Category Archives: Knowledge

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NMSU Researchers Find New Information on Kentucky Bluegrass Water Use

Category : Knowledge , Products , Turf Care

We wanted to share with you recent studies conducted by NMSU regarding Kentucky Bluegrass!

New Mexico State University’s MSU Regent’s Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist Bernd Leinauer and Research Assistant Professor Matteo Serena are finding a previous notion that Kentucky bluegrass is a poor choice for dry climates to be misleading, if not incorrect. They are working to change the public’s perception on which turfgrasses can survive the best in the drought conditions found in this region

….

Such findings are different than what has been previously stated. The general opinion has been that Kentucky bluegrass should not be used because of the amount water that it needs to survive.

“This message is the complete opposite of what we’ve been hearing and what water utilities and city politicians tell us. Kentucky bluegrass has been perceived as the worst of all and uses the most water. However, our findings don’t support that. Our results show that if a cool-season grass is chosen, Kentucky bluegrass should be the grass of choice,” Leinauer said.

Las Cruces Sun Article: NMSU researchers find new information on Kentucky bluegrass water use.


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How To Order Your Sod

Category : Knowledge , Ordering Info

What to do first:

  1. Measure the area.
    Divide the area into easily measured shapes such as rectangles, squares, and triangles. Once each shape’s sq ft is calculated you will be able to add all these shapes together for total square footage.
  2. Choose your installation day.
  3. Decide whether you will pick up (in Moriarty) or you want the sod delivered.
  4. Call us for information on purchasing sod or come to the farm! 505-832-4247 (mornings only).
    • Phone calls answered Mon-Fri, 8 AM-11 AM.
    • Moriarty farm is open Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM (closed 12-1 for lunch).
    • You may call first to place and pay for your order (preferred) OR come out the to the farm and order on-site.

LATE SPRING, SUMMER & EARLY FALL

SOD:

We currently do not have an Albuquerque sod sales lot. SOD orders are for delivery or farm pick up only. Call 505-832-4247 (mornings only) to get information (Sod is available to purchase at the farm M-F 8AM to 4 PM and closed for lunch 12 PM – 1 PM).

Please plan ahead for Friday orders, as this is our busiest day, delivery or pick up orders. We suggest you call 3-4 days ahead of a Friday delivery order, and if you are coming out to the farm to pick up, please allow a little extra time. (It only takes a few minutes to cut a full pallet of sod, but you may have to wait

FERTILIZER, SEED, STOCKOSORB:

If you need to purchase our awesome fertilizer, seed, or Stockosorb, call 505-832-4247 (M-F, 8a-11a) to place an order.  We have an non-retail, administrative office in Albuquerque for pre-paid pick-up orders of these 3 products only. No sod may be picked up from this location.

CALL US @ 505-832-4247



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When Is Sod Available for Pick-Up or Delivery?


  • ALBUQUERQUE LOT CLOSED FOR 2022
  • SOD DELIVERY OR MORIARTY FARM PICK-UP ONLY

You can come to the farm during our business hours, weather permitting, and purchase sod.

MORIARTY FARM:

  • The Farm is open to the public Monday through Friday 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM BUT we shut down for lunch from 12 PM to 1 PM
    • MORIARTY FARM PURCHASES ARE PREFERABLY PAID BY CREDIT CARD(CASH IS ACCEPTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE) AT THE FARM OR IF SENDING SOMEONE TO PICK UP FOR YOU CALL DURING OUR OFFICE HOURS 8 AM- 11 AM (505)832-4247 TO PRE-PAY FOR SOD 
  • Sod is cut fresh for you when you arrive at the farm to pick it up. We never cut orders at the farm ahead of time, as we really don’t want to see our beautiful sod go to waste if someone decides they cannot pick it up. Cutting it fresh does not take much time out of your day – about 10 minutes to cut one pallet of sod (455 sq ft). You won’t have to wait very long to get the freshest cut sod available in the Southwest.

SOD DELIVERY OR PICK UP AT FARM:

  • Sod can be paid for at the farm by cash or card.
  • We deliver sod Tuesdays through Fridays.
    Fridays are our busiest delivery days, so we recommend that you call well in advance, if you wish to have your sod delivered on a Friday. We do not deliver on Saturdays.
  • Currently, we are cutting our Bluegrass Hybrid blend. We are not cutting any Park Blend or Fescue Blends at this time. (However, we still have fescue seed for sale…for a limited time.)
  • The delivery fee is dependent upon location. Please call 505-832-4247 for delivery costs.

