow seed and wait for it to grow. Both methods work, but they differ significantly in cost, effort, timing, and long-term outcomes. Here’s how to decide which is right for your situation.
The Quick Comparison
Turf gives you an instant lawn. Within a day, bare soil becomes green grass. It’s more expensive, heavier to handle, and must be laid within 24-48 hours of delivery.
Seed is far cheaper and gives you more control over grass varieties, but requires patience. You’ll wait weeks for germination and months for a usable lawn.
Neither is universally better. The right choice depends on your budget, timeframe, and circumstances.
Turf: The Advantages
The biggest advantage of turf is speed. You can transform a garden in a single day. For events, house sales, or simply impatience, turf delivers immediate results.
Turf can be laid almost year-round, excluding frozen or extremely dry periods. The mature grass handles conditions that would kill seedlings.
Weed competition is minimal. Turf arrives as established grass that crowds out most weeds immediately. Seeded lawns must compete with weeds during establishment.
Erosion control is immediate. On slopes or areas prone to washout, turf stabilises soil from day one. Seed can wash away in heavy rain before establishing.
The lawn is usable sooner. Light foot traffic is possible within 2-3 weeks once roots establish. Seeded lawns need protecting for much longer.
Turf: The Disadvantages
Cost is the major drawback. Turf typically costs £3-8 per square metre, compared to pennies per square metre for seed. A 100 square metre lawn might cost £300-800 in turf versus £20-50 in seed.
Physical labour is demanding. Turf rolls weigh 15-20kg each and must be laid quickly. A medium lawn requires moving over a tonne of material. For step-by-step guidance, see our guide on how to lay turf.
Time pressure is stressful. Turf deteriorates rapidly after cutting. You must prepare the ground completely before delivery and lay it within 24-48 hours, ideally on delivery day.
Variety choice is limited. Turf suppliers offer perhaps 2-3 grass types. You get what’s available rather than selecting the perfect mix for your conditions.
Joins can show. Even well-laid turf may show visible seams for weeks or months until growth knits the pieces together.
Seed: The Advantages
Cost savings are dramatic. Seed costs a fraction of turf, making it practical for large areas where turf would be prohibitively expensive.
Variety selection is extensive. You can choose seed mixes tailored to your exact conditions: shade tolerance, drought resistance, fine ornamental grasses, or hard-wearing family lawn blends.
Timing is flexible. Seed stores indefinitely if kept dry. You can prepare ground at your pace and sow when conditions are perfect rather than when turf is available.
Physical effort is lighter. Spreading seed is far less demanding than moving heavy turf rolls. It’s practical for anyone to do alone.
Root establishment is superior. Seedlings grow roots directly into your soil from germination. Turf must extend roots from its existing root mat into new soil, which can take longer than many realise.
No joins or seams exist. A seeded lawn grows as one continuous surface.
Seed: The Disadvantages
Patience is essential. Germination takes 7-21 days depending on conditions. A usable lawn takes 2-3 months minimum, and full establishment takes a year.
Timing windows are narrower. Spring and early autumn provide the warmth and moisture seedlings need. Summer is risky without irrigation, and winter sowing fails.
Weed competition is fierce. Bare soil with perfect conditions for grass germination also suits weed seeds. You’ll likely need to manage weeds during establishment.
Bird predation reduces germination. Birds eat seed, sometimes significantly. Netting or deterrents may be necessary.
Erosion risk exists until grass establishes. Rain can wash seed away before roots anchor it, particularly on slopes.
The lawn needs protecting longer. Foot traffic during establishment damages or kills young grass. You may need to fence the area for months.
Cost Breakdown
For a typical 100 square metre lawn:
Turf route: £300-800 for turf plus £50-100 for soil improver and starter fertiliser. Total: £350-900 plus your labour or £200-400 more for professional laying.
Seed route: £20-50 for quality seed plus £50-100 for soil improver and starter fertiliser. Total: £70-150 for materials.
The saving is substantial, but only matters if you have the time and conditions for seed to succeed.
When to Choose Turf
Turf makes sense when speed matters: selling a house, hosting an event, or simply wanting to use your garden this season rather than next.
It’s the better choice for slopes where seed would wash away before establishing.
Small areas suit turf economically. The cost premium is minor for a few square metres, and the convenience significant.
Late-season projects often demand turf. If autumn is advancing and frost approaching, turf has time to root while seed would likely fail.
New build gardens with poor soil benefit from turf’s immediate coverage while you improve conditions over time.
When to Choose Seed
Large areas almost always suit seed. The cost saving over hundreds of square metres is substantial.
Specific grass requirements favour seed. If you need shade-tolerant varieties, fine fescues for a luxury lawn, or particular hard-wearing blends, seed gives you that control.
Spring or early autumn timing with patience available makes seed the economical choice.
Gradual projects suit seed. You can prepare sections over time and sow when ready rather than coordinating a single intensive turf-laying day.
Overseeding existing lawns obviously requires seed rather than turf.
Ground Preparation: The Same Either Way
Whether turfing or seeding, ground preparation is identical and equally important.
Remove existing vegetation. Kill or strip old grass and weeds completely.
Cultivate to 15-20cm depth. Break up compaction and incorporate organic matter.
Level and firm the surface. Rake to remove stones and create a fine, even tilth. Tread or roll to eliminate soft spots.
Apply starter fertiliser. Both turf and seed benefit from phosphorus-rich feed at establishment.
The quality of preparation determines success regardless of which method you choose.
Aftercare Comparison
Turf needs thorough watering immediately after laying and daily for the first two weeks. Light traffic is possible after 2-3 weeks, normal use after 6-8 weeks.
Seed needs consistent moisture for germination, typically light watering twice daily in dry weather. First mow when grass reaches 5-7cm. Light traffic after 8-12 weeks, normal use after a full growing season.
Both need feeding once established. Our guide to lawn feeding schedules covers ongoing nutrition.
The Verdict
Choose turf if you need instant results, have a modest budget, or are working against time.
Choose seed if cost matters, you have patience, want specific grass varieties, or are covering a large area.
Either method, properly executed, produces an excellent lawn. The choice is about matching the method to your circumstances rather than one being inherently superior.
For detailed guidance on the seed approach, see our complete guide to starting a new lawn from seed.
For more guides on new lawns and lawn care, browse our complete lawn care guide collection.
Our Fast Growing Grass Seed gives you the quickest results from seed, with germination visible in just 7 days. A quality seed mix at an affordable price for new lawns or repairs.
