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Sod is different from grass because it comes in thick layers of mature grass, roots, and soil for quick transportation and easy installation. This is different from seeding your lawn, which involves directly laying grass seeds into the ground. Grass seeds take approximately 30 days to begin germinating and up to 18 months to reach maturity, whereas sod comes ready to go.

You can reseed a lawn that has dead grass, but it is best to remove the dead patches before you begin. Removing the dead turf and testing the soil will help you determine what is killing the grass so you can make the necessary amendments to prevent the problem from recurring. Once you have made the appropriate adjustments, you can rake, fertilize, and reseed. If your lawn has many large dead patches, it may be more effective to remove all the existing grass, amend the soil, and start over from scratch.

While it’s possible to grow grass seeds by throwing them down, this isn’t the best way to plant them. By amending and prepping the soil beforehand, you’re providing optimal contact between seed and soil for a better chance at germination. If you throw them down without preparing the soil beforehand, seeds are more likely to blow away, get eaten by hungry birds, or never grow.

Water your yard a little more deeply after a drought for about two weeks (while still avoiding overwatering). Continue to water in the early morning hours before 10 a.m. You'll also want to invest in some high-quality fertilizer to get more nutrients to your roots and help them grow back stronger and quicker. Look up your grass and soil type, or do a soil test, to see what type of fertilizer you need.