SOD FAQ
At Van Agen Sod Farm, our sod is a blend of four types of bluegrass seed that is grown on either top-soil or peat. It is cut daily and to order, so it is fresh and immediately ready to install. Please Note: Sod grows the best in full sun areas and requires a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day.
One piece, or roll of sod, is 2′ by 5′ and covers 10 square feet. There are 840 square feet on one pallet of sod. The thickness of the sod is approximately 1 inch and the weight is about 25 pounds (it may be heavier if it has just rained). The sod is cut, stacked onto a pallet, and is ready for pick-up or delivery. In order to keep our grass lush and green, it is mowed and irrigated daily and fertilized as needed. Sod can be planted or installed from early spring and well into the fall. You can do it yourself or hire a professional landscaping business. Some landscapers will install underground irrigation systems and offer maintenance programs.
If you are picking up your sod, it is important to know the weight capacity of your truck or trailer. A full pallet of sod (84 rolls) weighs over a ton. We have included some standard truck and trailer sizes to help you determine the vehicle you’ll need.
- Chevy S-10: 35 rolls
- 1/2 Ton (ex. Ford 150): 60-70 rolls
- One Ton Truck: 100 rolls
- Single-Axle Trailer: 60-70 rolls
- Double-Axle Trailer: 120 rolls
If you are bringing a trailer, we recommend bringing one similar to the one pictured at the right. Loading and unloading enclosed trailers must be done by hand and may be more difficult to unload.
Pricing is done by the square foot. Delivery, which includes a forklift, depends on the amount of sod needed and the distance from your home or job site to our farm. We also charge a refundable pallet fee of $10.00. Please contact our office for specific pricing.
To Determine How Much sod You Will Need:
- Measure the length of the area.
- Measure the width of the area.
- Multiply those two numbers-this is your square footage.
Benefits of Sodding:
- Provides an instant lawn
- Adds value and curb appeal to your home
- Grass can be walked on immediately and mowed within a week
- Wnen placed on hills, sod can be pegged to keep it in place
- Prevents soil erosion
Pros and Cons of Seeding:
- Seeding is less costly.
- Seeded areas take longer to fill in.
- Heavy foot traffic and mowing must be avoided until the seedlings are established.
- Heavy rain and sloping may cause the seed to wash away.
Please note that both methods are affected by soil type, amount of sunlight and sufficient irrigation for growth. If you are unsure of your soil type, we recommend contacting your local county extension office and having it sampled. There is a small fee involved but you will save time and money in the long run by taking out the guess work.
Sod should be planted or laid immediately, especially during hot weather. It requires a minimum of 5-6 hours of sunlight.
Prep the soil by removing any large rocks or clumps of weeds and raking the area. You do not need to add a layer of topsoil unless you prefer to. Any in ground sprinkler systems should be installed and working correctly before putting the sod down. Begin by unrolling a yard of sod and placing it on the ground. Butt the edges of the sod tightly together as you lay them. You can cut a piece of sod to go around something (such as a sprinkler head) with a utility knife.
This is, by far, the most important step of installing sod. As soon as you are finished laying the sod, you should water it immediately and thoroughly. The sod should feel “squishy” when you step on it. We recommend applying 1/4″ of water of water daily for the first few weeks. After that, watering 2-3 times a week should suffice. Watch the weather-if it is 90 degrees, you’ll need to water it more often until the heat wave is over. Types of soil will affect irrigation. For example, if you have a sand based soil, you will may to apply more water because it quickly runs through sand. Place a bucket or coffee can under your sprinkler and turn it on. This will help you to determine how long to run the water.
If your sod begins to turn yellow or brown, it is stressed due to the lack of water. Once it reaches this state, it will NOT come back no matter how much water is applied.
Since our sod is fertilized on a regular basis, you won’t need to do this immediately after installation. We normally recommend applying fertilizer early in the spring and again in the fall when the temperatures are cooler. Applying it during hot weather may cause the grass to “burn” due to the nitrogen content. When choosing a fertilizer, look at the labels. It should list three numbers appearing like this: 30-10-10. These numbers refer to nitrogen, phosphate and potassium respectively. While we don’t recommend a specific brand, the first number, nitrogen, should be the greatest. Example: 30-10-10. Apply as directed.
Note: you should keep young children and pets off of any recently fertilized areas.
If your sod begins to turn yellow or brown, it is stressed due to the lack of water. Once it reaches this state, it will NOT come back no matter how much water is applied.
If you have followed the steps above, your sod will begin to take root immediately. This will allow you to begin mowing within a week and, after that, when needed. Drive carefully, avoiding any quick turns that might disrupt new root growth. We recommend mowing often enough so the clippings are not over a 1/2″ in length.
Note: you should keep young children and pets off of any recently fertilized areas.
If your sod begins to turn yellow or brown, it is stressed due to the lack of water. Once it reaches this state, it will NOT come back no matter how much water is applied.
Now that you have a brand new beautiful lawn, your kids and pets won’t be able to wait to test it out! Don’t worry: tell the kids to play gently for the few days and not to pull up any corners. Make sure the family dog doesn’t try to dig any holes or bury any bones.
One common complaint among pet owners are the brown spots appearing in the grass due to their dogs continually urinating in the same area. The best prevention is rotating the areas where your dog does his or her business.
Note: you should keep young children and pets off of any recently fertilized areas.
If your sod begins to turn yellow or brown, it is stressed due to the lack of water. Once it reaches this state, it will NOT come back no matter how much water is applied.
Contact Van Agen Sod Farm today at (989) 634-5658. We would be happy to provide you with more information regarding our farming practices and sod products anytime.