A Simple Guide to a Beautiful Lawn

Selecting your Turfgrass

The first step to a beautiful lawn is deciding the type of turfgrass you desire, which goes beyond aesthetics. Several factors must be considered, such as which turfgrass is proven to grow in your area. Once you narrow down your options, you then must consider the following factors:
  • Exposure to sunlight
  • Soil depth & quality
  • Intended use – lawn, golf course, athletic field, etc.
  • Amount & type of traffic
  • Annual rainfall or available irrigation
  • Desired maintenance
Thomas Stone & Materials offers several types of turfgrass for you to choose from. Take a look below at the varieties available and each of their strengths/weaknesses.

JaMur Zoysia
Medium to coarse textured with a blue-green color ~ Grows best in medium to full sunlight ~ Good drought & wear tolerance ~ Great for use in high traffic, high visibility applications ~ Similar in appearance to a dwarf variety of Raleigh St. Augustine ~ Ideal for residential, commerical, or industrial sites ~ Low maintenance requiring minimal watering

Why Choose Sod?

Most people choose sod because it's the quickest and easiest way to enjoy an established lawn. This is definitely true, but the advantages go far beyond that. Sod provides immediate soil erosion control, eliminates dust and mold problems, minimizes the need for weed control, and it can be planted year round in South Texas. Sod is also more versatile than most people realize. It is available in many of the best turfgrass varieties and it can be used for your full lawn or only in small areas.

General Sod Information

Sod is available in three sizes.
  1. By the pallet: 450 sq ft - great for residential areas
  2. Big rolls: 42'x105' - great for larger commerical project
  3. By piece: 16"x24" & sometimes 24"x24" - small areas, patchwork, etc.
We require payment in advance on all grass orders since your grass is cut to order to ensure quality and FRESHNESS. Grass is usually available within 2 days; however, it may be longer in the fall & winter months. St. Augustine is sometimes available for same day delivery - call for availability. A valid credit card is required for all phone orders; however, you may elect to pay with other means on delivery.

Installing Your Own Sod:

Site Preparation: Sod survives best when planted on a well-prepared site. Begin with applying 4-6" of topsoil preferably mixed with compost. You may need to loosen existing soil by raking or tilling. If there is existing grass, you have several options. Remove (dig up) it, rotortill it about 4-6" deep, or mow the grass as short as possible and spray with a grass/weed killer 3-5 days prior to installing new grass. You may need to add a couple inches of new soil. Next, rake the ground to level and remove any visible debris from the soil, and use a roller to level the ground. Water the ground about 36 hours before you lay your sod.

Laying Sod: Lay the first line of sod along a straight line such as a driveway, sidewalk or a string stretched between two stakes. Staggering the sod as you lay it, like bricks, is recommended. Lay the pieces of sod together tightly without overlapping. Rolling your fresh sod helps eliminate air pockets and ensures uniform soil contact needed for good rooting.

Water as You Lay: Water as you lay the sod. Do not wait until you are finished. Stop every 30-45 minutes and use your hose or sprinkler system as you finish an area. Wet the ground as deep as four inches. Check under several pieces to make sure the ground is uniformly wet. After complete installation, make sure the ground and sod are heavily watered.

Maintaining New Sod: To encourage rooting, water every 2 to 3 days or just often enough to make sure the soil is moist (not wet) to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Warm-season grasses sodded in late fall or winter may not be well rooted until spring and may need watering until spring rooting begins. In hotter weather (above 80 degrees F), new sod may need watering daily until it is well rooted. Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day as this could cause grass leaves to burn. Try to avoid any activities on your new sod until it's well rooted.

Sod Planting Tips:


SOD SHOULD BE LAID WITHIN 24-36 HOURS OF RECEIPT OF GRASS; SOONER IN SUMMER.

It helps if you lightly water the prepared area before laying the sod pieces. Don't wait until you are finished laying the last block, rather water the pieces as you go.

Sod requires contact with the soil and moisture to grow; therefore, the ground needs to be as clear as possible before installing the sod.

Water daily for the first two-three weeks. Be sure to apply ¾” to 1” of water per day. If placing in a shaded area, don't over water, ¾” may be sufficient. Rain - unless you receive ¾” or 1” of water during rainfall, you will still have to water. We recommend using a rain gauge.

An Irrigation System is Recommended for Best Results


Light requirements - All grass requires a certain amount of sunlight to grow. Please check the variety requirements before ordering/planting.

Fertilization - We recommend waiting at least 4 weeks before fertilizing newly planted sod.

Mowing - Wait until the sod is rooted before mowing. You can test area by pulling up on grass to see if it moves or not.

How is sod sold?

Sod is sold by the square yard or square foot. 1 square yard of sod = 9 square feet (a pallet contains about 450 square feet). An acre is 43,560 square feet or 4,840 square yards.

How much does a pallet weigh?

Approximately 1,800 - 2,000lbs.

How many pieces on a pallet?

Typically there are about 160 - 170 blocks (pieces) on 1 pallet.

To figure out what you need:

  1. Try to square your yard up.
  2. Measure Length X Width = Square Footage.
  3. Divide that by 450 square feet (1-Pallet).
  4. That will show how many pallets you will need.

Example:

  1. 45' X 60' = 2,700 sq. ft.
  2. 2,700 sq. ft. / 450 sq. ft.
  3. = 6 Pallets of turf
Call Spring Branch at 830-228-5858, San Antonio at 210-495-8873, or contact us online for landscaping materials.

Thomas Stone & Materials | Spring Branch, TX

Serving San Antonio, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Garden Ridge, Blanco, Boerne, New Braunfels, Seguin and Johnson City.