PAYING FOR YOUR ORDER:

  • Deliveries must be paid at least 24 hours before your scheduled delivery day.
  • Deliveries can ONLY be paid over the phone (505-832-4247) via credit card and your receipts will be emailed to you.
  • You can pay by credit card or cash for sod pickups at the farm (for 2022), or call our office M-F        8 AM-11 AM to pay via phone.

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Keep Your Soil Moist with Stockosorb®

What is Stockosorb®?

Stockosorb® is a man-made water-absorbing polymer that is designed to improve the capability of soils and other growing media to retain water and plant nutrients. It can be used for the same reasons you would use peat moss mixed in the soil…to retain water near the roots.  Once in contact with water, it will absorb 10 times it weight in water.

How to Apply to Your Soil

We recommend that you add Stockosorb® crystals to your tilled soil using a spreader, AFTER you have added your other soil amendments, and rake it in at about 2″ depth (closest to root level). Do not add water to it until you have laid your sod.

How Stockosorb® Works

Once the Stockosorb® crystals come in contact with water, they will capture water that would have otherwise been lost into the aquifer. They will expand to hold up to 10 times their weight in water and keep the captured water at the root level of the sod. This means that the next time your grass is thirsty, it will “drink” from the water absorbed by the Stockosorb® first, allowing you to save on water usage.

Stockosorb® crystals remain in the soil for 7-10 years (dependent upon soil conditions, etc).

You can also use Stockosorb® when planting trees, plants, in potted plants and gardens, and even in your indoor plants.  Just be careful, as a little bit goes a long way!

Please call us for any more information.

505-832-4247


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Water-Saving Advice

Watering your yard really doesn’t have to cost “an arm and a leg.” With a properly planned and operating irrigation system you can cut your water usage as much as 50%. You can start by knowing how much water you are applying at each watering…it’s effortless!

  • The goal is the get 1″ of water on the turf. Place several empty coffee, tuna or similar open-top containers around your yard and water until 1″ of water accumulates in the containers.  Time this event and then you will know how long you should water. Typically this can last anywhere between 15-30 minutes depending on your system and water pressure.
  • Plan your watering cycle for every 2nd or 3rd day. If you observe any water runoff, cut the watering time to half and water 2 times during each planned watering day.
  • Shut off the irrigation system if you observe rain and let the rainy day take place of one of your watering cycle days.
  • July and August are months that normally require additional water. Water when it’s cooler, such as between 4:00am-6:00am or earlier evening around 6:00-7:00pm. Just pay attention to evening watering, as it can lead to turf diseases and fungus.
  • Throughout winter months, your lawn will still need water. Water only one time every 10-12 days, during warmer daytime hours, and when there is no snow on the ground.

Simple, right? Now you can enjoy your yard while saving thousands of gallons of water each year, and don’t forget those dollars you will also save!


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Caring for Your Turf Grass

WATERING

Water the sod immediately after installation until it’s completely soaked, but not puddled ABOVE the sod. Initially, apply at least 1″ of water so the soil underneath is very wet. Pull back a corner of sod to verify your watering is penetrating the underlying soil. Make sure the water is getting to all the areas of your lawn and no corners or edges are missed by your sprinklers. Weather conditions will dictate the frequency and amount of water to apply. It is critical to keep the underlying soil moist for two weeks or until your turf is well rooted.

As the turf becomes more established, begin deeper, less frequent water applications to promote deeper rooting and hardier turf.

Be sure your new turf grass has enough moisture to survive hot, cold, dry and windy conditions. Generally speaking, as the root system grows deeper, irrigation frequency should be reduced.

GENERAL RULES FOR ESTABLISHING NEW TURF

WEEK 1 – 7AM + 11AM + 2 PM

If the soil remains moist and absolutely no turf wilt is observed, eliminate the 11:00 watering.

WEEK 2 – 7AM + 2PM

If the soil remains moist and absolutely no turf wilt is observed, eliminate the 2:00PM watering.

