Sod FAQ for
Jacksonville Homeowners

All pallets cover 450 square feet and delivery is already included — no separate fee to add. Installation is available separately at $250/pallet. See our full 2026 pricing guide for a deeper breakdown.

Yes. Every sod price already includes delivery — there's no separate fee to add. Installation is available separately at $250/pallet. Use the calculator at firstcoastsod.com for an instant full estimate — no call required.

We deliver pallets to the curb in front of your property. Moving sod from the curb to your yard is the homeowner's or installer's responsibility. A typical pallet weighs 2,000–2,500 lbs, so plan to have a sod cart, wheelbarrow, or help available. We do not bring pallets through gates, side yards, or onto soft ground.

Yes. We offer installation services for qualifying orders. Call (904) 362-1337 for an installation quote. Installation pricing is based on your property's square footage, soil condition, and access. Delivery-only orders are also available — see how do you install sod compares to delivery-only in our full breakdown.

Our minimum order is typically 1 pallet. Availability for small orders can vary by season and grass type — call us at (904) 362-1337 to confirm current availability before ordering.

St. Augustine — specifically Floratam — is the most popular sod in Northeast Florida. It's the default choice for most Jacksonville residential lawns because of its shade tolerance, fast establishment, lush appearance, and universal HOA acceptance. Zoysia is a close second for coastal and premium HOA communities. See our full St. Augustine guide for details.

St. Augustine is the most shade-tolerant warm-season grass available in Jacksonville. Standard Floratam needs 6+ hours of direct sun. Palmetto St. Augustine — a shade-improved cultivar — performs well with 4–5 hours of direct sunlight. If your yard has significant shade from mature trees, ask about Palmetto when you call. Bermuda and Bahia are not suitable for shaded yards.

Zoysia. It has the best salt tolerance of all four varieties we carry and handles coastal wind conditions extremely well. For properties in Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Ponte Vedra, and Nocatee, Zoysia is consistently our top recommendation. Priced at $350/pallet (delivery included) — a modest premium over St. Augustine for significantly better coastal performance. See our Zoysia guide.

Bahia at $200/pallet (delivery included) — less than half the cost of St. Augustine and a fraction of Zoysia or Bermuda. Bahia is best for large lots, rural properties, and open commercial areas where covering ground is the goal. It's not HOA-approved in most communities and has a coarser appearance than other varieties. See our Bahia guide for the full picture.

Bermuda for heavy, constant traffic. It's used on sports fields specifically for its wear tolerance and fast recovery. St. Augustine handles normal family use — moderate foot traffic, kids playing, one or two dogs — perfectly well. If your yard takes a daily beating from multiple dogs or frequent sports activities, Bermuda is worth the extra cost at $325/pallet, delivery included.

St. Augustine — specifically Floratam — is the standard choice for Northeast Florida. It thrives in Jacksonville’s subtropical heat, tolerates partial shade, spreads quickly via stolons, and is accepted by virtually every local HOA. Zoysia is the premium upgrade for full-sun yards. Bermuda is the top performer for high-traffic open areas. Bahia handles large rural or utility properties.

The four warm-season varieties available from Northeast Florida sod providers are St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda, and Bahia. First Coast Sod carries all four, cut fresh daily. St. Augustine is the most available and most ordered year-round. See each variety guide for a full comparison.

St. Augustine wins for shaded yards, faster establishment, and budget-conscious projects ($300/pallet, delivery included). Zoysia is the better long-term investment for full-sun yards: it requires less mowing, tolerates drought and salt air better, and produces a denser, finer-textured lawn once established ($350/pallet, delivery included). Both are HOA-accepted throughout Jacksonville.

All four varieties perform in full sun, ranked by use case: Bermuda for high-traffic sports-use yards ($325/pallet, delivery included). Zoysia for the finest-textured, lowest-mowing full-sun lawn ($350/pallet, delivery included). St. Augustine for standard residential full-sun yards that also want shade flexibility ($300/pallet, delivery included). Bahia for large, low-budget rural areas ($200/pallet, delivery included).

Most orders can be delivered within 3–5 business days. Same-week delivery is often available, especially during non-peak seasons. Call (904) 362-1337 to check current availability and schedule delivery. Spring is our busiest season — order early to secure your preferred delivery date.

We serve Duval County (Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Mandarin, Ortega, Riverside, Southside), St. Johns County (Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, St. Augustine, Fruit Cove), Clay County (Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg), and Nassau County (Fernandina Beach, Yulee, Callahan). Call to confirm delivery availability to your specific address.

Approximately 2,000–2,500 lbs depending on moisture content. You will need a solid, flat surface (driveway or street) for delivery — pallets cannot be placed on soft grass, gravel, or slopes. Have a sod cart or wheelbarrow ready to move pieces from the curb to your installation area.

No more than 24–48 hours in Florida's heat. Sod is a living product and the heat trapped inside a pallet accelerates decomposition quickly in Jacksonville's subtropical climate. Install as soon as possible after delivery. If you must wait, keep the pallet in full shade and water it lightly. Do not install dying or heat-damaged sod.

We deliver to the curb only — curbside delivery. Getting sod from the curb to your backyard is the homeowner's or installer's responsibility. Typical approach: sod cart or wheelbarrow to carry pieces through the side gate. If your project is entirely in the backyard, plan your labor accordingly before delivery day.

Yes — delivery is a separate charge, not rolled into the per-pallet sod price. Delivery is already included in every price — there's no separate fee to add. Every price already includes delivery, so the total per pallet stays the same no matter how many you order. The calculator at firstcoastsod.com adds it automatically when you enter your square footage.

