Under Sod 4-2-5 is blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil before the sod goes down. The label method is incorporation. If you cannot mix it in, use the quarter-rate topical application.
The rate is one 25-pound bag per pallet of sod (500 square feet), which is 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet, blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil.
Quick answer
The best sod fertilizer in Maine is really two products, in order: an iron-free, low-phosphorus biological pre-plant fertilizer — Under Sod 4-2-5 — worked into the rooting zone on install day, then a no-phosphorus, nitrogen-led maintenance fertilizer once the lawn has knitted down. Maine doesn't ban phosphorus lawn fertilizer outright — its law (38 MRSA § 419) works through retailer signage explaining when phosphorus is and isn't appropriate — but the answer the signage points to is the same: phosphorus at establishment or a soil-test-shown need, and not otherwise, especially near the state's lakes and coast.
Sod fertilizer in Maine is two decisions, not one
Most "best sod fertilizer" lists treat a sodded lawn as one feeding problem. It is two. On install day, the feeding that matters most goes under the sod, in the rooting zone the new roots land in — and establishment is precisely when phosphorus is genuinely useful. After the lawn knits down, it needs a different product entirely. Maine's approach is education rather than prohibition, but its shoreland zoning and local rules restrict fertilizer near lakes, ponds, rivers, and the coast — and with the state's short growing season and cool, acidic soils, restraint after establishment is simply good practice.
Decision 1 — install day: what goes under the sod
Freshly harvested sod arrives nearly rootless and has days to push new roots into the soil beneath it. Under Sod 4-2-5 is built for exactly that zone: an iron-free 4-2-5 biological pre-plant fertilizer with named endomycorrhizae, a *Bacillus* + *Trichoderma* biology package, seaweed extract, and humic and fulvic acid, in a fine SGN 90 granule. Spread one 25-pound bag per pallet of sod (500 square feet), which is 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet, blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil, then final grade, roll, lay the sod, and water in. Its moderate 2% phosphorus covers establishment without overshooting what Maine's cool soils usually need.
For the full Maine deep dive — the state's soils, lakes, and regulatory approach — see best fertilizer under sod in Maine.
Decision 2 — after it roots: the first-season feeding plan
For the first weeks after install, the job is water, not more fertilizer — the starter is already in the rooting zone. Once the sod has knitted down (gently tug a corner; when it resists, roots have taken), switch to a no-phosphorus, nitrogen-led maintenance fertilizer unless a soil test shows a phosphorus need — the same answer Maine's retail signage points shoppers toward. Near lakes, ponds, rivers, and the coast, check shoreland zoning and local rules before feeding at all. For Maine's cool-season lawns, the most important maintenance feeding of the year is early fall.
| Moment | What to use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Install day | Under Sod 4-2-5 biological pre-plant fertilizer beneath the sod | Establishment is when phosphorus is genuinely appropriate, and the feed sits in the rooting zone |
| First weeks | Water only | Roots are knitting; the starter is already in place |
| Once established | No-phosphorus, nitrogen-led maintenance fertilizer | The answer Maine's phosphorus signage points to, absent a soil-test-shown need |
| Early fall | The season's key feeding for cool-season turf | Builds density and root reserves before a Maine winter |
Moment
Install day
What to use
Under Sod 4-2-5 biological pre-plant fertilizer beneath the sod
Why
Establishment is when phosphorus is genuinely appropriate, and the feed sits in the rooting zone
Moment
First weeks
What to use
Water only
Why
Roots are knitting; the starter is already in place
Moment
Once established
What to use
No-phosphorus, nitrogen-led maintenance fertilizer
Why
The answer Maine's phosphorus signage points to, absent a soil-test-shown need
Moment
Early fall
What to use
The season's key feeding for cool-season turf
Why
Builds density and root reserves before a Maine winter
Where Under Sod 4-2-5 fits
Under Sod 4-2-5 handles the install-day half of this plan — the half you cannot redo later. See the full specs or join the notification list for product updates.
Always pair fertilizer choices with a soil test. Maine takes a different regulatory path than most of its neighbors: rather than banning phosphorus lawn fertilizer, 38 MRSA § 419 requires retailers that sell phosphorus fertilizer to post state-approved signage explaining when phosphorus is and is not appropriate (in force since 2008). Separately, Maine's shoreland zoning and local rules restrict fertilizer use near the state's lakes, ponds, rivers, and coast. Under Sod's moderate 2% phosphorus and iron-free formula are the relevant angle in these water-sensitive areas, but always confirm current state and municipal requirements before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sod fertilizer in Maine?+
Two products, in order: an iron-free, low-phosphorus biological pre-plant fertilizer — Under Sod 4-2-5 — in the rooting zone on install day, then a no-phosphorus, nitrogen-led maintenance fertilizer once the lawn is established, unless a soil test shows a phosphorus need.
Does Maine ban phosphorus lawn fertilizer?+
No. Rather than a ban, 38 MRSA § 419 (in force since 2008) requires retailers selling phosphorus fertilizer to post state-approved signage explaining when phosphorus is and is not appropriate. Separately, shoreland zoning and local rules restrict fertilizer use near lakes, ponds, rivers, and the coast.
What should I feed sod after it is established in Maine?+
A no-phosphorus, nitrogen-led maintenance fertilizer, unless a soil test shows a phosphorus need — and check shoreland zoning and local rules near water. Early fall is the key feeding for Maine's cool-season lawns.
How much starter fertilizer goes under the sod?+
Under Sod 4-2-5 goes down at one 25-pound bag per pallet of sod (500 square feet), which is 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet, blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Count your pallets to count your bags.
Keep reading
Step two
Day 30: OVER SOD™ 8-0-6 is step two, a phosphorus-free surface feed with mostly slow-release nitrogen, at one 25-pound bag per four pallets of sod (2,000 square feet), which is 12.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet: about 1 pound of nitrogen, 0.75 pound of potash, and no phosphate. Water it in. If day 30 falls inside your state's fertilizer blackout, wait for the first allowed date. OVER SOD™ ships spring 2027. About Over Sod 8-0-6
Soil test first. When not to use Under Sod covers low-phosphorus test results, high-phosphorus results, and local rules.
Homeowners and installers are already asking what goes under new sod. Under Sod 4-2-5 is the brand built specifically for that job, blended into the soil. The label method is incorporation. If you cannot mix it in, use the quarter-rate topical application.
Built for beneath the sod.
A 4-2-5, iron-free biological pre-plant fertilizer — named mycorrhizae, beneficial bacteria, Trichoderma, seaweed, and humic acid — at one bag per pallet of sod (500 square feet), which is 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet, blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil.