Professional Sod Installation
Services in Pensacola, FL

Advantages of Sod

• Installing sod produces a finished lawn immediately. It is instantly attractive.
• Sod can be laid almost any time of year. Because its roots are developed, sod grass is able to establish itself in prepared soil in almost anyseason.
• Sod grass plants are healthier because they are professionally grown. They have enjoyed the best soil, regular fertilizing and generous watering for strong root development.
• Sod makes a denser lawn. Grass plants are sown close together so there are no bare spots and reseeding is not necessary.
• Sod has no weeds. New sod turf has no weeds; its density discourages weed seed germination, minimizing the future need to use herbicides.
• Using Sod to Solve Landscape Problems
• There are certain situations where sod is especially useful:
• Renovating the Lawn: Sod is the best way to replace existing lawns that are mostly tired, thin grass and lots of weeds..
• Controlling Soil Erosion: Sod prevents the erosion of precious topsoil in lawn areas that are sloped or hilly. It is an immediate solution to rain runoff and other drainage problems in bare soil.
• Eliminating Mud on New Properties: Builders and homeowners alike appreciate an instant lawn that eliminates the prospect of mud during the many weeks that grass seed takes to become established.
• Patching Bare Spots in the Lawn: Sod can be cut into pieces to quickly repair browned, damaged areas in the lawn and hard to reach spots. Because its grass plants are mature, it will establish and grow well during the summer months when seedlings from seed wither and die.  

Sod Installation

Measuring Your Area

Sod is sold by the square foot, so square yards must be converted to square feet. For rectangular or square areas, simply multiply the length by the width (in feet) to get your square footage.

For odd shaped areas, either break the area down into as many measurable rectangles and squares as you can, or measure the longest and widest points and multiply. You can then subtract a small amount, but keep in mind that it is always better to have too much than not enough.

It is recommended to add 5% to your final measured amount.

After Installation

Watering
Water is by far the most important ingredient in your new lawn’s success. The first 2 weeks after installation, you will need to water daily. The general idea is to keep it consistently moist during this period. If possible, water during the early morning hours.

Types of sod

Centipede

Centipede Grass is a low, medium textured, slow growing, but aggressive grass that can produce a dense, attractive, weed-free turf. Centipede grass has become widely grown in the southeastern United States because of the sandy, acid soils from S. Carolina to Florida and westward along the Gulf Coast states to Texas.

Centipede grass is moderately shade tolerant, but grows best in full sunlight. Centipede is the ideal grass for the homeowner who wants a fairly attractive lawn that needs little care. Centipede does not require much fertilizer or mowing, and compared to other lawn grasses, is generally resistant to most insects and diseases. It will, however, respond to good management and provide a very attractive turf.

St. Augustine

St. Augustine grass is the only permanent lawn grass with good to excellent shade tolerance for the Deep South.  However, it does need some sunlight to thrive; very dense shade as found under trees with a heavy canopy such as Southern Magnolia or Camphor is unsuitable for any lawn grass. Sites under Live oaks, Pines and various hardwood trees often provide enough dappled sunlight for St. Augustine grass to grow well. If you are in doubt whether enough light is available, we recommend trailing a few pieces of sod or a tray of plugs for several months.  Groundcovers such as Asiatic Jasmine, Liriope or Algerian Ivy tolerate very dense shade.

Good for coastal regions, thrives in heat, does poorly in cool climates. Excellent to fair under drought conditions, somewhat shade tolerant.

St. Augustine has large flat stems and broad coarse leaves. It has an attractive blue-green color and forms a deep, fairly dense turf and has good shade tolerance.

Zoysia grass 

Zoysia grass is extremely drought tolerant. Although it does turn straw colored under severe drought conditions, it has the capacity to respond to subsequent irrigation or rainfall. The leaf blades of Zoysia grass are among the first to roll under drought conditions, thus it tends to conserve moisture more effectively than other species. Zoysia grass also has a deep root system allowing it to more effectively extract water from greater soil depths.

Zoysia grass is nearly as salt tolerant as Bermuda grass. It is widely grown along sandy seashores where drainage is adequate. Zoysia grass does not tolerate poorly drained soils whether they are saline or otherwise.