WEEKS 3 & 4 – 7AM

If the soil remains moist and absolutely no turf wilt is observed, water every other day.

Eventually taper back to once every two or three days.
Adjust according to weather and season – water more frequently during warm or dry weather.
Turn off water if it’s windy, as the water evaporates at a much higher rate.
Do not water sod between 8 PM and 4 AM, as this can promote turf disease.

FOOT TRAFFIC

During the first couple of weeks after installation, keep traffic off your newly planted turf grass as much as possible. Your new turf grass needs time to firmly knit the roots with the soil. If you have properly watered your newly-laid turf grass, it will be moist and soft. Traffic will create indentures and destroy your smooth grade.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If DRY SPOTS appear in the lawn during the afternoon, the irrigation time should be increased. If dry spots persist, an irrigation uniformity problem is likely, and an additional sprinkler head may be required.

BROWN LAWN areas are most commonly caused by one of three types of problems: Improper watering, burn, or disease. Check for watering and burn problems first before treating for disease.

BROWN SPOTS caused by a burn will result from pet urine, over-fertilization, gasoline spills, etc. Burn spots are distinguished from other types of damage by their “total kill” straw-yellow color. If a burned area is thoroughly flushed with water in the early stage of damage some recovery may occur. Otherwise reseeding or sodding may be necessary. However, with bluegrass, if you are patient, the area will fill itself in. It will just take some time. With fescue, overseeding or re-sodding will be necessary, as it will NOT fill itself in.

To check for LACK OF WATER use a screwdriver or knife to probe the brown areas of your lawn as well as the healthy green areas. If the brown area is more difficult to penetrate then a lack of water is likely. This is usually the result of poor sprinkler spacing or sprinkler malfunction. Saturate the area with a hose as soon as possible and continue to provide supplemental water until the sprinklers are repaired.

EXCESS WATER can cause turf to die by suffocating the plants roots or rotting its crown. This generally occurs in low spots or shady areas. Check for muddy soil, algae crusts, or slimy rotting grass. To correct problems in the shade, reduce irrigation time to that area or replace the sprinklers with lower volume heads. Low spots must either be raised or set up to drain. A French drain might need to be installed, which can be done by local landscape contractor.

DISEASES are almost always related to heat and moisture. However, poor irrigation practices can also promote disease development. The longer moisture stays in the turf foliage the greater the disease risk. Therefore, do not water at night, (between 6 pm and 4 am) since the lawn will stay wet until morning. It is best to irrigate between 6 am and 8 am. Early morning watering reduces evaporation.


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Calculate The Area for Sod

EXAMPLE:
1. MEASURE the area where you want to lay sod (length and width in feet). Length = 22 ft.
Width = 35 ft.
2. MULTIPLY the length by width. This will give you the total square footage. 22 x 35 = 770 sq.ft. total
3. To figure the cost (not yet including tax), MULTIPLY the square footage from above (#2) by our current price per square foot. 770 sq.ft.
x $.80 / sq.ft.
= $616.00 plus tax (Moriarty, NM)

Does not include any delivery charges
  • Sod is available in rolls from 7 sq.ft. (18″ x 54″) to 300 sq.ft.
  • Our regular rolls are 7 square feet.
  • One Pallet = 455 sq.ft. and weighs approximately 2300 lbs. depending on water content (adds weight).

PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MEASUREMENTS.
We cannot not take responsibility for
incorrect square footage calculations.


Use our Sod Calculators for an approximate price!



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No Netting…Ever!

Category : Knowledge , Products , Turf Care

Through-out our sod growing industry, some farmers are turning to using plastic netting to hold their sod rolls together, rather than waiting until the root system grows to a total mature age.

Using a netting benefits only the farmer…not their customer!

Recently, a customer drove to our Moriarty farm to purchase our premium sod.  Last year, he bought sod from one of the large outlet chain stores; but sod died during the winter.  He shared, when rototilling the dirt, all of the netting, which was still in the dead roots, twined up the roto-tiller and caused much trouble clearing the rototiller.  Obviously he was happy that we, at StoneGate TurfGrass Ranch, never take the short path, and wait the long growing period until our sod is totally mature and healthy.

NO NETTING AT OUR FARM…EVER!

We appreciate your business, but rather more…your friendship!


