Sod & Lawn Installation

A lawn starts underground

A thick lawn happens underneath — soil prep, grading, and irrigation decide whether it thrives or dies in a season. The best sod on bad soil fails; even moderate sod on prepared soil thrives for years. Ryan removes what’s there, fixes what’s underneath, then lays sod on a surface ready to grow.

What we do

• Old lawn removal — cut down to bare soil with a sod cutter (not a low mow), clearing the disease-harboring thatch mat
• Soil testing & amendment — Altadena’s clay or decomposed granite amended with compost and gypsum tilled into the top 4–6”
• Grading — a consistent 1–2% slope away from the house; the step most DIY and budget jobs skip
• Irrigation prep — installed or adjusted before sod goes down so watering starts immediately
• Sod selection & installation — sourced from local farms and laid the day it’s cut, staggered tight against the soil with no air pockets

Sod varieties for Altadena

• Tall fescue — the all-around best for most Altadena lawns; year-round green, heat- and shade-tolerant, moderate water
• Bermuda grass — most heat- and drought-tolerant and self-repairing, but goes brown and dormant in winter
• St. Augustine — thick-bladed and the best shade option for north-facing or tree-covered yards
• Marathon (dwarf tall fescue) — a SoCal staple, fine-bladed and year-round green with moderate water, widely used in the San Gabriel Valley

Watering your new sod

The first two weeks are critical. Ryan gives a schedule for your sod and season — roughly 2–3 short waterings a day for days 1–14, tapering to deep every-other-day cycles by weeks 5–8, then a normal schedule — and checks in afterward to confirm it’s rooting.

Why soil prep is the whole game

Premium sod laid perfectly still fails if the soil isn’t prepared — roots need loose, amended soil and correct drainage. Ryan spends more time on soil prep than on laying sod, so your lawn roots deeply and stays green through Altadena’s hot summers.