Is sod a good investment?

Yes - it's the only way to go - from bare, soil to lush green lawn in just hours. Yet it's relatively inexpensive to use. In the few hours it takes to install your sod lawn, your property value increases significantly and even more in aesthetic value.

Is a sod lawn less work?

Yes, a professional sod lawn need no special care because it is a healthy mature lawn when installed, whereas a sprigged or seeded lawn requires years of nurturing to reach maturity. Sod is grown under expert supervision from either top quality seed blends or certified hybrids sprigs. After it's been installed,  just water, mow and fertilize your sod lawn as needed and it will remain a healthy, green carpet of grass, requiring very little maintenance.

Where can I use sod?

Sod can be installed practically anywhere, even where seeding is impossible or too costly. Sod is often used to stop soil erosion and water pollution on slopes where rain would wash away both seed and soil.

Sod is available in a variety of grass blends to suit various needs such as climate, amount of usage, sun and shade conditions

Can sod withstand heavy usage?

Certainly! Sod establishes itself quickly. In a few weeks, it's ready for full use. It creates the perfect surface for lawn games and family outdoor living. With today's various blends of hardy grasses, sod is chosen for parks, golf courses, and athletic fields, as well as residential homes and business parks.

When can I install sod lawn?

Sod has revolutionized the lawn business! Now you can install a sod lawn anytime during the year when the ground can be tilled. There is no need to wait for the "right" season to put on your lawn.

How will sod affect our environment?

With today's ecological concerns, many more people are considering sod for its environmental benefits.

Sod cools and cleans the atmosphere by reflecting the sun's heat and absorbing noises, carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants. It releases valuable oxygen and moisture into the air we breathe. As it grows, sod silently contributes to a healthier environment.

How is sod related to our lifestyle?

Today we expect convenience, efficiency  and quality in our products. Buildings are going up almost overnight and attractive landscaping is installed in hours. Why wait 1 or 2 years for a new lawn to struggle to maturity when you can have a beautiful sod lawn complementing your buildings right now. That high quality sod lawn can be conveniently installed in hours, at a surprisingly low cost.

Can a homeowner install turfgrass sod?

If you can understand "Green Side Up," you can successfully install sod. Because turfgrass sod can be heavy, the help of a few friends is recommended.

Is seeding cheaper than sodding?

A big bag of grass seed will cost less than a pallet of sod, but that is like comparing the cost of raw wool to a fine sweater. Turfgrass sod is a finished product that will provide nearly instant use, beauty and environmental benefits, whereas seed is an unknown that requires two or more years of on-going time, attention, water, fertilizer and pesticides to reach a maturity equal to sod on its first day.

What do I look for to determine quality and freshness?

Sod is a living plant that should be installed between 24 to 72 hours after it is first harvested from the farm field. The best indication of freshness is soil that is moist (not hard and dry). The grass blades should be dark green and cool to the touch.

Strength of sod can be tested by holding a piece by its narrow end and raising it overhead, without it tearing or falling apart.

Uniformity of texture, mowing height and overall quality, can best be determined by placing several pieces on the ground and looking for extreme variations or visible weeds.

What are the basic steps to installing sod?

Prepare the soil as if you were seeding. Measure the area to be sodded to calculate the quantity you’ll need to order. Lay the first piece along a straight line such as a driveway or sidewalk. Install all additional pieces so the seams create a brick-like pattern. Apply at least one inch of water on the new sod, beginning within 30 minutes of laying down the first piece. Keep the base soil moist with daily (or more frequent) watering for the next two weeks.

Are there any "tricks of the trade" to make the installation better?

Sodding is simple, but it can be made easier by:

1. Leveling the soil approximately one half-inch below any hard surfaces such as patios, sidewalks and driveways so that when the sod is installed it won’t be higher or lower than the hard surface.

2. If there’s any slope, begin sodding at the bottom and work your way up the slope to keep the seam and joints tightly together. If the slope is quite steep, run the pieces across the direction of the slope.

