Sod installation

Sod Installation and Lawn Replacement in Tampa Bay

4.7 170+ Google reviewsFree on-site estimatesOver 35 years creating Florida-friendly landscapes

We remove the tired lawn, check the water and grade, and lay grass chosen for your light and use.

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On this page

What's included
Sod or seed
Which grass
Florida soil
Watering rules
Week by week
When to re-sod
How it works
Why Medscapes
Areas we serve
Recent work
Reviews
Questions

Medscapes handles sod installation in Tampa, Wesley Chapel and across Tampa Bay for homeowners who want a new lawn done right. Doug and the crew check sprinkler coverage and drainage, remove the old turf, grade the ground and lay St. Augustine, zoysia or Bermuda matched to your sun and traffic, then explain how to water it under current rules.

Grasses we lay: St. Augustine, zoysia and Bermuda
Time to root: Three to four weeks
New-lawn watering: A 60-day allowance under the SWFWMD order
Estimate: Free and on site, written by Doug

What's included in sod installation in Tampa

Many sod companies in Tampa sell by the pallet. We install finished lawns. Every sod replacement includes:

Site visit: we measure, note sun and shade, and see where water sits
Sprinkler check: we run every zone and mark any coverage gaps before new sod goes down
Old grass, roots and debris cut out and hauled away
Soil loosened and amended where needed
Grading so rain runs away from the house
Fresh sod laid in a staggered brick pattern, rolled and watered in
A written watering schedule for your address, plus when to mow

Sod or seed? Why Florida lawns start as sod

You cannot seed a St. Augustine lawn. UF/IFAS says it is established only from sod, plugs or sprigs, and its varieties do not produce enough seed to sell. Most zoysia also goes in as sod, plugs or sprigs, and bahia seed is slower to establish than sod. Sod covers the ground on day one. For thin spots in an existing lawn, see our guide to St. Augustine grass seed, plugs and sod.

Green lawn meeting a mulch bed of yellow crotons and palms beside a paver driveway — A Medscapes lawn and bed in Tampa Bay

Which grass is best for your Tampa Bay yard?

It comes down to sun, traffic and water. How the grasses we install compare on UF/IFAS ratings:

Grasses Medscapes installs, compared on UF/IFAS ratings
Grass	Shade	Foot traffic	Mow at	Worth knowing
Floratam St. Augustine	Fair; needs 6+ hours of sun	Poor	3.5 to 4 in	The full-sun choice. Its chinch-bug resistance has largely been lost
CitraBlue St. Augustine	Very good	Poor	2 to 3 in	More drought tolerant than Floratam, Palmetto and Raleigh; slight chinch-bug resistance
Palmetto St. Augustine	Very good	Poor	3 to 4 in	Very good cold tolerance and chinch-bug rating; no proven drought edge
Seville St. Augustine	Very good	Poor	2 to 2.5 in	A fine-textured dwarf
ProVista St. Augustine	Better than Floratam	Poor	Not rated in our sources	Darker green than Floratam
Empire zoysia	Good	Good	2 to 2.5 in	The most common zoysia in Florida. Browns and goes dormant within about a week without water; susceptible to large patch
Bermuda	Poor	Excellent	1 to 2 in	Excellent drought and salt tolerance; needs more upkeep than other home-lawn grasses. Nematodes and mole crickets are its main pests

UF/IFAS rates every St. Augustine poor for wear under repeated foot or vehicle traffic, which is why zoysia or Bermuda suit play areas and dog runs.

New zoysia sod needs water at least twice a day until it roots, usually two to three weeks.

Sources: UF/IFAS Extension LH007.

Florida soil facts behind every new lawn

Cutaway of a yard beside a house: sod on an amended top layer over sand, graded down and away from the house to a walkway

UF/IFAS guidance for Florida lawns:

Sand, not loam: Most Florida soils are sand holding little water or nutrients; median soil pH is 6.1.
Test first: Sample the top 6 inches at 10 to 15 spots and correct pH before planting.
Amend and till: Where needed, 3 to 6 cubic yards of organic matter per 1,000 sq ft, tilled 6 to 8 inches deep.
Grade for rain: Slope 1 to 2% away from the house, finishing level with or just below walks and drives.
Fresh sod only: Sod lasts under 48 hours on a pallet in summer, so lay it fast on moistened soil.

Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, Florida soil; UF/IFAS LH012; UF/IFAS LH013.

Watering new sod under current restrictions

As of November 2026, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Modified Phase III order limits lawns to one watering day a week across Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas through March 31, 2027. In Pasco and Hillsborough, your day follows your address's last digit; hours are midnight to 4 a.m. or 8 to 11:59 p.m.

While the order runs, SWFWMD also bars HOAs from requiring plant replacement for looks.

Front lawn with a curved flower bed of orange bromeliads — Lawn and flower bed at a Medscapes front yard

Pasco and unincorporated Hillsborough: 60 days (SWFWMD)

Days 1 to 30: water new sod any day of the week.
Days 31 to 60: three days a week. Even addresses Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; odd addresses Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Stay inside the allowed hours, except on installation day.
Keep a written watering schedule and the sod receipt.

City of Tampa, including most of New Tampa: 30 days

The City of Tampa says to follow the UF/IFAS 30-day establishment schedule, then return to your assigned day, never watering between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Pinellas County: check your utility

In Pinellas, the county utility, Clearwater and St. Petersburg set their own days; check yours.

Your new lawn, week by week (as of November 2026)

Sod resting on the soil, its roots still inside the sod — Roots grow out of the sod and down into the soil. By weeks 3 to 4, a corner you tug no longer lifts.

The first short roots crossing into the soil — Roots grow out of the sod and down into the soil. By weeks 3 to 4, a corner you tug no longer lifts.

Day 1
Sod rolled and watered in; outside the City of Tampa, SWFWMD exempts installation day from the hour limits.
First 7 to 10 days
Several short waterings a day inside the allowed night window, never midday. Keep traffic off.
Next 7 to 10 days
One ¼ to ½ inch watering a day.
Weeks 3 to 4
Tug a corner. When the sod no longer lifts, mow at your grass's height, taking no more than a third of the blade. We can take over full-service lawn maintenance once the sod roots.
Day 30
City of Tampa lawns return to the assigned day; SWFWMD drops to three days a week. UF/IFAS says wait at least 30 days to fertilize. Medscapes does not apply fertilizer or pesticides; for those, use an FDACS-licensed provider.
Day 60
SWFWMD's establishment period ends; the lawn joins your one-day schedule.

Sod replacement: when a lawn needs new sod

Not every thin lawn needs new sod. UF/IFAS says replant fully when over half the lawn needs renovation, over 50% of the plants are weeds, or you want a different grass, and fix the cause first. Before we re-sod, we look for it:

Floratam thinning under grown-in trees: Switch to a shade-tolerant cultivar or a planting bed.
Worn paths from kids and dogs: Empire zoysia takes traffic better than St. Augustine.
Dollarweed and soggy patches: UF/IFAS calls dollarweed a reliable sign of wet ground, so fix standing water first.
Dry strips along one zone: Get that sprinkler zone repaired before re-sodding.
Suspected chinch bugs or disease: Have an FDACS-licensed provider diagnose it first; Medscapes does not apply pesticides.

Side yard with a mulched planting bed and flagstone stepping stones beside the lawn — A planted side yard with stepping stones, a Medscapes job

How a Medscapes sod installation works

Free on-site estimate
Doug walks the yard with you, measures it, notes sun, shade and use, and sends you a written quote.
Grass and scope
We recommend a grass for your light, traffic and water, then set out the scope in writing.
Water first
We run the sprinklers, check drainage and show you anything that needs fixing before new sod goes down.
Old lawn out
Old grass, roots and debris are cut out and hauled away.
Soil and grade
We loosen and amend the soil where needed, then grade it to shed rain away from the house.
Lay and roll
Fresh sod goes down as soon as it arrives, seams staggered and tight, then rolled and watered in.
Handover
A written watering schedule for your address, your receipt, and a date to tug-test before the first mow.

