How many square feet of sod come on a pallet?
600 square feet of sod are stacked on a pallet.
How much does each roll weigh?
Weight varies with moisture content; if it rained recently, the sod will be heavier.
On average, rolls weigh about 35 lbs. and a pallet weighs about 2,000 lbs.
How far in advance do I need to place an order?
Delivery orders generally need about 2 days, although it is possible to receive sod
same or next day. Pick-up orders should be placed the day before. Last minute sod pick-ups may
be available, but please call before heading to the farm!
How long does it take to grow a crop of sod?
It takes an average of 14 months from seeding to harvesting in a given field.
How soon must I lay the sod after receiving it?
Sod should be installed within 24 hours of delivery. In the summer, sod should be
installed and watered as soon as possible. In cooler times of year, sod’s longevity after harvesting
is increased, but it is always a good practice to install sod upon delivery. We do not guarantee sod
that is installed more than 24 hours after its receipt
What is certified seed?
All of our sod crops are grown from certified seed. Certified seed is purchased from growers
who submit their seed crops to the Maryland Department of Agriculture for testing. Certified seed is analyzed
for varieties present, inert matter, and weed seed. The certified seed varieties that Lavery’s uses are
recommended for our region based on growth trials that demonstrate success in our location in the transition
zone (geographic area delineated by geography and climate).
How much do I have to water my new sod?
Is there a better time of day to water my new sod?
Do you have to replace the topsoil in your sod fields each year?
No. We are fortunate that the fields where we cultivate turf are all river bottoms,
with several inches (sometimes feet) of topsoil present, and growing and harvesting sod should not
deplete the topsoil present in any given field. A smaller amount of topsoil leaves the farm with
the sod than it appears. The root pad (bottom portion of the sod piece including the roots and soil)
is made up largely of the plants’ roots. The root pad may appear to be mostly soil, but depending on
the time of year, roots make up 70 to 90% of the root pad. In addition, when sod is harvested, the
portion of the roots that is left in the field decays and adds organic matter to the topsoil matrix.
What kind of sod do you recommend for my yard?
How high (or low) should I mow my yard?
The height of your mower should be based on the type of turf you have and the time of year.
Turf type tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass should be mowed between 3 and 4 inches high. In the heat
of the summer, both fescue and bluegrass will stay healthier at the higher end of the spectrum. Kentucky
bluegrass can withstand a lower mowing height, but will require more management. Please call us for more
information if you plan to maintain your bluegrass closer to two inches in lawn height.
When can I mow newly installed sod?
We recommend waiting until the sod is completely rooted before you mow your sod for the first
time. Depending on the weather and time of year, sod may be well-rooted within 3 weeks. Spring and fall
installations may even be rooted before 10 days! We suggest testing the sod before mowing. Go into the
yard and try to pull various pieces of sod from the ground. If the sod comes up easily, wait until
another day to mow it. If the sod throughout the yard is well-anchored and doesn’t come off the ground with
a strong tug, go ahead and start your mower! We recommend that the first mowing is done at the highest
blade height of your mower (and a walk-behind mower is best for this first mowing). Also, plan to lower the
blade height gradually if you want to mow the lawn lower than the highest blade height of your mower.
(Don’t scalp the grass at subsequent mowings!) We suggest never cutting more than one quarter of the total
plant’s blade height off in one mowing.
How can I get one of your “We Roll Quality Grass” t-shirts?
Call the office to inquire about t-shirts. We try to keep t-shirts in stock,
so please call for prices and availability.
When is the best time to install sod?
In our part of the world, fall is the best time to install a cool season grass such as fescue or
bluegrass. Fall is a good time for several reasons. 1.) The temperature is usually cooling down, so the
sod experiences less transplant shock due to heat. 2.) Cool season turf is undergoing extensive root growth
at this time to store carbohydrates for the plant in preparation for winter, so sod will typically root quickly
in the fall. 3.) We usually receive nice amounts of precipitation in the fall, alleviating some of the watering
pressure after installation.
Spring and winter are also good times to install sod. Spring temperatures are
usually moderate, and spring showers are great for sod. It is nice to install sod in the spring before the heat
of the summer, but just be aware that if the summer gets dry (as it has the last few years) you will need to
water your lawn even after it has gotten established to keep it healthy. Winter is a good time to install sod
since there are no stresses on the sod due to heat and we usually receive precipitation throughout the season.
The sod will root more slowly in the winter, but it should be well established by spring.
Summer is the hardest
time to install sod. We do harvest and install sod throughout the summer, but the end-user needs to be aware of
the challenges of summer-time installations. Heat is deadly to turf. The sod has already gone through the shock
of losing the deep roots that remain in the field. The roots in the rootpad must have access to water to supply
the plant as it photosynthesizes and respires. Watering is critical to maintain a source of water to the plant,
and to help alleviate the effects of high temperatures. It is important to have a reliable water source when you
install sod in the summer. We recommend testing ALL irrigation before installing sod (in-ground systems as well
as hoses/sprinklers). We have seen too many customers find out AFTER installation that their irrigation system
has a problem, or their water pressure is not sufficient to run multiple sprinklers, and the headache of
rectifying this problem and/or the heartache of losing sod to the heat is a frustrating one.
How can I kill wiregrass?
