People often ask why one pallet of sod costs $200 and another costs $330. It's a fair question, since all of it looks green on the truck. The differences show up in how the grass grows, how it handles your yard, and how much work it saves you later.
Here's the lineup, with every pallet covering 450 square feet:
- Tifway 419 Bermuda: $200 per pallet
- Emerald Zoysia: $300 per pallet
- Meyers Zoysia: $300 per pallet
- Zeon Zoysia: $330 per pallet
Why Bermuda is the lowest price
Tifway 419 is the most commonly used turf in Georgia, and it's popular for good reason. It's a deep green, it's a familiar and proven grass, and it's the most budget-friendly way to cover a lot of ground.
There's one big condition: Bermuda needs a full day of sun, 8 hours or more. In a wide-open front yard, a ball field or a sunny back lot, that's easy. Under a big oak, it will thin out and struggle no matter how well you care for it. Bermuda is the right choice for the yard it suits, not a shortcut for a yard it doesn't.
Why zoysia costs more
Zoysia is generally slower growing than Bermuda. Slower growth means the grass spends more time in the field before it's ready to harvest, and that's a big part of why zoysia sod usually costs more everywhere, not just here. You're also paying for a different kind of lawn: dense, tight and carpet-like once it matures, and typically lower maintenance once it's established.
The three zoysias we carry aren't interchangeable, though, so here's how each one earns its price.
Meyers Zoysia: $300
Meyers is one of the oldest turf varieties around. It thrives in full sun and handles moderate shade far better than Bermuda does. It has a wider blade than Emerald or Zeon, so the texture is a little less fine. It needs about 5 to 6 hours of sun.
If you want a proven zoysia for a mostly sunny yard with some shade, Meyers is a solid value.
Emerald Zoysia: $300
Emerald is our second most shade-tolerant grass and needs about 4 to 5 hours of sun. It's thin-bladed, very drought tolerant, and low maintenance once established. That makes it a good fit if you want a finer-textured lawn that doesn't ask for much attention.
It costs the same as Meyers, so the choice comes down to your light and the look you want: a finer blade and more shade tolerance (Emerald), or a wider blade and a longer track record (Meyers).
Zeon Zoysia: $330
Zeon is the top of our lineup and our most shade-tolerant grass, and it also does well in full sun. It needs about 3 to 4 hours of direct sun. It's thin-bladed and hardy, and it looks like carpet once mature.
That $30 premium over Emerald and Meyers buys you the most flexibility. If your yard has a mix of sun and shade, or you just can't decide, Zeon covers the widest range of conditions.
Looking at the real cost of a lawn
Per square foot, the gap is smaller than it looks. Bermuda works out to about 44 cents, Emerald and Meyers about 67 cents, and Zeon about 73 cents. Our minimum order is 3 pallets, or 1,350 square feet. At that size, Bermuda comes to $600, Emerald or Meyers to $900, and Zeon to $990.
The cheapest sod is the one that actually lives in your yard. A $200 pallet of Bermuda laid in too much shade means paying twice once it thins out. Matching the grass to your sunlight comes before price.
How to choose
- Measure your sun. Watch the yard through a full day and count the hours of direct sunlight in each area.
- Match the grass to the hours. 8 or more hours points to Bermuda or any zoysia. 5 to 6 hours fits Meyers or better. 4 to 5 hours fits Emerald or Zeon. 3 to 4 hours means Zeon.
- Decide on texture and upkeep. Thin-bladed, carpet-like turf (Zeon, Emerald) or a wider blade (Meyers) or the classic deep green of Bermuda.
- Plan the aftercare. New sod needs the right watering, mowing and feeding to root well. A trusted, experienced local lawn care team can help you avoid common first-season mistakes. That's why we recommend our partner, Arbornomics, for lawn care and landscaping.
How ordering works
Our sod is harvested the same day it's delivered, with delivery in the evening between 6 pm and 8 am. It's delivery only, with no pickup. Orders are paid in full online before harvest, and you can change an order up to 48 hours before delivery.
Not sure which variety fits your yard? Call or text us at (678) 237-3111 and tell us how much sun you get. Or you can order sod online at gogreensod.com and we'll take it from there.