Why homeowners choose Medscapes for new lawns

Doug Wilson, our Director of Operations, walks every yard and writes every quote
Based in Wesley Chapel
Licensed and insured
Free on-site estimates
Full-service lawn maintenance plans once the new lawn roots

Two-story house with a front lawn, trimmed boxwoods and red cordylines along a brick path — A Medscapes front yard: lawn, clipped boxwoods and a brick path

Sod installation in Wesley Chapel and across Tampa Bay

Based in Wesley Chapel, we install sod across Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas. That covers sod in Wesley Chapel, new lawns in Lutz, Land O' Lakes, Odessa and Keystone, and New Tampa.

Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Drag to move, pinch or use the buttons to zoom; select a town for details.

Recent lawns

Photos from Medscapes jobs. Drag or swipe the row, or select a photo to see it larger.

New sod lawn beside a screened pool enclosure — New sod beside a pool enclosure

Wide, freshly mowed front lawn with palms and a paver driveway — Front lawn and palms along a paver drive

Freshly maintained front lawn with a palm and planting bed beside the driveway — Lawn and palm bed by the driveway

Front yard with trimmed lawn, round shrubs and a small island bed — Trimmed lawn around a round island bed

Freshly mowed lawn with crisp sidewalk edges in a residential neighborhood — A mowed lawn with crisp sidewalk edges

Commercial property landscaping with palms and turf — Commercial lawn and planting beds

Front landscape beds with palms and mulch at a two-story home — Front lawn below palm beds

Tampa front yard landscape design with layered planting — Lawn edged by shrubs and flower beds

Medscapes truck and mowing trailer on a circular lawn drive — The Medscapes crew truck and trailer

Front landscape bed with palms and tropical shrubs edged in rock — Palms and shrubs along the front of a home

Front beds of yellow and red crotons along a stone-clad home — Croton beds beside the lawn

Clipped shrubs and a stepping-stone path to a garden gate — Stepping stones through clipped shrubs

Landscaped Tampa home with lawn and planting beds — A landscaped entry with lawn and beds

Front bed planted with palms, shrubs and rock mulch beside a lawn — A finished front bed by the lawn

What homeowners say about their lawns

4.7170+ reviews on Google

As a business leader I know what it is like to take care of customers, and Medscapes Landscaping lives to their word. They manage our lawn service, and recently did new sod and landscape — they did it perfectly. A company that takes all the worry away.
Thomas O’Neill Google review, 2022
Greg and Doug and the their crew have done a wonderful job with our lawn and landscaping. Having just moved here from out of state, I had called around to a few different companies and really didn’t feel like anyone was that interested in working with me to make my yard both look good and be easy to maintain. …
Vanessa Mintz Google review, 2023
Doug made the process of understanding what was needed and developing a plan very easy. The crews doing the clean up and new plantings were timely, pleasant, and conscious of making sure things were done right. I've also been very pleased with the weekly lawn maintenance services and their efforts in keeping the yard looking great. …
Pedro Fierro Google review, 2023
Our lawn has seriously never looked better. We love the hard working employees and business owner so much that we've recommended their exceptional service to our entire community, friends and family!! They are professional and very thorough. Providing us with an entrancing lawn we can enjoy all year round. …
Savannah Google review, 2018
Top notch company for landscaping and lawn maintenance. Very professional, prompt, and provides timely communication. It feels very reassuring to have a company that cares for your lawn like it’s their own. We have found a gem in Medscapes.
V. O. Williams Google review, 2023
We have lived in our Tampa home for 24 years and Medscapes is by far the best lawn service we have ever had! Austin and his team have done everything they promised on a consistent basis. The team is here every week and do a fantastic job with our lawn and shrubs. …
Dave Lockwood Google review, 2017
Medscapes consistently delivers prompt and professional service! Austin has always been a pleasure to work with! Whenever I have a question or a concern, his responsive follow through and attention to detail are truly refreshing! The Yard crew always leaves my lawn and hedges neatly landscaped. …
Terri Welniak Google review, 2018
I hired MedScapes earlier this year for some landscaping around my home and it turned out fantastic from design to ease of care is exactly what I asked for. When life and a new job got too busy for me to keep up with my basic lawn care, MedScapes was there to handle it for me. Now I come home to a beautifully manicured yard weekly !! …
Ryann Roser Google review, 2024
Doug’s knowledge of the plants and skill in picking out healthy, beautiful landscaping and design… he listened to our vision and turned our landscaping into reality. Final results… just beautiful and well done. You won’t be disappointed — fair pricing too!
Ron Connor Google review, 2024
Greg and Doug were fantastic in designing and installing our landscaping! I was nervous at first, but our home looks so much better and have truly exceeded my expectations. The service is a bit pricey, but I honestly don’t mind paying a premium for premium service. …
Kevin Y. Google review, 2024

