A Guide to Buying Sod


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Sod is a roll of grass. The grass is held together by a layer of soil and roots underneath it. Sod is rolled up like a carpet, so that it is easy to transport and lay flat when you are ready to plant it. Planting sod is the best way to start to have a beautiful yard. It will grow quickly, and will create a simple, classic look in any yard’s landscaping.

Typically, you would buy sod if you needed to plant grass over a large portion of land. This could be as little as a few square feet, but there is no limit to the amount of land that you would be able to cover with sod. Once the sod takes root in the dirt, it will create a lasting bed of grass. Once the sod has roots in the ground, it will be durable and last for a long time.

Is it Better to Buy Sod or Seed?

Whether or not you should buy sod or seed depends largely on what you are planning on doing with the grass. It also depends on what your yard might look like before you start adding new grass.

Sod is best when you have large areas that are only soil.

You would roll sod out over the soil, and it would take root.

The benefits of using sod are that it is already grown, and the layer of grass in the sod is even. You would only have to wait for the sod to take root before using your yard.

Seeds will take longer to grow, and might grow in patchy, depending on the quality of the seeds you are using, how well you spread them out in the soil, and the amount of water that each section of the seeds receives.

Seeds are best to use if you have smaller areas that need more grass coverage.

If you have grass on your lawn, but it is spotty and there are parts where the soil is showing, it would be more efficient to use seeds to even out the layer of grass.

What to Consider Before Buying Sod

Before buying sod, you should consider if it is the right option for your space.

As mentioned above, you need to look at the amount of soil that is showing in your yard. If there are large areas of soil that are showing through, you should buy some sod to plant.

It’s also important to make sure that you have cleared space for the sod.

If there are weeds in your yard, pull those up and make sure that there is enough soil so that you are able to plant sod well.

You will also need to consider how much sod you will need to buy to be able to cover the entire area of exposed soil.

Take measurements of the space that you will need to put down sod. Look into different kinds of sod, as it could vary based on your needs or the region that you live in.

What Type of Sod Do I Need?

There are different kinds of sod that are better for different environments.

By reviewing the types of sod below, you will be able to get a good idea of what sod would thrive best in your region.

Also, consider the amount of sunlight that your yard gets and make sure to buy sod that will do well in that level of light.

If you live in a warmer climate, you should consider one of these warm season sods:

  • Bahia – good for dry climates, is bug and disease resistant, and is very coarse and hardy.
  • Bermuda – needs a lot of sunlight, drought resistant, coarse.
  • Centipede – low-maintenance, full or partial sunlight, acidic soil, susceptible to bug infestations.
  • St. Augustine – beautiful look, not good in cold weather, not very sturdy, needs sun and warmth.
  • Zoysia – needs full sunlight, only needs to be watered in droughts.

For colder climates, look into these types of sod:

  • Fine Fescue – great in cool weather and shade, does not do well in heat.
  • Kentucky Bluegrass – thrives in shade, loose soil, prone to growing fungus.
  • Perennial Ryegrass – partial sun, can be patchy.
  • Tall Fescue – low maintenance, durable, can be patchy.

Costs to Install Sod

If your yard is small, you can install sod yourself.

All you have to do is roll out the sod onto your soil, and make sure to water it.

You will still have to pay for the cost of the sod, but you will not have to worry about paying anyone to do the labor for you. This considerably cuts down the amount of money that it takes to install sod in your yard.

If you have a large yard, or if you are unable to physically install the sod by yourself, you can hire gardeners to help you install sod.

Installing sod could cost anywhere from around forty dollars to one thousand or even two thousand dollars, depending on your location, and how much area you need the sod to cover.

Costs of labor and the cost of the sod that you are buying will make the price range that you are looking at differ greatly.

Make sure to call a gardener or a gardening center so that you can get a better estimate of how much money it will cost you to install sod in your yard.

How Much Sod Is in a Roll?

In general, a roll of sod is about 48 inches long and 24 inches wide.

This might differ depending on where you are getting your sod from, but for basic calculations this should be a good number to use.

Don’t worry about this not being able to fit your lawn exactly. Sod is easy to cut or rip into smaller sections. This knife is useful for cutting. You will be able to fit the sod perfectly to the amount of space that you need to fill. Lay the larger sections of sod first, and then fill in narrower patches of empty soil with smaller strips and sections of sod.

How Many Square Feet of Sod Is There Per Pallet?

A pallet of sod is a large amount of sod.

There are about 450 square feet of sod per pallet. This will cover a very large area.

If you do not need that much sod, it is likely that you will be able to purchase sod in smaller amounts.

Getting a pallet of sod is great if you have a large area of dirt that you need to cover.

How to Calculate the Amount of Sod Needed

Calculating the amount of sod that you need to purchase to cover your yard is very easy.

You will have to use a tape measure to get the dimensions of your yard. If you do not have a tape measure, make sure that you go out and buy one (link to Amazon). They are not expensive, and will make your calculations much more precise, as well as a lot easier to take.

