Sod Varieties

Lawrence / KC Sod Varieties

Locally produced, quality sod

Grown at our own sod farms

Ted and Wade Wilbur, owners of Sod Shop – grow their own sod in some of the best river bottom ground near Bentley, Sedgwick and Lawrence, Kansas.

Our sod farms have quickly gained a reputation for their automation of production and very high quality standards.

We are working closely with our seed suppliers and the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (www.tgwca.org) to grow the most drought resistant sod available today.

Learn about TWCA approved brands and and our drought resistant seed varieties .

Click on the tabs below to find out details about each variety we carry.

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Sold through both our Wichita and Lawrence/Kansas City Area locations.

Note to Homeowners: – Sod Shop only provides installation in the KC/Lawrence area. Retail sales are available in Wichita & Lawrence.

Older varieties available in other stores, such as coarse textured Kentucky 31, should be avoided.

There are now many improved tall turf cultivars that have a finer texture, but not as fine as bluegrass. Many have improved disease and insect resistance.

The turf type tall fescue is good for high-traffic home lawns and shady areas. It has better drought tolerance than bluegrass but does require additional watering in extreme conditions. There is some confusion between tall fescues, turf-type tall fescues and fine fescue.

For most home lawns, only consider using turf-type tall fescue blends with no more than 10%  Kentucky bluegrass that meets the TWCA approval.

For cool season and transitional areas of the country, these blends are well suited. As the seedlings establish themselves, the one best suited for particular areas (shady / sunny) of the lawn will become predominate.

Mowing Height

2 1/2″ to 3″

Watering

1″ per week during growing season

Fertilization

Needs regular fertilization

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Sold only through our Lawrence/Kansas City Area location.

Note to homeowners: Sod is available for installation or retail sale at our Lawrence location.

  • Most common of cool season grasses.
  • Spreads moderately and will fill in bare spots.
  • Goes dormant in hot, dry weather as well as during the cold winter months.
  • Does poorly in extremely shady areas.
  • Not recommended for extremely hot climates and will require supplemental irrigation during hot, dry periods.
  • Bluegrass seed-blends that include perennial ryegrass, produce a tougher wearing lawn. With the addition of creeping red fescue, the lawn will tolerate shadier areas.
  • Bluegrass develops as shallow root system that is not very drought tolerant, however, it will go dormant during extreme condition and if given intermittent watering during prolonged drought conditions, it will come back.

Shade Tolerance

Poor

Mowing Height

1 1/2″ – 2 1/2″

Water

Needs regular watering. Will survive droughts by going into a dormant state.

Fertilization

Needs regular fertilization

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Grown at our Wichita Farm. 

Note: Bermuda sod is sold in 35 yard big rolls or Sprigs that are sold in 50 bushel super sacks. The sprigs cover 87 sq. feet per bushel or 4,350 sq. feet per super sack.

Latitude 36 (OKC 1119) was developed by renowned Oklahoma State University and is a top quality rated NTEP bermudagrass. It shows resistance to spring dead spot and is one of the most cold hardy bermudas on the market. Latitude 36 offers high traffic tolerance and exceptional visual appeal. It has excellent tensile strength and is finer textured than NorthBridge Bermuda. Latitude 36 is an ideal choice for southern and transitional zone applications including sports, golf, and homes.

Aesthetics

  • Uses: Golf, Commercial, Sports/Parks, Home
  • Color: Dark Green
  • Blade-width: Width 1.67 mm
  • Feel: Soft
  • Fall Color Retention: Very Good
  • Spring Green Up: Very Good

Functions

  • Soils: Sandy, Clay
  • Growth: Rhizomes/Stolons
  • Wear: Excellent
  • Injury Recovery: Excellent
  • Insect Resistance: Very Good
  • Diesease Resistance: Very Good

Climate

  • Heat: Excellent
  • Cold: Excellent
  • Shade: Good
  • Drought: Excellent
  • Salt: Very Good

Care

  • Mower: Standard Rotary/Reel
  • Height: .5-1.5″
  • Weed Control: Very Good
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Grown at our Wichita Farm. 

Note: Sold only in 35 yard big rolls

Buffalograss is a warm-season, perennial native grass that forms a sod. Buffalograss is native to the Great Plains from Canada to Mexico. It is a dioecious species having separate male and female plants. The male plant when flowering has an erect stem with a flag-like spike. The female plant forms a burr below the canopy which contains the seed. Buffalograss has fine textured leaves and spreads by runners or stolons. Buffalograss prefers well drained clay loam and clay soils. Buffalograss is thought of as a “dual-purpose” grass since it has long been used for both range as well as turf applications. The low-maintenance aspect of buffalograss has created great interest in developing new turfgrass cultivars with increased leaf density, faster establishment, and improved color.

 

Mowing Height

2″ to 4″

Watering

Frequent light watering during establishment
Infrequent deep soaking for mature turf

Fertilization

1 – 3 lbs. N per 1,000 sq. ft. per growing season

Grown at our Wichita Farm. 

Notes: Sold only in 35 yard big rolls | Available in limited quantities

Meyer Zoysia is an improved strain of zoysia japonica. Meyer zoysia was released jointly by the USDA and the U. S. Golf Association Greens Section in 1951.

Zoysiagrass does best in full sun and therefore should not be used in shady areas. It is drought tolerant and relatively pest free.

Meyer zoysiagrass does not produce viable seed and must be propagated through vegetation. It is readily available as sod and will give an instant lawn, with best results in late spring or early summer sodding.

Golf course superintendents find Meyer Zoysia easy to manage due to low water requirements, superior cold tolerance, and less mowing.  To the golfer, Meyer Zoysia’s uniformity, coupled with its dense growth, makes for an excellent lie for the golf ball, even while dormant.

Grown at our Wichita Farm. 

Notes: Sold only in 35 yard big rolls | Available in limited quantities

Innovation is a versatile Zoysia grass. Developed by researchers at Kansas State University and Texas A&M University, Innovation is very cold-tolerant. This hardy yet attractive turfgrass is suitable for the southern two-thirds of the United States. It is an excellent choice for users in the transition zone. Fast-growing Innovation has very good shade tolerance and is easy to maintain. Aesthetically, Innovation is an appealing dark green color, with a medium- to fine-texture. It will please golf course professionals as well as discerning homeowners.

Download this PDF for more information on Innovation Zoysia