Babcock Ranch • Charlotte County
Sod Installation in Babcock Ranch, FL
There is only one lawn grass to talk about on a Babcock Ranch homesite. The developer's residential standards say Floratam St. Augustine is the only sod allowed on residential lots, so a re-sod job here is about doing Floratam well rather than choosing a species. That has consequences. UF/IFAS rates Floratam as the least shade-tolerant St. Augustine cultivar, and it struggles with less than about six hours of sun, so turf under maturing canopy trees thins out. UF/IFAS also notes chinch bugs are now a major Floratam pest. Hodges removes the failed turf, regrades so water still moves toward the swale, lays pallets the day they arrive, and rolls the seams tight. Where shade has won, the better answer is often converting that patch to a native bed with association approval. Charlotte County's summer ban on nitrogen and phosphorus runs June 1 through September 30.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Babcock Ranch
Parkside
Verde
Townwalk
Plants and materials that suit it in Babcock Ranch
Questions
Can I use zoysia or another grass instead of Floratam?
Not on a residential lot under the community's published standards, which name Floratam as the only sod allowed. If you want something different in a shaded area, ask the association about a native planting bed instead.
Why does my Floratam keep dying under my oak?
Floratam needs about six hours of direct sun a day, and UF/IFAS rates it the least shade-tolerant St. Augustine cultivar. As trees grow, the lawn underneath thins. Re-sodding without fixing the shade usually fails again.
How soon after delivery does sod need to go down?
The same day whenever possible. UF/IFAS notes St. Augustine sod can last less than 48 hours on a pallet in summer heat. We schedule delivery for the morning of the install.