Growing a good-looking lawn can be a hassle that goes on for months or years. And even if you put in the effort, the results are not guaranteed because you can not influence the weather, for example.
But there is a quick solution to this problem called sod. If you want to learn more about it, please continue reading the article. In it, we will tell you what sod is, how much a pallet of sod costs at Home Depot, what sodding is, what its advantages are, and much more.
What Is Sod?
Sod or turf refers to grass and a small portion of the soil it grows in. The grass is usually connected to the soil by its root system (or sometimes a layer of biodegradable material).
There are many types of sods that can be used in different climates, such as warm-season or cool-season grass, which you need to consider when choosing a particular variety. Other factors that impact sod’s specifications are things like soil conditions, lawn’s exposure to partial or full sun, etc.
What Is Sodding?
Sodding is a process of laying sods on existing grass or, more usually, topsoil to quickly green or repair lawns, gardens, parks, golf courses, and other green surfaces.
Thanks to the simple installation and maintenance process, sodding is the best alternative to growing a lawn from scratch. It will produce results in as little as two weeks, giving you a beautiful, resistant lawn in your garden, yard, or park.
What Are The Advantages Of Sodding?
We already touched on the main advantages of sodding (time and effort saving), but let’s go through a couple of others you may not have known about.
1. You Can Install Sods During Almost The Entire Year
The main advantage of forming a lawn by laying sod grass is that it can be done during almost the entire year, from early spring to the beginning of winter. The only period that should be avoided is when the temperatures during the winter are below zero, and the ground is frozen.
If you are wondering what the best time for sodding is, the answer is spring or fall.
2. Sods Can Be Installed On Slopes
Growing a lawn on a slope using sods is the best way to green such areas, along with hydroseeding.
Sowing grass with seed should be avoided on such terrains because the sown seeds can easily be washed away or blown away by the wind, which will cause some spots to remain bare or not have the proper amount of grass.
3. Readymade Products Means Fewer Weeds And Pests
Since the grass in sods is not only sufficiently established but also grown from quality seeds in appropriate conditions, dealing with weeds and pests, which can be annoying when growing a lawn from zero, is almost non-existent.
It reduces the amount of work you need to put in and worries about whether you will succeed in creating the perfect lawn even more.
How Much Does A Pallet Of Sod Cost At Home Depot?
The current price of a pallet of sod at Home Depot is $584.98. You can find these sods in a lot of varieties, such as Bermuda sod, Kentucky bluegrass, Tall Fescue, St. Augustine, Zoysia sod, Perennial Ryegrass, Centipede, Bahia, etc.
The price of a pallet of sod is the same for each variety, so you will have to base your decision on the specifications of a particular kind of grass.
For example, St. Augustine, which is one of the most widely used varieties of grass in the world, features wide blades and a medium green hue. Its Palmetto variety can withstand both heat and shade.
Bermuda is another one of the popular sod varieties created for a lifestyle involving lots of outdoor activity and is quite resilient.
Finally, we will briefly introduce Zoysia – a type of turf with fine blades capable of handling impact, enduring wear and tear, and resisting weed growth.
The possibilities are infinite. Well, almost infinite. You have a lot of options, all at the same price, which can be quite helpful when making a purchasing decision.
How Much Sod Is In One Pallet?
There is no standard in this industry, so if you buy sods directly from a farm or in another home improvement store, do not be surprised to see that somewhere a pallet contains 400 square feet and somewhere 600, for example. Some even sell 700 sq. ft. in one palette.
However, when it comes to the product from Home Depot, their pallet of sod covers 500 square feet, enough to not only repair the old and damaged lawn but also install a completely new one for many homes and front/backyard owners.
What If A Pallet Of Sod Is Too Expensive Or Too Big For You Needs?
If you have a small yard, 500 square feet is probably too much sod. By buying the entire palette, you would end up throwing away a lot of the grass and a lot of money. Also, it is possible that you do not want to install a completely new lawn but only repair a few bare or bad-looking spots here and there.
In this case, instead of a pallet, the best solution for you is to buy some sod plugs. They are usually smaller than sods that come in pallets, so think of them as mini sods.
Besides the fact that they are smaller than the pieces of grass that come when you order a pallet of sod, sod plugs also come in several different packages, which means that you can choose almost the exact amount of sod for your needs.
The packages contain 64, 32, and 16 plugs with which you can cover 144, 72, and 36 square feet, respectively.
How Much Does a Pack of Sod Plugs Cost at Home Depot?
Unlike the prices of sod pallets, which are uniform for all varieties of sods, plug sod prices vary a lot, not only depending on the number of plugs but also on the type of grass used. That is why we decided to group sod plugs by variety so that you can see how much a specific package costs for each kind.
1. St. Augustine Floratam Grass Plugs
- St. Augustine Floratam – 64 pack – $105.04
- St. Augustine Floratam – 32 pack – $72.19
- St. Augustine Floratam – 16 pack – $35.51
2. St. Augustine Citrablue Grass Plugs
- St. Augustine CitraBlue – 64 pack – $117.42
- St. Augustine CitraBlue – 32 pack – $52.44
- St. Augustine CitraBlue – 16 pack – $49.11
3. St. Augustine Seville Grass Plugs
- St. Augustine Seville – 64 pack – $84.82
- St. Augustine Seville – 32 pack – $45.12
- St. Augustine Seville – 16 pack – $35.00
4. St. Augustine Palmetto Grass Plugs
- St. Augustine Palmetto – 64 pack – $149.38
- St. Augustine Palmetto – 32 pack – $71.28
- St. Augustine Palmetto – 16 pack – $50.89
5. Centipede Grass Plugs
- Centipede – 64 pack – $82.93
- Centipede – 32 pack – $51.98
- Centipede – 16 pack – $49.44
6. Bermuda Grass Plugs
- Bermuda shorts – 64 pack – $159.08
- Bermuda shorts – 32 pack – $45.12
- Bermuda shorts – 16 pack – $36.98
7. Zoysia Grass Plugs
- Zoysia – 64 pack – $110.58
- Zoysia – 32 pack – $51.98
- Zoysia – 16 pack – $49.44
Things You Need To Consider When Buying Sod
Sods might seem like the perfect solution that involves almost no hassle, but we would like to point out a few things you need to consider during and after sod installation. If you listen to our advice, you will really get a perfect lawn with almost no effort.
1. Watering
Watering the lawn thoroughly after installing the sod is essential, especially during the first two weeks. Sods’ roots are not fully developed and need a larger amount of water not only to survive but continue growing and establishing themselves in the ground beneath them.
2. Rolling
Rolling is a process that is done after laying the lawn in order to press the substrate to the ground.
However, even after rolling, air pockets may form in the spots where the sods or plugs are not properly installed, preventing the newly laid lawn from coming into contact with the ground and causing drying out in those places.
In this case, you should repeat the rolling for the grass to turn green again.
3. Fertilization
It is recommended to fertilize the grass three times a year – once in spring, summer, and autumn. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to determine how much fertilizer you need.
Conclusion
So, if you want to buy a pallet of sod at Home Depot, which covers 500 square feet, that will cost you $584.98. The price is the same for all sod varieties.
If a pallet is too much, you can opt for smaller sods, called plugs, which are sold in packages of 64, 32, and 16. A 64-piece will cost you between $159 and $82, depending on the variety, while a price of 32-pack ranges from $72 to $45. Sixteen plugs cost between $50 and $35.
In case this much sod knowledge is not enough, please head to the comment section and shoot us a question!