3. To make sure you are applying enough water, lift a corner of any piece of sod and insert a screwdriver or other sharp probe into the underlying soil. If it’s hard to push in or the soil’s not moist, keep watering.

FAQs About Turfgrass Maintenance

What can I do to maintain a beautiful lawn?

Quality grass simply needs water, air, sunlight and nutrients. In most areas, grass needs approximately one-inch of water a week. Infrequent and deep watering encourages deep roots and a healthy lawn.

Mow frequently enough (with a sharp blade) so you never cut-off more than one-third of the grass blades in a single mowing. This will also allow you to leave the clippings on the lawn so they can naturally degrade and return nutrients to the lawn.

Prune trees so they allow as much light as possible onto the lawn.

Fertilize at least bi-annually spring & fall or according to the specific needs of your lawn.

Aerate every other year to reduce compaction and increase the exchange of water and air at the root level.

How can I patch thin or dead areas?

Turfgrass sod can provide an instant patch by cutting out the old grass and trimming in a sod patch. It’s easy, simple and immediate.

Seeding can be used when the area is small by raking out the old grass, loosening the soil and sprinkling seed. Keep the seed very moist with waterings two or three times a day until it matures.

Ten Reasons Why Sod Beats Seed

You're an intelligent consumer. You can recognize when people are being honest with you, and truly care that you understand both sides of a story before making a decision. You realize that if you're going to open your wallet for an investment such as sod, you want to know the facts about sodding.  10. Sod is a mature plant.  You really can't compare turf with seed or hydroseed. Sod is a mature, nurtured and developed plant. Seeds are exactly that--undeveloped, immature plants. It takes us a year or more to grow our seed into the lush, green carpeting that you'll see immediately upon installation.  9. Sod stops mud immediately.  If you have children or pets, take our advice: install sod. Seed and hydroseed take so long to cover the mud, you'll end up with half of your new lawn in your living room carpet before the end of the first year.    8.  Sod stops washouts.  Have you ever seen the turquoise ribbons of chemicals left in the street by a hydroseeded lawn as it was washed away by a rainstorm? These trails of washouts make a lawn surface bumpy and inhospitable to future grass seed. Sodding helps to control erosion from the minute it is laid.       7. Sod saves you time.  Since sod is a mature plant, it needs very little attention until it is a rooted-- about two to four weeks after it is installed. Seed or hydroseed, however, will need your full attention for over a year-- that is, assuming it does not wash out in the first big rain.    6. Sod saves you frustration.  Weather affects the outcome of everything you do with grass. There are other considerations in growing a good lawn too--fertilizer, mowing height, etc. At 7 Mtn Sod, we're the experts, and we know it takes more than one lawn to gain the experience necessary to avoid mistakes in growing grass.    5. Sod saves you money.  Water, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizer...all of these grass-growing aids cost money. And many novices will over-apply herbicides, fertilizer and other products while they learn, through trial and error, how to grow their lawn. Allowing professionals to take care of these initial applications will save you a fortune.    4. Sod looks better because it has better genes.  Want to win the best lawn award? To do this, you must start with plants that are composed of exceptional genes. Kentucky bluegrass, the only variety grown at 7 Mtn Sod, offers the best genetics possible.  3. Sod avoids herbicides.  Everyone agrees that minimizing the amount of chemicals in our lawns makes for a better environment. At 7 Mtn Sod, we minimize the applications of herbicides, fungicides and other chemicals by taking advantage of our natural climate-- cooler weather with early frosts. If you seed, you will likely need three or more applications of herbicides to keep the weeds from competing with the grass.    2. Sod is easier to grow on poor soils.  While you do not need excellent soils to grow sod, if you are beginning your lawn with seed, you will need top quality soils to start the plants off right. Fertilizer and water management become critical when you start from seed on poor soils. It takes more fertilizations to start seed, and it is a rare lawn service that will adjust to these conditions.    1. Sod is instant.  No hassle. No nurturing. No wait. Sod is an instant lawn of lush, green turf.