Most orders from a local sod provider can be delivered within 3–5 business days. Same-week delivery is often available during non-peak seasons. Spring (March–May) is the busiest — expect longer lead times. Call (904) 362-1337 to check current availability for your target date.

Yes — when you order installation, delivery and install are coordinated on the same day. This is also best practice: fresh-cut sod should be installed within 24–48 hours of leaving the farm. If you are handling a DIY install on a delivery-only order, have your crew ready the same day delivery arrives.

Sod delivery means the provider drops fresh-cut sod curbside — you or your landscaper handles prep, laying, and cleanup. Sod installation is a full-service option: the provider delivers and also handles ground prep, laying the sod, and cleanup. First Coast Sod offers both — delivery-only from $200/pallet (delivery included), or full install adding $250/pallet labor. See pricing at firstcoastsod.com.

Remove all existing grass and weeds (by hand, sod cutter, or herbicide — but wait 2 weeks after herbicide before sodding). Grade the soil to ensure proper drainage and eliminate low spots. Apply a starter fertilizer (phosphorus-rich) and till it in lightly. Wet the prepared area before sod arrives. Grade soil 1 inch below adjacent hard surfaces so the finished lawn is flush with sidewalks and driveways.

Water immediately after each section of sod is laid — don't wait until the whole yard is done. For the first 10–14 days, water 2–3 times daily to keep the soil moist 4 inches deep. Check by lifting a corner of sod and poking the soil — it should feel damp, not soggy or bone dry. Taper watering frequency after 2 weeks as roots establish.

Wait at least 2 weeks before walking on new sod, and avoid any traffic during the first week. The sod is establishing root connections to your soil during this period, and foot traffic disrupts that process. After 2–3 weeks, you can walk normally. Wait 4–6 weeks before mowing for the first time or resuming normal yard activities.

Spring (March through May) is ideal — warm temperatures and consistent rainfall support fast establishment. Jacksonville's subtropical climate allows sod installation year-round, unlike northern states. Summer installations work well but require more diligent watering. Fall installations establish before winter dormancy. See our guide on the best time of year for sod for month-by-month details.

Divide your square footage by 450 and round up to the nearest full pallet. Example: a 2,000 sq ft yard needs 4.4 pallets — order 5. Always order a little extra to account for cuts, irregular shapes, and waste. Use our free sod calculator for an instant estimate — enter your yard dimensions and it does the math. For the full walkthrough, see how much sod do I need.

Most full-service sod installation providers handle old turf removal as part of ground prep. If you choose delivery-only, that removal is your responsibility. Old grass must be completely removed before new sod is laid — installing over existing turf creates a thatch barrier that prevents root establishment and leads to sod failure.

Wait until sod reaches 4 inches tall before your first mow — typically 3–4 weeks after installation. Set blade height based on variety: St. Augustine at 3.5–4 inches, Bermuda and Zoysia at 1.5–2 inches, Bahia at 3–4 inches. Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single mowing. During Jacksonville's summer growing season, Bermuda may need mowing weekly or more.

The most common causes of yellowing are overwatering (root rot from standing water), underwatering (drought stress), or nitrogen deficiency. Check soil moisture 4 inches down before watering — it should feel damp, not soggy or completely dry. If watering is correct, yellowing may indicate the need for fertilizer. A soil test from your local UF/IFAS extension office can identify specific nutrient deficiencies.

Chinch bugs are the number one pest of St. Augustine grass in Florida. They're tiny insects (about 1/5 inch) that feed at the soil line, injecting a toxin that kills grass. Signs: irregular brown patches appearing in sunny, hot areas of your lawn that spread outward over days to weeks. The patches look like drought stress but won't recover with watering. Jacksonville's hot summers are peak chinch bug season. See our chinch bug guide for identification and treatment.

No. Existing grass must be completely removed before installing new sod. Installing over old turf creates a thatch barrier that prevents new roots from reaching the soil, leading to establishment failure. Remove existing grass by hand, sod cutter, or herbicide (wait 2 weeks after herbicide application). Rototilling after removal helps break up compaction and improves root penetration.

Apply a starter fertilizer (look for one with higher phosphorus content — the middle number on the bag) before installation and till it into the top few inches of soil. Wait 30–45 days after installation before applying any additional fertilizer — applying too soon when roots are still establishing can burn new sod. After the first 30–45 days, follow a standard Florida turf fertilization schedule for your specific grass type.

Yes — typically significantly fresher. Local sod providers source from regional farms where sod is cut daily or every few days and delivered directly to you. Big-box store sod goes through a longer supply chain: cut, palletized, transported to a distribution center, then to the store where it may sit for days before you pick it up. In Jacksonville’s heat, fresher sod means faster root establishment and less transplant shock. Days on a pallet in a Florida summer matter.

Look for a provider who publishes pricing openly (no “call for a quote” runaround), specifies the variety and source of their sod, shows real photos of completed installs rather than stock images, and has verified Google reviews from local customers. In Northeast Florida, confirm the sod is cut daily from a local farm — not sourced through out-of-state distribution. See our full guide: what to look for in a sod provider.

Florida’s subtropical climate makes grass seed largely impractical for warm-season turf. St. Augustine — Jacksonville’s dominant grass — does not produce viable seed and can only be propagated via sod, sprigs, or plugs. Even for seeding varieties like Bahia and Bermuda, Florida’s variable rain patterns and intense weed pressure during germination make sod the more reliable and cost-effective choice. Sod gives you instant, established coverage in a single day.