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Seed and Sod

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BES-TEX Supply, LLC4512 Adobe Dr., San Angelo, TX 76903

Call 325.653.1300

Landscape Supplies · Turf

Seed and sod

Five quick questions, the same ones we'd ask you at the counter. Work through them to see which grass fits your yard and how much to buy, then call or email us for a quote.

Landscape Supplies › Turf › Seed and sod

Why we ask firstThe right grass in the wrong spot never makes it. Sun, traffic and water decide what will grow before price ever comes into it.

Question 1 of 5

How many hours of direct sun does this spot get?

Pick the closest answer. On a clear day, check the spot every hour or two and count the hours it's in full sun.

8 hours or moreSun most of the day
6 to 8 hoursShade for part of the day
4 to 6 hoursShade from trees or the house for a good part of the day
Less than 4 hoursMostly shade
Why it mattersGrass runs on sunlight. Bermuda needs 6 to 8 hours or more of direct sun and has no shade tolerance, seed or sod. St. Augustine gets by on about 4 to 6 hours.
Monte's solar light testNot sure? Push one of those little solar walkway lights into the ground where you want grass and leave it a few days. If it collects enough sun to light up at night, there's likely enough sun to grow grass there. If it stays dark or dim, grass won't have enough sun either. It's a free test.

Question 2 of 5

How much traffic will it get?

Think about kids, dogs, and anything with wheels.

LightMostly for looks, some walking
ModerateKids playing or a dog
HeavyDaily play, several dogs, or vehicles
Why it mattersBermuda spreads by runners above and below the ground, so it fills back in after wear. St. Augustine doesn't hold up to heavy traffic.

Question 3 of 5

How will you water it?

New grass needs water every day or two until it roots in.

Sprinkler systemAutomatic or timer
Hose and sprinklerYou'll move it around
No way to waterRain only
Why it mattersIn our heat and wind, water is what makes or breaks new grass. How you water decides how much risk you're taking.

Question 4 of 5

When do you want to plant?

Pick when you plan to put it in.

March or April
May through August
September through February
Why it mattersBermuda seed won't come up until the soil stays around 65°F, roughly mid-May through summer here. Sod gives you more room on timing, but it roots best in the warm months.

Question 5 of 5

How big is the area?

Pace it off or use a tape. For odd shapes, break it into rectangles and add them up.

Length (ft) × Width (ft) = square feet. A 40 × 25 ft yard is 1,000 square feet.

Measure before you buyMost folks guess high on the front yard and low on the back.

Your recommendation

Which grass fits

Based on your sun, traffic, water and timing.

6 hours of sun or more: Bermuda

With full sun, Bermuda is the toughest grass for our heat and drought, and it recovers from wear.
March and April are too cool for Bermuda seed. Lay sod now, or wait until mid-May to seed.
September through February: seed won't come up this time of year. Sod can go down, but it won't root until the soil warms, so spring is the better bet.
Seed or sod? If you're planting May through August and can water, both will work for you. Sod: lawn in a few weeks. Seed: costs less, fills in over the summer.

4 to 6 hours of sun: St. Augustine

With 4 to 6 hours of sun, St. Augustine is the one that fits. It only comes as sod. There's no St. Augustine seed.
St. Augustine is a special order, so call us ahead of when you want to lay it.
St. Augustine won't stand up to heavy traffic. Plan a rock path or stepping stones where people and dogs run.
Sod laid in fall or winter won't root until the soil warms. Spring is the better bet.

Less than 4 hours of sun: that spot is too shady for grass

Under about 4 hours of direct sun, no turfgrass will hold up. Seed or sod, it thins out and you end up fighting weeds and bare dirt.

What works insteadA bed. Mulch and shade-loving plants do well where grass won't, and they use less water.
The Mulch tile is next on our list. Until then, call 325.653.1300 and we'll help you pick.

Watering

Without a way to water, new grass of any kind is a gamble here. Call us before you buy and we'll talk it through.
A hose works, but plan on watering every day or two for the first few weeks.

How much to buy

Sod by the pallet, seed by the pound

Sod

We sell sod by the full pallet only. No partial pallets.