Read every review on Google

Sod installation questions

Not answered here? Call (813) 382-5801 or book a free on-site estimate.

Does St. Augustine grass grow in shade?

Some cultivars do. UF/IFAS names Bitterblue, CitraBlue, Classic, Palmetto and Seville as the more shade-tolerant St. Augustines, and ProVista handles shade better than Floratam, which does not persist with less than 6 hours of sun a day. Where a spot is too dark for any of them, a planting bed usually works better than new sod.

Can you lay sod during watering restrictions?

Yes. As of November 2026, the SWFWMD order running through March 31, 2027 gives new lawns a 60-day establishment period: any day for days 1 to 30, then three days a week for days 31 to 60, inside the allowed hours, with a written watering schedule. City of Tampa addresses follow the city's 30-day UF/IFAS schedule, with watering banned from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How often should I water new sod in Florida?

Often at first, then less. UF/IFAS advises several short waterings a day for the first 7 to 10 days, then once a day with ¼ to ½ inch of water for the next 7 to 10 days, then as needed once the sod establishes at three to four weeks. As of November 2026, keep every cycle inside SWFWMD and City of Tampa hours: midnight to 4 a.m. or 8 to 11:59 p.m.

How long does sod take to root, and when can I mow it?

UF/IFAS says new sod should be fully established three to four weeks after it is laid. Tug a corner: once the roots have pegged down and the sod no longer lifts, it is ready for a first mow. Mow at your grass's height, such as 3.5 to 4 inches for Floratam, and never remove more than a third of the blade.

When should new sod be fertilized?

Not for at least 30 days, so the roots can establish (UF/IFAS). Unincorporated Hillsborough, the City of Tampa and Pinellas ban nitrogen and phosphorus from June 1 to September 30. Medscapes does not apply fertilizer or pesticides; for those, use an FDACS-licensed provider.

Can you lay sod over existing grass or bare dirt?

Not over existing grass. UF/IFAS site preparation starts by clearing the old lawn, weeds, roots and debris, so we cut the old turf out first. Bare ground works once it is prepared: loosened 6 to 8 inches deep, graded to slope away from the house, raked smooth and moistened when the sod goes down.

What is the best month to lay sod in Florida?

There is no single best month in Tampa Bay. UF/IFAS says year-round planting is common in most of Florida, and warm-season grass grows quickest in spring and summer. Without irrigation, avoid dry months and drought. As of November 2026, the SWFWMD new-lawn allowance applies in any month, but the District's FAQs say it is best to wait for the June rainy season while the order runs.

What affects the cost of sod installation?

Lawn size, removal, soil work, grass type and access set the cost: how much old turf comes out, how much grading and soil work is needed, the cultivar you choose and how easily equipment reaches the yard. Doug quotes every yard after a free on-site visit.

Last updated 8 November 2026

Book a free on-site sod estimate

Doug walks the yard, checks the sprinklers and the grade, recommends a grass and gives you a written scope and quote.

1Call or book online
2Doug walks the yard with you
3You get a written quote

Book a free on-site estimate Call (813) 382-5801

Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM · Based in Wesley Chapel