The Best Sod for Oakland

Posted by George Bravos on

Best Sod And Grass Seed Options for Oakland

Lets dive into the top 5 best sod types for Oakland! We will review the best sod recommendations for Oakland, California and key factors that influence choosing a sod lawn. Oakland is home to Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, the Grand Lake Theatre, Children's Fairyland, Oakland Zoo, Redwood Regional Park, Temescal Regional Recreation Area, Chabot Space and Science Center, and previously the Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders. For the most part, Oakland will offer the similar cozy and knit-tight urban landscape that San Francisco does. Below, we will review climate in Oakland which offers similarities with San Francisco climate. We hope to reach as many Oakland residents as we can to help with any lawn needs! 

Lawns for Oakland

Oakland Climate for Grass Lawns

Oakland is home to some of California's best climate. Oakland is one of the cities in California with the most Moderate-Mediterranean climate, offering ideal conditions for sod lawns. After going into Oakland past the Lafayette Bluff Tunnel, most of us find that Oakland and San Francisco climates change significantly from Contra Costa cities. Oakland's proximity to the San Francisco Bay (the actual body of water) provide Oakland with cooler temperatures, similar to San Francisco. However, because it is not as close to the bay, it does not have climate as overcast and chilly as San Francisco. Still, Oakland and San Francisco have similar climates (with Oakland being a bit sunnier and warmer!). For this reason, Oakland and San Francisco have very similar taste when sod is involved. Our list for these two cities is the same with the exception of Kurapia ground cover recommendations, mainly because of the climate in the general area. Below are our top 5 best selling sod types for Oakland, California.

Oakland grass

View of the San Francisco Bay Area from Temescal Regional Recreation Area

Top 5 Best Sod Types for Oakland and Bay Area

Sod and Seed, Inc. continues to update its information to keep up with the best sod selections across the state of California. Welcome to our rundown of the top 5 grasses purchased in Oakland based on our 2020 and 2021 sales and lawn area conditions. These sod grass blends have each been tested by Sod and Seed, Inc. and proven to thrive and adapt well in the general Oakland area. This list is based on two main factors: customer interest and demand based on our sales, and adaptations to conditions based on our stress testing. As with our other cities, it is important to note that there are other sod types not on this list that may work well in your Oakland property based on individual conditions. Similarly, there are sod selections in this list that may work best on your lawn but may not be first on the list. 

Best Sod for Oakland Bay Area

Image of best grass types
Sod and Seed, Inc. Sod Samples at our Concord Storefront for display and for stress testing.

1. Special Shade Blend Sod

Our Special Shade Blend sod is a popular choice in Oakland that thrives and does well. The name for this turf type can be misleading, but our Shade Blend does great in full sun as well as shady areas. Shade Blend is popular in Oakland for similar reasons it's popular in San Francisco. Like in SF, space can be limited in Oakland, and being able to maximize the use of a sod lawn is key. So, the first reason for the Shade Blend's popularity in Oakland is that the Shade Blend has excellent wear and tear recovery, so many Oakland residents want to ensure that their lawn will resist and recover rom foot damage caused by conditions such as pets, kids play, and social events. Secondly, Oakland residents choose the Shade Blend for its shade tolerance, especially residents in shadier regions of Oakland such as Claremont Hills, Montclair, Piedmont Pines, Woodminster, Crestmont, Ridgemont, Hillcrest Estates, Sequoyah, Grass Valley, Chabot Park, and Sheffield Village. Rest assured, your Shady Mix lawn will do just fine even on those hotter summer days in Oakland if tended to properly. 

Grass Seed for Shady Mix

We also offer our farm-grade Shade Blend seed for re-seeding or seeding purposes. CLICK HERE for our Shade Blend grass seed. 

 

2. Bolero Plus Sod

Our Bolero Plus sod is an excellent and popular sod choice in Oakland as well. Our Bolero Plus Dwarf Fescue offers many desirable traits such as drought tolerance for heat wave days in Oakland, a slower-growing blade for lessened maintenance, and finer blade for improved aesthetics. Bolero Plus also offers wear and tear recovery for lawns that will be used for some foot traffic. Oakland is also neighbor to one of the most famous Bolero Plus installations in San Francisco, which is the front lawn of the house in the new television show, "Fuller House."

Bolero Plus Dwarf Fescue Seed

We also offer our farm-grade Bolero Plus Seed for re-seeding or seeding purposes. CLICK HERE for our Bolero Plus grass seed. 

