Compare seeds and sod for turf establishment regarding establishment time, cost, and wear tolerance.

• A. Seeding is cheaper and slower to establish, with wear tolerance varying by species.
• B. Seeding is faster and guarantees uniform wear tolerance.
• C. Sodding is cheaper and slower; wear tolerance inconsistent.
• D. Sodding provides instant wear tolerance regardless of species.

Answer: (A)

Seeds and sod involve different trade-offs in how quickly you get a usable lawn, how much it costs upfront, and how well it handles foot traffic as it matures. Seeding tends to be cheaper to purchase and install because you’re buying seed rather than full-grown turf and the labor is usually less intensive, but it takes longer for a dense, uniform stand to develop from germination and growth. Wear tolerance isn’t immediate; it depends on the species and how well the lawn fills in, so the level of traffic tolerance varies.

Sodding, on the other hand, provides a ready-to-use cover much sooner, so establishment is faster, and initial wear is better right after installation. However, the material and installation costs are higher, and wear tolerance after installation still depends on the specific grass species you select, not a universal guarantee.

So the statement that matches these realities is that seeding is cheaper and slower to establish, with wear tolerance varying by species. The other options oversimplify or misstate the relationships—for example, sod isn’t typically cheaper or universally instant in wear tolerance regardless of species.