FAQs Prior To Planting

1. What should I do to my yard before I plant my grass? This depends what condition your area is in to start with. Do what is necessary to get to bare dirt. Rid the area of all rocks, sticks and debris. Make sure the grade is smooth and will drain. Make sure to have 3-4 inches of loose dirt before planting.

 2. How should I plant the grass? Preferably starting at a straight line, lay your grass tightly together, staggering the seams (as if you were laying bricks).Trim off all access grass so there is no overlapping of the sod.

 3. Do I need to till the ground or add sand/dirt? Tilling your ground 3-4 inches would be ideal. Adding soil or sand to fill in low areas is fine. Just be careful when you add sand because sand has no water holding capabilities. Adding too much sand can cause hot spots.

4. Should I put down fertilizer before planting my grass? Do not apply any fertilizer until the grass is rooted in. This will probably take at least 2 weeks with proper care.

 5. What variety of grass should I use? Look at your situation; see how much sun/shade you have and what your personal preference is. Give one of our experienced staff members a call and you can discuss with them your situation and then a determination can be made.

After Planting

1. What should I do after I plant my grass? Thoroughly soak the newly planted sod. You will need to keep the soil damp for at least 10 days. DO NOT LET IT DRY OUT. This may require watering 2-3 times per day. Do not fertilize, mow or spray for any reason until the grass is rooted. When you cannot lift the grass up, then the grass is rooted. You are now free to start your regular mowing practices. Mowing height and mowing frequency is determined by the variety grass you have. A good turf program consists of fertilization, weed/ disease and insect control and proper mowing. We can supply you with an annual guideline at NO CHARGE.

2. How often should I aerate my yard? Two times per year is great. In the spring, aerate after the grass is completely out of dormancy. In the fall, aerate 45 days prior to the first forecasted frost. Always fertilize after aeration.

3. How often should I mow my grass? This depends on the variety of grass you have. St. Augustine should be mowed at least every 5-7 days.

General Maintenance

1. How many times per year should I fertilize? You should apply 6-8 lbs. of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet per year. This can be accomplished in 4-6 applications per year.

2. What analysis of fertilizer should I use? This is determined by soil samples. Take one sample for every 10,000 square feet of lawn. If you have less area than that 1 sample will be enough.

3. How much fertilizer should I put out? You should not apply more than 1.251bs. of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet per application. Your fertilizer analysis will dictate the amount of fertilizer to be used.

4. How much sun does my grass need to grow? Raleigh St. Augustine needs 4-5 hours of direct sunlight per day. Your Bermuda grasses need foil sun.

5. Why is my grass getting thinner and thinner each year? It could be bugs, fungus or water/fertilizer deprivation. We will be happy to help you make that determination. That service is of NO CHARGE to you.

6. Why does my neighbors' grass look better than mine? Give us a call and we can help you determine why. When you call, have the answers to these questions. How many times you fertilized your yard, what analysis of fertilizer you used and how much did you put on your grass? How often do you mow your grass and what height do you mow your grass? Do you have a weed control/insect/disease control program? If so, what chemicals did you use, how often you applied them and what rate did you use. Also, know your watering schedule and how much you are watering. Dates for all of the above practices are also very important.

7. Why is my grass turning yellow/brown in some areas? It could be any number of reasons. Give us a call and we can help you find out why. This is NO CHARGE to you. Different things happen at different times of the year.

8. Why does my grass turn brown after a frost? The grass is going into dormancy. This is the way that the grass protects itself.

Quantity Of Grass 

1. How do I determine how much grass I need? Determine the areas that you want to lay grass. Measure length X width of these areas. This will give you your total square footage. Divide that number by 9 and that will give you your total square yardage needed. Add 5-10% for irregular areas and for trimming.

2. How much area does 1 pallet cover? Each 55 1/2-yard pallet covers 500 sq.ft.

3. How much grass will you deliver? We like to deliver 2 pallets at a time. However, if we are in your area we can deliver 1 pallet. We can deliver up to 20 pallets at a time.

4. How much do you charge for delivery? That depends on how much grass you need and where the grass needs to be delivered. These charges are very reasonable and they can be determined at the time you place your order.

5. How long can the grass sit on the pallet? We advise you to plant the grass immediately. The longer it sits on that pallet the more stress you put on the grass. During the warm season you MUST plant immediately.

Measuring For Turf?

So you are ready to measure for your turf?  Using our easy to follow steps will give you guidance in determining the proper amount of square footage to plan your purchase. 

Important Facts To Remember

It is very important that you order approximately 5% - 10% extra turf for filing odd spaces and to cover the inaccuracy of measurements.  Turfgrass is non-refundable.  In the interest of providing our customers with the finest turf possible, we cannot accept returned turf.  Be sure and check your measurements carefully - remember we can always cut more if you don't have enough. 

Determining How Much Sod Is Needed

To calculate the amount of sod you need for a project you should first divide the project areas into squares and rectangles.  Measure length times width of those areas then add them together for the total amount of sod needed for your project.  Please see our "Get A Quote" page to input your calculations for the sod needed and to input any questions that you may have for us.