 

3. Kurapia Ground Cover

Sod and Seed, Inc. cannot stress enough the value of our Kurapia sod ground cover. Kurapia ground cover is a new lawn alternative that has come to transform the lawn industry. Kurapia ground cover has transformed the expectations that can be had of a lawn when it comes to drought tolerance, maintenance and aesthetics. Kurapia ground cover offers the best drought tolerance of all of our ground covers that are green year-round. CLICK HERE to watch our video, "Kurapia Sod Testing by Sod and Seed, Inc." and see for your self the drought tolerance capabilities of Kurapia. Kurapia ground cover also offers the lowest maintenance of all of our lawn covers, never needing to be mowed. Some customers mow it to avoid the seasonal flowering but that is optional. Your Kurapia ground cover lawn will have lateral growth versus upward growth, which means that it will grow low to the ground and not grow up, which in turn would require mowing. Additionally, Kurapia blooms miniature white flowers seasonally, giving it a highly unique aesthetic between the peak months of May and October. Oakland residents love their Kurapia and so do we! 

CLICK the link below to learn more about Kurapia:

 

 

4. Tall 90/10 Fescue Sod

Our Delta Tall 9010 Fescue sod is our best-seller and we are happy to tell you why Oakland residents love it. The Delta Tall 9010 is our most drought tolerant and durable sod. It loves the sun and loves the heat, taking full sun all day. This turf type is also best for heavy foot traffic. If you've got kids who regularly need to get their wiggles out or a bigger dog, this is the right sod lawn for you. Everybody loves their pets and Oakland loves their Delta tall 9010! Your Tall Fescue and Bluegrass lawn will be great for recreational use, and social events like birthday parties and sports activities with families and friends. Our Delta Tall 9010 Fescue is our all-around best sod offering drought tolerance, heat tolerance, disease resistance, wear and tear recovery and some shade tolerance as well. 

9010 Tall Fescue Grass Seed

Sod and Seed, Inc. also offers the farm-grade Bolero Plus Seed for re-seeding or seeding purposes. CLICK HERE for our Shade Blend grass seed. 

 

 

5. Bluegrass Ryegrass Sod

Our Kentucky Bluegrass and Perennial Rye Grass series offers some of the best options for Oakland. Our most popular blend is our 50 percent Kentucky Bluegrass and 50 percent Perennial Ryegrass mix, which gives classic Blue Rye benefits such as soft textured grass blades and the best aesthetics. For these reasons, the Blue Rye is ideal for families with small children, giving a soft surface for them to play on, or using for tummy time and tumble time. Our Blue Rye series also offers excellent aesthetics. With the housing market spiking in Oakland, a sod lawn can further increase property values up to 20%. Over the years, it has become more and more clear that our Blue Rye undoubtedly has one of the most classic and aesthetically pleasing looks. Our Blue Rye series includes a range of variations in Bluegrass and Ryegrass proportions, offering a 50% Bluegrass and 50% Ryegrass mix as well as an 80% Rye Grass and 20% Bluegrass mix. We also offer 100% Perennial Ryegrass and 100% Kentucky Bluegrass. Both the Bluegrass and Ryegrass are cool season grasses and will likely require watering every other day even with climate variations in Oakland. Luckily, Oakland provides enough shade, avoiding sun exposure that is too strong and limiting extreme weather conditions, giving this sod a great chance to thrive.

 

 

Oakland, we hope you have found our content helpful! Please feel free to share this information with fellow Oakland residents and professionals in the field. At Sod and Seed, Inc., we are invested in ensuring our plants thrive in your lawn, carefully helping select the lawn cover that will best suit your conditions. Which Oakland lawn may best suit your conditions? As always, please give us a call at 925-435-7874 with any further questions or for help placing an order. Please drop comments and tips in the comments section below. We hope to hear from you soon!

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8 comments

  • Our Latitude Bermuda Grass is one of our favorites. It’s one of the wisest decisions we’ve ever made. We’ve tried a variety of grasses, and none have come close to this one’s perfection. This grass has performed admirably for me, and I believe it is an excellent choice for Bermuda fans.

    Ronald Bannister on
  • I chose Delta Blue Rye 50/50 grass for my yard, and it is still healthy and green since we purchased it last year. This grass was ideal for my yard and looks fantastic here in Oakland.

    Sarah Jean Wixom on
  • I just wanted to let you know that the Ryegrass you installed here in my yard in Oakland is still doing great, and I’m about two weeks away from making it into a green yard. I’m considering placing another purchase for the backyard because it looks so wonderful. RYEGRASS is an excellent option for folks who need a lawn that will be green year-round, soft, and resilient.

    Arnell Thomas on
  • I’m looking for a beautiful lawn without needing too much water all the time, saving irrigation time and maintenance. Do you have any of this grass aside from Kurapia?

    Linda King on
  • Is it okay to leave some sod while it is still rolled up on the pallet? I can’t place them all on the same day, so not sure about it. Do you have any guides during the installation of the product?

    Debbie Edge on

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