How to Buy Sod

Buying sod is like going to your nearest supermarket or your local grocery store. Most of us have not the slightest clue how to choose the sod we need, here is how.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Yellow Pages and/or internet access
• some money
• Preliminary ground work

1. First determine if you are legally capable of laying sod where you intend to do so. Check with local authorities and building managers.

2. Take several soil samples and have them tested by a soil testing lab or the county extension office of the area where you live.

3. Next, thumb through the yellow pages or the internet to find the nearest sod farm. Find out if the sod they have grows in similar soil.

4. Find out when and if you can give the farm a visit and if you can pick the sod up directly from them. You will want to do so after harvest.

5. If not, inquire from where you can buy and pick up the sod closest to you. Check with more than one sod farm to give yourself choices.

6. Determine to pick up the sod as close as the time that it has been harvested as possible. Buy sod as soon as it is delivered.

7. The day before you are to buy the sod prepare the soil for laying it. The ground on which you intend on laying the sod should be ready.

8. Upon seeing the sod do a sight and feel check. Make sure it is evenly green without any browning spots. All pieces should be evenly cut.

9. Feel to make sure the soil and grass blades are moist.(not dry nor wet) The soil should be about 1/2" thick and does not tear upon handling.

10. The grass blades should be about 2-2 1/2" thick. Also the sod should be kept under shaded conditions. (out of the sunlight) Now by the sod.

Tips & Warnings

• You can pay the farm or nursery to deliver the sod to you
• Buy sod as soon as it is harvested at the sod farm or as soon as it is delivered to the nursery
• Bought sod should have been kept under shade, out of prevailing wind, and kept moist
• Pack a tarp to place the sod on upon the purchase
• If the sod will be transported while being exposed cover it with another tarp to keep the wind from drying it out
• Buy sod by the square footage of the space that it will be laid
• Buy 10% more sod than you need to keep from having to buy more after cutting and laying the pieces
• 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)

Resources

• Lay Sod