North Fort Myers • Lee County
Sod Installation in North Fort Myers, FL
Grass choice in North Fort Myers often comes down to how far the lot is from the river and what is feeding the sprinklers. Canal properties near the Caloosahatchee have seen surge water, and UF/IFAS groups St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and bermudagrass among the turf types that tolerate moderate to high salinity, while bahiagrass handles salt less well. Floratam, a St. Augustinegrass cultivar, is the usual sunny-lawn pick near the water. On the larger inland lots, where some homes irrigate from private wells, bahiagrass is common because it gets by on less water and fertilizer once rooted, though it looks coarser. Timing matters. Spring sod runs into Lee County's one-day-a-week irrigation limit from February through May, so installing closer to the summer rains is easier on new roots. Hodges strips the old lawn and roots, grades so water drains toward the street or swale, lays the sod with tight seams, and rolls it.
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Where it comes up in North Fort Myers
Lochmoor Waterway Estates
Tropic Isles
Herons Glen
Plants and materials that suit it in North Fort Myers
Questions
What grass should I use on a canal lot that flooded?
A salt-tolerant warm-season grass. UF/IFAS lists St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and bermudagrass as tolerating moderate to high salinity. Floratam St. Augustine is common for sunny canal lots. Bahiagrass is less salt tolerant and better suited to inland yards.
Can new sod get watered more often than the county schedule?
Ask Lee County Utilities or check the county's irrigation ordinance for any new-landscape allowance before you plan the install. In spring the county limits unincorporated areas to one day a week, which is why many owners schedule sod for early summer.
Is bahiagrass a good choice for a big lot on a well?
Often. Bahiagrass has a deep root system and needs less water and fertilizer than St. Augustinegrass, which suits large, sunny lots. It does not like shade or salt, and it sends up tall seed heads in summer that need regular mowing.