How to Buy Sod

Sod gets a lawn off to a good start.

Seeding a new lawn takes time and is not always reliable. Sod or turf, while significantly more expensive, produces an almost instant lawn on your property. Buying the most appropriate sod for your soil, location and lifestyle takes preparation, because not all grasses are alike. Some species, such as St. Augustine, do well in shady spots, while others, including Bermudagrass, thrive in full sun. Families with young children or rambunctious pets need a fast-growing and resilient species. Of course, also measure the location. A great pile of excess sod is of little use to anybody, and the lawn won't fill in gaps quickly if you buy too little.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Notepad and pen
• Spade
• Guide to lawns

1. Measure the location. If it is a simple rectangle, measure adjacent sides and multiply one by the other. If it is a complicated shape, take measurements for each roughly rectangular part, perform the calculations and add the results together. Sod is sold by the square foot in strips, but you can divide it as necessary to fill awkward spaces.

2. Dig into the site with a spade to observe the soil. If it is sticky and clumps together, it is probably a clay soil; if it is loose and grainy, it is likely to be a sandy soil. Clay soils retain water better than sandy soils. A rich, dark soil is typically full of organic material, and very fertile.

3. Contact several sod farmers or garden centers in your area. Ask which varieties or mixtures of varieties they sell and the price per square foot. Ask for a quote on the amount of sod you need. If you have a large site, you might get a discount for quantity. Make a note of all the grass species and the prices.

4. Research the grasses. A good guide to lawns should supply this information, or you can investigate them online. Consider watering requirements, as well as your site and lifestyle. You might not want a lawn that needs to be watered every day, especially in dry areas. Do not necessarily opt for the supplier with the cheapest sod; choose the most suitable grass for your site.

5. Purchase the sod after you have prepared the site. Sod doesn't store well for more than a few days. Buy a little more than your measurements, to allow for errors.

Tips & Warnings

• For areas that cannot be measured in terms of rectangles, such as a circle, perform the appropriate calculation for the shape, and bear in mind that you will need to cut up some of the sod when it arrives. For a circle, square the radius and multiply by 3.14. For a triangle, multiply the base by the height. For other shapes, select the nearest basic shape and perform that calculation. For example, with an octagon, calculate as per a circle.

• Sod farms may require prepayment to secure an order

• Some sod farms may use synthetic fertilizers and other synthetic chemicals

• Sod starts to dry out as soon as it is cut

• The soil of the sod is messy

• Sod strips can add weight to a vehicle

• There may be underground utilities near the surface of the soil, so call 811 to have them checked before digging

• When measuring and buying sod, do not do so for any tree or trees that may occupy the lawn area (some trees may slowly die if the 3' diameter area around the trunk is changed in any way)

References

• Yardener: Choosing Sod
• University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Lawns: Vegetative Key to Seven Turf Grasses