Southern California Sod Varieties
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Marathon® I: The Family Yard Standard
​$1.19
per square foot
The original Marathon® tall fescue and a dependable all-purpose lawn for active households. Marathon® I is a strong choice for families who want grass that looks good year-round and stands up well to everyday use. Excellent recovery from injury.
Best For: High-traffic recreation and family yards
Appearance: Medium green color with a bold, durable blade texture
Performance: Excellent durability, deep root system, and tolerance for up to 40% shade
Maintenance: Mow with a rotary mower at 2 to 3 inches. Keep mower blades sharp to avoid tearing and yellow or white tips.
Marathon® II: The Refined All-Purpose Lawn
​$1.19
per square foot
Marathon® II offers a cleaner, more refined look than Marathon® I while still providing solid durability and dependable everyday performance. It is one of the most popular choices for Southern California homeowners.
Best For: Front yards and moderate-use residential areas
Appearance: Medium-dark green color with a more refined, slightly thinner blade
Performance: Strong everyday durability, deep root system, and tolerance for 0% to 25% shade
Maintenance: Mow with a rotary mower at 2 to 3 inches.
St. Augustine: The Shade & Pet Specialist
​$2.04
per square foot
St. Augustine is a thick, coarse-bladed grass that spreads by strong surface runners, creating a dense lawn with a rich appearance during the growing season. It is a strong choice for shaded yards, side yards, and areas where other grasses may struggle to get enough sunlight.
Best For: Shaded areas and homes with pets
Appearance: Deep green, dense growth during the growing season; goes dormant in winter
Performance: Excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass and will recover from dog urine burn
Maintenance: Mow weekly at about 1 inch. Because it spreads aggressively, permanent borders such as concrete curbing are highly recommended.
Hybrid Bermuda: The High-Heat Athlete
​$1.19
per square foot
Hybrid Bermuda is built for hot weather, full sun, and heavy use. Its fine-textured blades create a smooth, manicured appearance that works especially well for sunny lawns, sports areas, and drought-prone locations.
Best For: Sports fields, sunny high-traffic lawns, and drought-prone areas
Appearance: Fine-textured, dense, manicured look
Performance: Highest heat and traffic tolerance of the varieties we offer; requires full sun and performs poorly in shade
Maintenance: For the best appearance, mow with a reel mower with 7 or more blades at 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. Due to its aggressive spreading habit, Hybrid Bermuda also requires concrete borders or other durable edging for containment.”
When you get to Feature Spotlight: “The Lite Upgrade,” to the right of it change the two pictures to “Marathon 1 Lite” and “PureBlue Lite.
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Feature Spotlight: The Lite Upgrade
Most of our premium Marathon® and Bluegrass varieties are available in Lite®, a soil-less, hydroponically grown sod designed for easier handling and cleaner installation.
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50% lighter: Nearly half the weight of traditional field-grown sod
Roots intact: Grown on a specialized root mat that helps preserve the root system at harvest
Cleaner jobsite: Less soil and less mess on curbs, driveways, and residential jobsites
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Lite® is a great option for DIY homeowners, tight-access installations, and anyone who wants the same premium appearance with easier handling.
Marathon® I & II Lite®: The Lightweight Marathon Upgrade
​$1.39
per square foot
​Marathon® I & II Lite® offer the same trusted appearance, durability, and performance as traditional Marathon® I and Marathon® II sod, but in a lightweight hydroponically grown format that is nearly half the weight of field-grown sod. Lite® sod is easier to carry, cleaner to install, and a great option for DIY homeowners, backyard access projects, and installations where sod must be moved by hand.
Best For: Tight-access installations, DIY projects, and residential lawns
Appearance: Same premium Marathon® tall fescue appearance as traditional Marathon® I & II
Performance: Deep root systems, strong durability, and easier handling during installation
Maintenance: Mow with a rotary mower at 2 to 3 inches and keep mower blades sharp for the cleanest appearance.
Specialty & Ornamental Options
PureBlue Lite®
​$1.52
per square foot
An elite bluegrass blend for mild coastal climates. It offers a refined, high-end look and can stay green year-round in the right environment, but it requires experienced, attentive maintenance.
Greenwave®
​$1.52
per square foot
A creeping red fescue that naturally spreads to form a soft, mounded ground cover when left unmowed, or can be maintained as a more traditional lawn when regularly cut. Best for ornamental slopes, shaded areas, and lower-use spaces where a finer, softer appearance is desired.
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Pets
No lawn variety will hold up indefinitely under heavy dog traffic, especially in the same worn paths or high-use areas. For dog urine, no sod is completely resistant, but St. Augustine and Hybrid Bermuda generally recover better than Marathon®.​
Marathon® Sod & Seed Starter Fertilizer – 18 lb. bag
​$40
This specially formulated fertilizer helps new sod establish quickly and successfully. Apply it before laying sod to encourage fast root development and support the lawn through its critical first weeks. It can also be used later as a spring and fall supplement to help maintain healthy growth and color.
Application Rate: Apply approximately 4 lbs. per 1,000 square feet before installation and water thoroughly after application.
Marathon® All Season Lawn Fertilizer – 18 lb. bag
​$40
This professional-grade 24-2-4 fertilizer helps keep established lawns deep green, healthy, and growing strong year-round. Commonly used on Marathon® sod varieties and other cool-season lawns throughout Southern California, it provides the nitrogen your lawn needs for rich color, steady growth, and long-term durability. Marathon All Season works especially well as part of a regular lawn maintenance program once new sod has become established.
Application Rate: Apply approximately 3.5–4 lbs. per 1,000 square feet and water thoroughly after application. One 18 lb. bag typically covers up to approximately 5,000 square feet depending on application rate.
Fresh from the field. Delivered within 24 hours.
At Sod Warehouse, we offer fresh, high-quality sod at exceptional prices across Southern California. We carry some of California’s most proven turf varieties, including Marathon®, Marathon® II, Hybrid Bermuda, St. Augustine, and specialty options for shade, slopes, and premium lawn projects. Each variety has different strengths depending on sun, shade, appearance, traffic, and maintenance needs. We break them down in simple terms so you can compare your options and choose the best fit for your project.