Sod installation and replacement in Mount Dora, FL

Strip, grade, lay, roll: how sod goes in

• StripOld grass and weeds cut out, roots and all. Laying sod over dead turf leaves an air gap the new roots can’t cross.
• GradeLow spots filled and the ground raked smooth, sloping away from the house so water doesn’t sit against the foundation.
• Check the sprinklersHeads raised or moved so every corner of the new sod gets water. Dry corners are where new sod dies first.
• LayPieces butted tight with the seams staggered like brickwork, and cut cleanly around beds, walks and sprinkler heads.
• Roll and waterRolled for good contact with the sand, then watered in the same day.

Which grass to lay in a Mount Dora yard

• St. Augustine (Floratam)The most common lawn in town and the one most yards should match. Thick and fast to spread, but it wants full sun.
• Shade-tolerant St. AugustineDwarf and shade-tolerant cultivars such as Seville handle dappled oak shade better than Floratam.
• BahiaTough, drought tolerant and low-input, with a coarser, thinner look. A practical choice for big sunny lots and back acreage, not for shade.
• ZoysiaDense and fine-bladed, with a carpet look. Slower to recover from damage and fussier about mowing height.

When no grass will grow: deep oak shade

Some spots under Mount Dora’s oaks get too little light for any turf, shade-tolerant or not. Re-sodding them every couple of years buys a few good months at a time. A planted or mulched shade bed is the lasting fix, and our landscaping page covers how we build one.

Best time to lay sod, and watering it in Mount Dora

Sod can go down most of the year in Central Florida as long as it can be watered, but late spring into early summer is when it roots fastest. The summer rains help, too.

Under the current Phase III water shortage order from the St. Johns River Water Management District, newly laid sod gets extra watering days for its first weeks. After that it joins the rest of the yard: odd-numbered addresses on Saturday and even-numbered addresses on Sunday. No irrigation between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Check the City of Mount Dora’s water page for the current rules before you change the timer.

Hold off mowing until the sod has rooted, when a corner no longer lifts if you tug it. Keep heavy foot traffic off it until then.

Sod priced by the square feet we measure

Sod is priced by area, and the grass type and the amount of prep change the number. We measure the lawn area from parcel records and aerial imagery and send a fixed price that shows the square footage, so you know exactly how much sod you’re paying for. Once it’s rooted, the same crew can mow it on one invoice.

Ready for a number? Use the form or call (352) 383-9213. Mount Dora Lawn Care is run by Golden Lawn Care, the Eustis crew behind this site.