Sod for your home lawn
Buy fresh-cut sod straight from one of our farms, or a few pieces at a landscape supply store. Here's where to buy, how much to order and how to get new grass rooted.
Two ways to buy sod
Our farms and our stores both sell to homeowners. The right one depends on how much grass you need.
At a sod farm
Best for a whole yard. A minimum order applies and local delivery is available. Farm pickups need to be scheduled 24 hours ahead and paid in advance.
Find a farmAt a landscape supply store
Best for patches and small yards. Our Mobile and Baton Rouge stores and Gulf Kist Sod of Pensacola sell sod down to a single piece. Call ahead to reserve, because weather affects supply.
Find a storeOne piece of sod is 16 x 24 inches, or 2.66 square feet. A pallet of slabs covers 450 square feet and a pallet of mini rolls covers 500. Not laying it yourself? Our store teams help do-it-yourselfers and can point you to a licensed landscape professional.
Measure before you order
- Sketch the yard and split it into rectangles.
- Multiply the length by the width of each rectangle, in feet.
- Add the areas together and allow a little extra for cuts and edges. Our calculator adds 5%.
- Divide by 450 for the number of pallets, or by 2.66 for single pieces.
Choosing your grass
Sun, shade, foot traffic and how much mowing you want to do each point to a different grass. Compare them here, or let the grass finder narrow it down.
Shady yard? Classic St. Augustine and Palisades Zoysia are the best choices, as long as the area gets at least 3 to 5 hours of sun. For heavy shade, plant a ground cover such as Asiatic jasmine, or make it a rock garden or flower bed.
Prep, install and watering basics
You can lay sod any time of year, as long as you can water it. These steps cover most Gulf Coast lawns.
Before and during install
- Kill and remove the old grass, break up compacted soil and rake it smooth. Let rain or a sprinkler settle the soil, then smooth it again.
- Keep the pallet in shade if you can. Don't water sod on the pallet or cover it with a tarp: it's alive and fertilized, and water releases nitrogen that heats up and damages the grass.
- Get the sod off the pallet and onto the ground within 48 hours.
- Lay pieces in a brick pattern with the seams offset, and fit them tight.
The first month
- Weeks 1 and 2: water every day and soak the soil about 3 inches deep.
- Weeks 3 and 4: keep watering daily but use less each time. After that, water deeply every few days instead of a little every day.
- Mow after 10 to 14 days, once it has rooted. Tug a piece gently; if it lifts, press it back and wait. Use a sharp blade on the highest setting and never cut more than a third of the blade.
- If new sod turns brown, get a soil test before adding fertilizer or chemicals, and call any of our locations about fungus or insects.
- Dog spots? Soak the area after each potty break to dilute the urine.
Each grass has its own mowing height and watering needs. You'll find them on each sod variety page.
Questions homeowners ask
A few of the most common. The full list covers pickup, delivery and care.
How much area does a pallet of sod cover?
A pallet of slabs covers 450 square feet. A pallet of mini rolls covers 500 square feet.
Can I stop by any time to pick up sod?
Our stores try to keep sod in stock, but weather affects supply, so call ahead to reserve a pallet. Farm pickups must be scheduled 24 hours ahead and paid in advance.
How much lead time do you need for delivery?
In the busy spring season, schedule 3 to 5 days ahead. Same-day slots are sometimes open, but a guaranteed date needs 3 to 5 days' notice.
Do you warranty your turf?
No. We don't control installation, watering, soil, insects, weather or how long sod sits on the pallet, so our responsibility ends once you accept the product.