FREQUENTLY ASKED TURFGRASS SOD QUESTIONS

What are turfgrass, turfgrass sod, sod, turf, and grass?

They’re all the same thing! Turfgrass sod, the full name of what we call sod, is a thin sheet of soil, roots, and grass plants that you can transplant just by laying it out on a prepared surface.

What type of turf sod do you sell?

Country Gardens sells Nugget/Kenai Kentucky Bluegrass for lawn grass. It’s a native variety cultivated for its beautiful dark green color and hardiness in cold weather.

We sometimes have substandard sod available at reduced prices. Just call and ask for B-grade sod if you don’t mind the occasional clover or timothy plant.

We also have forage sod for erosion control, available at reduced cost.

How old is your sod?

Our turf is usually 3rd year sod when you buy it: this means it has a strong, healthy root system that’s ready for a new home and won’t tear apart during harvesting or installation.

How is sod sold?

Sod is sold in various size rolls and priced by the square foot.

We sell our traditional small rolls of sod that are 2′ by 5′, or 10 square feet each. Rolls weigh approximately 50 lbs. each, depending on moisture level, and come on pallets: each pallet with 50 rolls weighs 2000-2500 lbs. You do not have to buy a full pallet.

Large rolls are cut 2′ wide by 50′ feet long (100 sq. ft.). Each roll weighs approx. 500 lbs. and is not normally shipped with a pallet. You can cut large rolls into smaller pieces for easy handling.

When is sod available?

Sod is generally available from late May through Labor Day weekend depending on weather and demand.  We often sell sod into September for late ending construction.

We don’t usually run out of sod, but if you have a very large project, please contact us right away so that we can plan for your order.

How much does sod cost?

See pricing above or call. Please call if you need a specific quote.

Help! My dog tore up my yard, I have brown circles everywhere, and I need to patch some areas.

Our sod is perfect for patching. Simply contact us with the approximate area of sod you’ll need or stop by one of our sales locations to pick up a few rolls.

When you get home, dig out the affected areas with a flat shovel about an inch deep with straight sides, lay the sod over the hole, cut the sod with a serrated knife to create a patch, and water your newly-placed sod generously.

The patch should root down within 10 days to 2 weeks: keep the offending dog off the area while the roots form, and your grass should be good as new.

If dog urine killed your grass, be sure to sprinkle some lime on the soil before you place the sod to correct the acidic pH.

Will the new sod match my existing lawn?

Your lawn may have grasses other than Nugget/Kenai Kentucky Bluegrass, but if you water and fertilize them alike, usually the color will be very similar: a beautiful dark green.

Where do I order or pick up sod?

You can order sod by calling Country Gardens at 344-2088 in Anchorage, 745-0800 in the Valley or contact us online. To load your vehicle at the site, be prepared to tie down your load. Cover sod if possible. Rolls can shift when a truck or trailer moves.

How long can I keep sod before laying it?

For best results, install sod immediately. Usually two or three days will not hurt. Large rolls will deteriorate more quickly.

If you can’t install sod right away, lay it out in a single layer and keep it moist. Without soil to support it, sod can get dried out, but it’ll stay alive if it has water, air, and sunlight.

What about putting sod on a hill?

Unroll sod onto prepared area, staggering joints. On hillsides, lay sod horizontally or crosswise, and stake with lathe (cut stakes off below surface to prevent injuries) or turf staples.

How should I maintain my new lawn?

Soak sod well with water when first installed but do not make soil muddy. Then water like an established lawn. When watering new sod on a hillside, do not let water run unattended or soil and sod may slide downhill.

Be sure to keep dogs or other digging animals off until the grass is well rooted.

Fertilize with 16-16-16 or 22-11-11 or as recommended by soil test.

If new sod needs to match existing lawn, fertilize and water both established and new lawn similarly.

When should I mow the sod?

Mow sod as soon as it is needed.  To mow new sod that has not rooted down, throttle down or raise mower blades to prevent pulling up the edges of the sod.

Do you install sod? How much would it cost to sod my yard?

We’re currently too busy growing our crops to install sod for you, but we love to teach people to estimate for their own landscaping projects and install their own grass.

Shop around for sod installers: we sell to contractors and homeowners at the same price, so you can estimate the cost of materials using our price guide.

With a survey or scale drawing of the property, you can find the square feet that you want to cover with sod. Multiply the square feet by the price per square foot , add the cost of soil, compost, or other amendments, and add any delivery costs to get the project total. Sod installation doesn’t require any special tools: we can show you how to prepare soil and lay sod at our office, at the South Anchorage Farmers’ Market, or by phone.

My neighbor’s dandelions and clover have moved over into my yard! How do I get rid of these weeds?

There will always be weeds, especially if weeds are not removed from existing lawn or subsoil. Check with the Cooperative Extension service to find out more about Integrated Pest Management, a great way to keep weeds out of your yard and enjoy a healthier lawn and landscape. IPM may include herbicides for those nasty weeds you can’t eradicate but also helps you improve your soil and use organic or biological controls to reduce pest problems. Of course you can pull the weeds as well!

If you have more than just dandelions and clover, be sure to report any unusual or invasive plants to help keep Alaska pristine. Visit weedwar.org for more information or check with your local Extension Service agent.

How can I make my sod level?

Carry a bucket of loose dirt to fill edges when laying the sod.  This will help it meet driveways evenly and lay flat.