Square feet × 1.05 (5% for cuts and edges) ÷ square feet per pallet, rounded up to the next full pallet.

Which Bermuda? All three are proven in our heat. Ask us about the differences.

Sod Sq ft per pallet Pallets for 1,000 sq ft
Celebration® Bermuda 450 3
Tiff 419 Bermuda 540 2
TifTuf Bermuda 450 3
Raleigh St. Augustine 450 3

Delivery: we can deliver sod. Delivery is arranged with each customer, so call 325.653.1300 to discuss.

Bermuda seed

Bermuda seed goes down at 3 to 5 lb per 1,000 sq ft; we figure 4 lb. That's 3 to 5 lb for 1,000 sq ft, 15 to 25 lb for 5,000 sq ft.

We carry Sahara II Bermuda (unhulled) in 50 lb and 25 lb bags.

We also carry Palisades Zoysia sod. Buffalograss and Fescue sod are special order, so call ahead and plan for extra time. Ask us if you'd like to compare.

Get the ground ready first

“Spend a month prepping, not a weekend prepping and laying sod, and the rest of your life trying to get it level.”Monte Sims, BES-TEX Supply

  1. Test your soil first. Get a soil test before you add anything. Don't add phosphorus, lime or sulfur without a reason the test gives you.
  2. Kill the weeds and clear the debris. Get rid of weeds, rocks, roots and trash now. They're a lot harder to deal with once grass is down. Follow the herbicide label exactly.
  3. Loosen compacted ground. Roots can't push into hard-packed dirt. Break up compacted areas before you grade.
  4. Grade for drainage and get it level. Slope water away from the house and fill the low spots now. This is the step that decides whether you'll be fighting bumps for years.
  5. Have water ready before the grass arrives. Set up your sprinklers or hoses before delivery day. New sod needs water the day it goes down.
  6. Lay sod the day it arrives. Sod is perishable. Lay it within 36 hours of harvest, sooner in hot weather. Stagger the seams like brickwork, butt the edges tight without overlapping, and roll it so it touches the soil.

Read our full new lawn guide ›

After it's down

Keep these steps handy for the first few weeks.

Watering

  • Don't count on the sprinkler system alone. Use a garden hose and water each piece of sod, one square at a time.
  • Go barefoot. Press the seams down with your heel so there are no air pockets under the sod.
  • Soak the sod and the soil under it the day it goes down, 2 to 4 inches deep.
  • Keep the root zone moist, not soggy, while roots set. Adjust for heat, wind and rain.
  • As roots take hold, water less often but deeper.
  • Check your city's watering rules first.

Mowing

  • Start once the sod is rooted and the ground is firm.
  • Use a sharp blade.
  • Never cut more than one third of the leaf at once.

Feeding and weeds

  • Fertilize by your soil test, grass type and growth stage, not by the calendar.
  • Starter fertilizer: we carry a 12-24-12 in 50 lb bags (a delivery item). Use it only if your soil test says you need it.
  • No pre-emergent for 6 to 8 months. It can hold back the new roots while the grass is getting established.
  • Keep fertilizer off driveways and sidewalks.
  • Use only herbicides labeled for your grass and its stage.

Send us your quote

We'll call you back with price and availability

Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.

Tell us your name, phone, address (in case you need delivery), the square feet, and your answers on sun, traffic, watering and when you want to plant. Anything else we should know? Slope, old grass to remove, gate width…

If the email button doesn't open your email app, email us at sales@bes-tex.com or call 325.653.1300.

Tools for the job

  • Landscape rake (for final grading)In store
  • Sod roller (to press sod down so it touches the soil)In store
  • Spreader (for seed and starter fertilizer)Ask us
  • Specialty shovels (for edges and cuts)In store
  • Hoses and sprinklers (water the day it goes down)Ask us
  • Sod staples (to hold sod on slopes)In store
  • Sod, full pallets only (delivery arranged with you: call 325.653.1300)Delivery available
  • Starter fertilizer 12-24-12, 50 lb bag (call 325.653.1300)Delivery item

Safety gear: safety glasses and gloves.

We can deliver sod pallets and 50 lb bags. Delivery is arranged with each customer: call 325.653.1300 to discuss.