Measure the dimensions of your yard, or the place that you will be planting the sod.

This is easiest if the shape of the yard is a square or rectangle. If you have curves or other different shapes in your yard, you will have to either use estimates of how many square feet the yard contains, or do some more advanced calculations.

If you are unsure of the exact amount of square feet that are in the area that you are going to cover with sod, you shouldn’t worry too much about it. You don’t need exact calculations, as long as you are sure that you will have enough sod to cover the area.

Even if you know the exact dimensions of your yard, it is best to buy a little bit more sod than you need, just in case your measurements were a little bit off.

Where Can You Buy Sod?

There are many different places that you could buy sod.

First, you will want to look into local gardening centers. Almost every gardening center near your home will have sod available.

You could also look into big gardening or home improvement retail stores. If these stores have a gardening section, you will be able to find sod there. 

Make sure that you check to see what kinds of sod they carry in the store. You will not want to get a kind of sod just because it is one of the only kinds that the store carries. Remember that not every sod will thrive in your yard, so you have to pick the kind of sod that will look good and be the best fit for the space that it is going to be planted.

Also, check into the reviews of the store before you purchase sod.

Make sure that other people have had success with the sod that they have gotten from that store. You want to be sure that you are purchasing quality sod, or you might need to replace it again later if the first sod does not take root well in your yard.

Buying Sod in the Store

When you are going to a store to buy sod, you will need to make sure of a few things beforehand.

First, call ahead to make sure that they have the kind of sod that you need in stock.

Make sure that they also have enough sod, as you wouldn’t want to go all the way to the store only to find out that they do not have the amount of sod that you need.

Also, it is important to have a way to transport sod back to your home.

Having a truck is a great way to transport sod. If you do not have a truck, a regular car should also be able to hold sod.

You will want to put down a tarp to make sure that the dirt from the sod does not get all over your car.

Going to the store to buy sod is a great way to be able to see the sod that you are buying in advance. You will be able to tell if the sod is in good condition, and you might get a better idea of what the sod will look like in your yard. This could even help you decide what kind of sod to get, if you haven’t already made a decision.

Having Sod Delivered

Getting sod delivered to your home is much easier than going to the store to pick up the sod yourself.

It means that you do not need to go to the hassle of transporting the sod.

This is an especially good option if you do not have a vehicle or method of transportation that would enable you to carry the sod back with you from the store.

There will, however, likely be a delivery fee associated with having sod delivered to your home. Keep that in mind if you are on a budget, and you are considering whether or not you should have the sod delivered to you or if you should go pick up the sod yourself in the store.

If you have your sod delivered to you, it also means that you cannot see the sod before you purchase it.

You won’t have a way to make sure that the sod that you are getting is great quality, and may not be able to return the sod after it is delivered to you if you find that you do not like the way that it looks. 

It also means that you have to be sure of the type of sod that you are buying before you make the purchase.

If you have sod delivered to you, you have to know the best options for your climate and the amount of light that your yard gets. If you buy the wrong type of sod, you will not be able to get a refund once you have planted it, and it will be much harder to remove the sod and start over with a different kind of sod.

How to Save Money Buying Sod

You can save money when you are buying sod by purchasing a large amount of sod. If you want to save money buying sod in bulk, you might be better off going to a larger garden or home improvement retail store to make sure that you are getting sod at a low price.

Checking into the different prices of types of sod is also a good idea if you are looking to save money. Make sure that you are only doing this if there is more than one kind of sod that will work for your yard.

Best Time of Year to Lay Sod

You can lay sod at almost any time of year, as long as the grass will be able to grow.

If you have harsh or cold winters, do not lay the sod then.

The best season to lay sod is in the fall, followed by the spring. This is because the temperatures are typically more moderate, but the grass will still be able to take root and grow.

Can You Lay Sod Yourself?

It can be easy to lay sod by yourself!

If you are looking to lay sod by yourself, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.

Sod can be heavy, so make sure that you are physically able to hold large weights.

Also, consider the amount of sod that you will have to lay.

If you are laying a large amount of sod, you might need to get someone to help you.

Think about how long it would take for you to lay the sod by yourself. You will want to try to get it done as quickly as possible, and ideally all within the same day. This way, all of the sod will be able to grow evenly. 

If you do not think that this is doable for you in your situation, you should get someone to help you lay the sod.

You don’t need to hire a professional, though, if you do not want to. You can simply ask a friend or family member to help you lay the sod. It should be easy enough, but it depends on the amount of people you have and the size of the area that you are laying the sod in.

Disposing of Old Grass

Disposal of old grass depends on how much of it you have.

If you do not have that much grass, you can probably throw it away with the rest of your trash.

If you have a large amount of old grass, try to compost it. This is very easy to do, and you will likely be able to compost grass on your own property.

Make sure that you check with your local rules and neighborhood regulations, as these laws differ depending on the area that you are living in.

Make sure that you are following the regulations that have been set.

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