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Step-by-Step Sod Installation Instructions

1. Rake and remove all rocks, sticks and debris from surface area of the soil.


2. Add peat moss to soil.

This will retain water to feed back to the sod, as well as loosen the current soil structure. For heavy sand or clay soil, a soil amendment such as a new nutrient-rich compost or top soil, is recommended. (Note: Some top soils contain certain amounts of peat moss already. Too much peat moss will make your new lawn very “spongy”.

For maximum water savings, add our Stockosorb polymers to your soil. They absorb many times their weight in water and redistribute the water in a slower time-release process (1 teaspoon absorbs approximately 8 oz. of water. 1 lb. covers approximately 200 sq.ft.)


Installing Sod

3. Roto-till the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches.

Rake again to remove additional rocks, sticks and debris that have been brought to the surface. A wide-tooth rake is excellent for this process.


4. Rake to form a smooth surface.

An iron rake works great for this. Soil compaction should be firm enough that that it will not sink or compact after the sod is laid and watered. However, it should not be too firm so that roots will not be able to work their way into the soil. The best way to test this is to walk across the soil. It should feel spongy underfoot, but not leave a very deep footprint behind. Sod should be laid on a lightly damp soil surface, so water the roto-tilled soil slightly, but make sure it’s not soggy.


5. Level to fill low spots.

Leave soil 2 inches below any cement, flagstone, walks and driveways.  This will allow for the thickness of the sod roll, so that you will not have sod higher than their neighboring surfaces. Level ground 1-2 inches below sprinkler heads also.  Slant the sod bed slightly away from the house/building to allow for proper drainage.


6. Begin the sod laying process along a straight edge such as a walk, patio or driveway. Lay sod horizontally with the house or street. For irregular or oval patterns, use 2 stakes with a string tied between to develop a straight edge. Using a straight edge for a guide will save you from wasting sod, not to mention less time cutting the sod.


7. Butt edges of sod together tightly to promote rapid knitting of edges and lay the sod in a staggered brick pattern. This will make the seams less noticeable. Use a sod knife (recommended) or a serrated knife to cut around trees, irregular borders and other areas.


8. Lightly fertilize the day of sod installation.

We recommend our fertilizer mixture, as it has been specifically designed for us and our New Mexico sod. A 50 lb. bag will cover approximately 7000-7500 square feet, which should last approximately 4-6 applications. Fertilizer should always be watered into the lawn immediately after application to avoid burning the sod.


9. Water sod heavily and thoroughly after installation for the first two days.

Thorough watering during the first 48 hours is crucial to the success of your sod. Water heavily enough to see water on the ground surface, but not standing water. This should be done 3 times per day for the first 2 days.


10. Water thoroughly every day for this first 10-14 days, but do not flood after the first 48 hours. After the 14th day, gradually reduce watering to every other day for a week. After 21 days, you should be able to determine if your sod will need more or less watering based on it’s response to your watering cycle. Check our Water Saving Advice to learn how to measure the amount of water your specific irrigation system distributes, as all irrigation systems differ.


11. Fertilize lawn 4-6 weeks after installation.

Fertilizer should always be watered into the lawn immediately after application to avoid burning the sod.


IMPORTANT INFORMATION

  • Foot and pet traffic should be kept to a minimum the first two weeks.
  • Two weeks after sod installation a majority of the roots will be bonded to the soil below.
  • Three weeks after installation, the seams should start to disappear.
  • Our turf blends should be fertilized 4 times per year: early March, late May, early September and late October.


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Buy New Mexico!

Category : Knowledge , Products , Turf Care

Did You Know?

Some sod is imported, into New Mexico, from as many as 5 states. This sod travels many miles (two, maybe three days); drying out during their long trip! Out of state deliveries are limited to one or two maximum per week; causing micro-organisms to grow and build inside old pallets of sod.

This heat and micro-organisms cause sod rotting and spoiling.

Our farm, StoneGate TurfGrass Ranch, is located just 35 miles east of Albuquerque, and we will deliver our fresh cut sod, usually within one-two hours. We promise you will receive the freshest, healthiest, and greenest sod available…and grown closest to Albuquerque.

As usual, we will meet you with a friendly greet and a broad smile – that’s just who we are.


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