Category Archives: Knowledge

  • May 2, 2026
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Step-by-Step Sod Installation Instructions

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Category : Installation , Knowledge , Turf Care

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.
  • April 30, 2026
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Should I Seed or Sod My Yard?

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Category : Installation , Knowledge , Products

The lush, beautiful lawn you desire can be achieved through a variety of methods. Seeding and laying sod are two of the most common options, and if installed and cared for properly, either option can provide you with the lawn of your dreams.

There are many differences between choosing to seed or lay sod, but the end result is usually the same, as well as the maintenance level after established.

Seeding

Pros:

  • Establishing turf from seed requires less labor to install, but more care during the germination and establishment stages.
  • The initial investment is less, because you are not paying for the 18-24 months farm labor to grown turf ready to cut for sod rolls.
  • More selection of turf seed can be found than sod types.
  • Faster installation than rolls of turf.
  • Difficult areas can be successfully seeded.
  • High quality seed will yield higher quality results.

Cons:

  • Needs more “baby sitting”.
  • The amount of time accomplish the final result…a lawn you can use.
  • Traffic should be kept completely off a seeded area until it is at least 2″ tall.  Even then, it should be mainly undisturbed, since foot traffic, pets, etc., can easily destroy tender seedlings.
  • Frequent watering during germination. The ground should be kept moist during the entire germination process.
  • Seed cannot be planted all year long (sod can, if the ground isn’t frozen). It does not germinate below a certain temperature, and has a hard time germinating in the summer heat.
  • Weed control during establishment stage is necessary.
  • Erosion is more likely to happen to a seeded area vs. a sodded area. Even if it rains once during the germination process, the pattern can end up very patchy and may need to be over-seeded several times.
  • Low quality seed will yield low quality results.  Many seed mixes you find at a big box store are not even designed for the area you live in. These low quality mixes often contain weed seeds, have low germination rates, and could contain grasses that you do not want. Seeding rates may be difficult for the average person to calculate, and when incorrect can have a negative impact on seed germination. An NTEP rated variety, which means it has been independently evaluated and rated by the National Turf Evaluation Program, means these selected grass seeds have been specifically bred for superior green grass color, disease and insect resistance and drought tolerance.

Tips for Seeding

Use top quality seed. Ask about germination rates. Grade 1 is better than Grade 5.

Using a spreader will ensure you get the proper coverage of seed. Too much coverage of seed can cause the seed to compete with each other. Too little and you will have bare spots. A spreader will work perfectly.

Don’t seed in the hot summer months. Seeds have to compete with usual summer weeds, and do not germinate well in heat and inadequate moisture during the summer. Spring and fall are usually the best times to lay seed.

Planting seed too deep will not allow it to germinate.  Laying seed and covering with about 1/8th inch of topsoil is plenty to start germination.

Sodding

Pros:

  • Instant lawn
  • Can be walked on within days of planting.
  • Instant erosion protection.
  • Great for sloped areas or erosion-prone areas where seed would have difficulty surviving.

Cons:

  • Higher initial cost.
  • To establish you will need to use a larger volume of water than after established.
  • Requires a lot of manual labor to install.

Tips for Sodding

Choose fresh, healthy sod. You don’t usually find quality sod in the big box stores.

Proper soil preparation is one of the most important steps prior to sodding. The optimal soil will be a loamy mix, therefore clay type soils will need amendments such as compost and peat moss.

  • April 20, 2026
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Keep Your Soil Moist with Stockosorb®

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Category : Installation , Knowledge , Products , Turf Care

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!

For sod, garden beds and large areas, use approximately 1 lb. per 200 sq ft.

Please call us for any more information.

505-832-4247

  • April 1, 2026
  • 0

Troubleshooting Sod Issues

Tags :

Category : Knowledge , Turf Care

Below you will find some of the more common issues with turf grass care. Please feel free to contact us, if you have further questions.

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.

YELLOWING can be either due to too much watering or lack of nitrogen/fertilizer. A soil probe test can tell you what you whether there is too much water or not. If the soil is wet, then you might test your watering methods and time, taking into consideration precipitation or drainage solutions (see “EXCESS WATER” above). If your soil is drier, then you might consider fertilizer, as long as it’s less than 75 degrees Farenheit (air temp).

  • March 15, 2026
  • 0

11 Great Reasons to Grow a Lawn

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Category : Knowledge

Mowing, watering, fertilizing, edging and spraying a home lawn requires commitment and attention. However, it also serves you well and improves your environment.

The next time you are mowing, thinking that Xeriscape may be the ONLY alternative, consider this:

1. The lawn area (approx. 1000 sq.ft. per home) in a block of eight average homes has the cooling effect of about 70 tons of refrigerated air-conditioning. One ton of refrigerated air-conditioning will cool approximately 400 sq.ft. of interior space. The average home requires about 3-4 ton of cooling capacity to perform its function. Consider then, how much energy those lawns save on your electric bill by cooling the exterior areas around your home.

2. Grass and mature trees cool the air and encourage rainfall. Rocked yards, parking lots, sidewalks, streets, stucco homes, etc. perform the opposite!

3. On an extremely hot day, grass can be 15-20 degrees cooler than exposed soil and as much as 40-60 degrees cooler than concrete or asphalt.

4. Acting like a gigantic sponge, lawns absorb all types of airborne pollutants, such as soot, dust and carbon dioxide, as well as noise. While your lawn is busily performing any of these functions, you may not have noticed, it is very quiet and has no moving parts.

5. Recent studies show healthy lawns absorb rainfall 6 times more effectively than a wheat field, 4 times more than a hay field and 50-100 times more than hard-packed dirt – being exceeded only by virgin forest. Lawns hold and filter the rain back to the aquifer, where everyone can use it again, and again, and again!

6. Remember, our planet has every drop of water that has ever been on earth. However, it is redeposited in different ways and areas. Many times it is lost forever, due to man’s ignorance of his environment, such as, banning green areas (grass) in favor of Xeriscape. (See E.)

7. A 50×50 foot healthy grass area will produce enough oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four every day. Most Xeriscape yards provide little to no oxygen.

8. Quality turf grass not only reduces runoff water, it also prevents erosion by water or wind which results in the loss of valuable topsoil. Unfortunately, most Xeriscape yards aren’t even TRUE Xeriscape, and have nothing more than rock and gravel, with sometimes small green plantings, which provides little or no runoff protection.

9. Homes, sports fields and parks, with healthy lawns, provide safer recreation areas where grass acts as a cushion to reduce shock and potential injury. In addition, children can’t or won’t play in rocks, tumbleweeds or sand – they prefer grass.

10. Aesthetically, there can be no argument that a beautiful lawn is immediately pleasing and relaxing in appearance. When comparing a grassed area to a rocked area, there is no question as to which is more pleasurable to the senses.

11. While some may scorn its needs, others find lawn maintenance an excellent opportunity to enjoy reasonable exercise and a break away from the tv, computer, or other household happenings.

  • March 1, 2026
  • 0

When Is Sod Available for Pick-Up or Delivery?

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Category : Knowledge , Ordering Info , Products

 

DELIVERY TO YOU OR PICK-UP AT FARM AVAILABLE.
WE NO LONGER SELL SOD FOR RETAIL PICK-UP IN ALBUQUERQUE.

MORIARTY FARM:

  • The Farm is open to the public Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 3:15 PM, but we close for lunch from 12 PM to 1 PM.
    • MORIARTY FARM PURCHASES: PAID BY DEBIT/CREDIT CARD PREFFERED (CASH IS ACCEPTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE) AT THE FARM. IF SENDING SOMEONE TO PICK UP FOR YOU, PLEASE CALL 505-832-4247 DURING OUR OFFICE HOURS 8 AM- 11 AM 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 don’t want to see our beautiful sod go to waste if someone decides they cannot pick 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, if requested.
  • You can pay by credit card (preferred) or cash for sod pickups at the farm, and call our office (505-832-4247) M-F 8 AM-11 AM to figure out the total for your order.

  • February 3, 2026
  • 0

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 square feet is calculated, add all these square footages calculations together for total square foot of your entire area.
  2. Choose your installation day.
  3. Decide whether you will pick up (in Moriarty) or you want the sod delivered.

After answering the above questions:

  1. Call us to place your order at 505-832-4247 (mornings only).
    • Phone calls answered Mon-Fri, 8 AM-11 AM.
    • Moriarty farm is open Mon-Fri 9 AM-3:15 PM (closed 12-1 for lunch).
    • If you are picking up, you can call first to place and pay for your order (preferred) OR come out the to the farm and order on-site.

SOD:

  • We no longer have an Albuquerque sod sales lot. Sod orders are for delivery or farm pick up only.
  • Sod is available to purchase at the farm Mon-Fri 8 AM to 4 PM (farm 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.
    • If you are coming to the Moriarty farm to pick up on a Friday, 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 for other orders ahead of yours.

FERTILIZER, SEED, STOCKOSORB®:

If you need to purchase our awesome fertilizer (we’ve been told), seed, or Stockosorb®, call 505-832-4247 to place an order.  We have an non-retail, administrative office in Albuquerque (87113) where you can pick up pre-paid orders of these 3 products only. NO SOD can be picked up from this location. Your phone order will be emailed or text to you, accompanied by the administrative office address where you can pick up these smaller items.

CALL US @ 505-832-4247 TO PLACE YOUR ORDER!

  • February 1, 2026
  • -

NMSU Researchers Find New Information on Kentucky Bluegrass Water Use

Category : Knowledge , Products , Turf Care

We wanted to share with you 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.

  • January 1, 2026
  • 0

Calculate The Area for Sod

Tags :

Category : Knowledge , Ordering Info

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!

  • April 10, 2020
  • 0

Water-Saving Advice

Tags :

Category : Knowledge , Turf Care

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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