As summer approaches, people have more free time and the weather is conducive for spending lots of that free time outside. If your lawn needs care and you are laying and maintaining new sod, here are some simple tips to follow. 

Watering

Making sure you water your sod correctly is crucial to maintaining its health. You will need to water your grass often and will want to keep the soil damp for three to four inches below the surface. It is important to make sure your lawn is moist but not overwatered. Sod that is overwatered is susceptible to disease. You may need to water several times a day – in the morning, midday, and early afternoon – to make sure it doesn’t dry out. You won’t need to water as much in shady spots, as these areas are more prone to fungus.

Mowing

Make sure the blades on your mower are sharp. This is something a lot of people don’t think about, but dull blades can tear up grass rather than cutting it. This will not only degrade the appearance of the grass, but will also leave it susceptible to harmful conditions. As a rule, try to mow your grass about once every two weeks. You don’t want to mow the grass too short, as taller grass grows deeper roots which then allows it to survive in hot, dry conditions. 

Fertilizer

Look for fertilizers specifically designed for summer use. Certain fertilizers contain large amounts of nitrogen. This encourages fresh growth, which is normally helpful but is not in the hot summer months. The reason for this is that young grass isn’t as durable as older grass which causes it to work harder to stay healthy, putting stress on your lawn.

Remember that keeping sod healthy in the summer in desert weather can be a bit more challenging than other times of the year. West Coast Turf can help you determine the type of sod that suits your particular needs best.

Visit us online https://www.westcoastturf.com/ or contact us to find out how we can serve you.

For the past year, since Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns, home improvement has surged throughout the country, and especially in California. People are spending more and more time in their homes, giving them more motivation to reimagine and upgrade their indoor and outdoor spaces. Many are using this time to improve the curb appeal of their homes – one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve property values. Landscaping updates are an affordable way to increase the value of your California and Arizona home by 5-15% or to just add personality to it, even if you aren’t in the market to sell.

Starting with your grass, it’s important to keep in mind what type of sod is appropriate in relation to the seasonal climates where you live. In Southern California and specifically in desert climates, our California and Arizona sods are the perfect low-maintenance and low cost options. This type of grass is drought resistant in dry weather, making it eco-conscious and environmentally-friendly. If you are selling your home, this type of landscaping will attract buyers who are interested in a natural grass lawn that saves money and conserves water. 

Coordinate your lush natural grass lawn with a variety of plants, shrubs, and trees. Blooming flowers are beautiful and healthy grass will help them – along with your other chosen vegetation – to stay alive and vibrant, enticing buyers to check out your property.

West Coast Turf and Western Sod is the leader in the sod farming industry for over four decades. We provide the best natural turfgrass and sod installation service in the business. Contact us or visit us online for all of your home landscaping needs – our beautiful natural grass can greatly improve your curb appeal!

https://www.westcoastturf.com/

These are trying times, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop learning.  West Coast Turf is now offering virtual Zoom educational opportunities for landscape architects!

Include your whole office! Find out about the newest varieties including the exciting Kurapia sod natural turfgrass alternative ground cover.  It’s drought tolerant, unique, versatile, and beautiful.  There are some great new native grasses that look spectacular. We also can update you on our old standbys such as West Coaster Fescue, Santa Ana, Bandera Bermuda, and Tifgreen that are tried and true.

Call or e-mail us today to schedule your presentation–760/340-7301 or danielle@westcoastturf.com.  The presentation takes about an hour, and we are able to answer any questions you might have on natural turfgrass varieties or Kurapia sod ground cover for your next project.

We miss you and are excited to “see” you again virtually! Contact us today!

COVID-19 has flipped the world on its head and there’s no getting around how much our way of life has changed in the past few months. Even for those who are still working full time, most are finding they have a lot of free time on their hands. One productive way to channel this energy is through home improvement projects, specifically ones that allow you to be outside enjoying the sun and the beautiful late spring weather. One fantastic hobby to hone in on is gardening and landscaping. Nothing sets off your garden and your home like a lush, green lawn. In achieving this, natural turf is always the way to go. A beautiful Arizona or California sod lawn is the perfect background for entertaining and outdoor sports as well. A natural turf lawn gives off oxygen, draws in carbon dioxide, and helps keep air temperatures cooler in the summer. Artificial turf seems appealing, as it stays green and requires little care, but this can be deceiving, as there are many drawbacks. Artificial turf gets unbearably hot in the summer months and is known to contain antimicrobials, which are often toxic. In desert climates, you and your pets can enjoy your natural sod lawn without fear of burning your feet (and your pet’s paw pads), since natural turf stays 20-50 degrees cooler than artificial turf (which is also hard to completely sanitize). To get started with a California or Arizona sod lawn, contact us at West Coast Turf, where our knowledgeable team will direct you to what natural turf works best for your landscaping. Please note that due to California and Arizona’s statewide shelter at home orders, West Coast Turf is carefully and responsibly continuing to operate using heightened hygiene and social/physical distancing rules 

All orders must be prepaid on the phone or website and will be delivered without any contact. As always, we appreciate and value our loyal customers.

Please visit us online: https://www.westcoastturf.com/

Many people with pets who are pondering whether to use natural or artificial turf in their yard weigh the options based on what’s better for their pet, as well as for them. While it might seem like a sensible choice, there are several reasons why it may not be the best one.

1. Artificial turf can be up to 86  hotter than natural turf. In states with warmer climates, Southern California and Arizona chief among them, summer temperatures are already hot and with even higher temps on artificial turf, dogs and cats can burn the pads of their paws when walking on it. Plants and natural sod transpires – or gives off water vapor. This process helps to passively cool the environment around it. This is one reason why even in the hottest direct sunlight, natural grass is much more bearable to the touch than cement, asphalt, or artificial turf. The pores plants have on their leaves, or blades of grass as is the case, take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen and water molecules. Those water molecules immediately evaporate and cool the environment around them. This cooling effect is great for people, pets, and other plants. Artificial grass doesn’t have the ability to create a cooling effect.

2. One of the benefits touted by artificial turf enthusiasts is its easy cleanup. In reality, like any other synthetic material, fluids, pet waste, and other debris will collect on it and some aren’t easily washed away. Natural grass can be cut and regrow and is easier to clean.

3. Artificial turf isn’t soft like a natural sod lawn. The blades of “grass” are hard and can hurt if a person or pet falls on it. This can be especially unsafe for kids who are playing. Sliding on the artificial turf can create a sort of “rug burn” and cause minor injuries.

4. It’s expensive! Artificial turf can have a life expectancy of anywhere from 8-20 years, depending on the manufacturer. After that, it will need to be replaced. At anywhere from $5-$20+  per square foot, this is a big investment to make, particularly when you will need to replace it in fewer than 10 years. 

5. Natural sod is environmentally-friendly, artificial turf is not. Part of the draw to artificial turf is that it’s supposedly water-wise, which helps in times of drought and conserving water. However, artificial turf is made of plastic, rubber, and other materials that are not biodegradable, and cleaning or cooling it requires water. Eventually, it will end up in a landfill. As its components break down, it’s possible for the chemicals in its materials to leak into the environment. Many states are researching and making claims about its toxicity and more research still needs to be done. 

For more information on why our natural turf grass sod is the right choice for you, visit our website: https://www.westcoastturf.com/

When it comes to baseball, natural turf is a home run! While astroturf was used on a few Major League Baseball fields in the past,  a myriad of problems arose that helped owners to go back to natural turf. Many players incurred injuries caused by the abrasive and unforgiving astroturf from days past. Currently, West Coast Turf provides the natural turfgrass for several MLB ballparks in California. Those parks include: Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Oracle Park (formerly AT&T Park) in San Francisco, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and RingCentral Coliseum, in Oakland.

For Angel Stadium, we use Tifway 419 bermudagrass and is the only ballpark in the MLB to sit atop its natural soil (rather than sand) since there is virtually no threat of a rainout. At the legendary Dodger Stadium, they use our homegrown bermudagrass hybrid, which is overseeded with rye. The rye is better able to tolerate the cool temperatures early in the season and by summertime as temperatures heat up, the heat-tolerant bermudagrass supersedes the rye.

A lot goes into the research and decisions for which type of sod is used on which ballpark. Much of that is environmental factors, but each park has its own unique needs. West Coast Turf has the native knowledge of turf – from Arizona sod, bermudagrass, ryegrass, to Kentucky bluegrass – to best and most effectively provide the turf needed to any ballpark. In addition to major league baseball and their Arizona spring training facilities, we also provide the turf for NFL fields, professional training facilities, college baseball and football, racetracks, Major League Soccer, colleges, high schools, amusement parks, golf courses…and too many others to name. Head to our website to check out our list of clients and our unique qualifications to help with your sod!

https://www.westcoastturf.com/

Summer is the perfect time for a backyard barbeque and Labor Day Weekend is the pinnacle of the outdoor party fun. While everyone is enjoying themselves eating, grilling, standing around talking to friends, and playing cornhole, your beautiful sod lawn may be suffering under the foot traffic (and paw traffic from the four-legged party-goers). Follow our tips for keeping your sod lawn in tip top shape and keeping the damage minimal.

Tip #1: Musical Chairs is more than just a game

Large items, such as furniture, create damage to your sod when they are on it in one spot for too long. The sod becomes deprived of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to flourish and will often turn brown as the grass dies. To prevent this, move these heavy objects around every other day to different parts of your yard. For your outdoor parties, this goes for the grill, backyard games, furniture, and all other heavy objects.

Tip #2: Mulch ado about nothing

Mulch can be used in a number of ways in your yard, one of which is a space filler. If you have spots that need covering or want to keep them from forming, mulch is a great solution and looks nice in your yard.

Tip #3: Bed of roses

Make sure your flowers won’t be trampled on by party goers! Decorative fences or other landscaping to separate your flowers from the rest of your sod lawn will keep people from walking where they shouldn’t and ruining your beautiful florals!

Tip #4: Get in touch with West Coast Turf to repair any damaged sod or to install a new sod lawn that’s sure to impress at your Labor Day BBQ, or any other outdoor parties!

While technically the calendar says spring, it feels like summer here in the valley of the sun. As we go through the transition period in California and Arizona from ryegrass back to bermudagrass or paspalum I want to touch a little bit on getting your mower ready for the season. It’s always a good idea to start each season off with a clean, sharp, and ready to use mower. There is nothing worse than going out to cut your lawn and pulling on the lawn mower cord a dozen times only to find the mower won’t turn over. There are some simple things you can do to keep it running well and last for several years.

Before I go into maintenance of your mower I will touch on the two different types of mowers on the market. You can choose between a rotary mower and a reel mower. The reel mowers I will refer to will be self-propelled mowers instead of push reel mowers. The reason I’m skipping on the push reel mowers is because it’s tough to push through thick bermudagrass during the summer months. While it can definitely be done, its just not my favorite thing to do on a 115-degree Arizona day.

There are several brands of reel mowers on the market so deciding which one to buy is going through the various options and deciding what is most important to you. Some of these choices include desired height of cut, number of reels on the mower (the mower reels, the tighter you can mow), weight of the mower, cutting width, and deciding if you will be collecting clippings or letting them lay on the ground. Most of the new reel mowers have a front bucket attachment but there are still a few on the market that drop clippings out the back of the mower.

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