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
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 — one bag per pallet, no rate math. For 1,000 sq ft (two pallets) you'd use two bags, or 50 lb total, blended 4 to 6 inches deep; for 1,500 sq ft (three pallets), three bags at the same depth.
The rate, stated plainly
| Lawn size | Pallets of sod | Under Sod 4-2-5 needed |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 1 pallet | one 25 lb bag, blended 4 to 6 in deep |
| 1,000 sq ft | 2 pallets | two bags (50 lb), blended 4 to 6 in deep |
| 1,500 sq ft | 3 pallets | three bags (75 lb), blended 4 to 6 in deep |
Lawn size
500 sq ft
Pallets of sod
1 pallet
Under Sod 4-2-5 needed
one 25 lb bag, blended 4 to 6 in deep
Lawn size
1,000 sq ft
Pallets of sod
2 pallets
Under Sod 4-2-5 needed
two bags (50 lb), blended 4 to 6 in deep
Lawn size
1,500 sq ft
Pallets of sod
3 pallets
Under Sod 4-2-5 needed
three bags (75 lb), blended 4 to 6 in deep
That works out to roughly 5 lb per 100 sq ft. The bag is sized to the pallet on purpose, so there's nothing to weigh out or calculate — you buy one bag for every pallet of sod you're installing.
Common mix-up: the correct Under Sod 4-2-5 rate is 25 lb per 500 sq ft (50 lb per 1,000 sq ft), blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil, not 25 lb per 1,000 sq ft. A 1,000 sq ft lawn needs 50 lb (two bags).
Why the rate is matched to the pallet
Most starter and lawn fertilizers are sold in bags that cover 5,000 sq ft or more, which means a homeowner sodding a single pallet has to measure out a fraction of a bag and store the rest. Matching one bag to one 500 sq ft pallet, blended 4 to 6 inches deep, removes the guesswork and the leftover bag in the garage — and it keeps the application rate correct, which matters more with a biological product than a straight synthetic one.
How to apply it
- Spread the bag (50 lb per 1,000 sq ft) evenly across the prepared, graded soil for that pallet's area, ready to blend into the top 4 to 6 inches in the next step.
- Mix it into the top 4 inches of prepared topsoil with a tiller, harrow, or power rake, up to 6 where the topsoil lift is deeper.
- Lay the sod, then water in thoroughly.
The fine SGN 90 granule is meant to settle into the soil-to-root contact zone, not sit on the surface.
Where Under Sod 4-2-5 fits
Under Sod 4-2-5 is a 4-2-5 iron-free biological pre-plant fertilizer — low phosphorus, potassium-forward, with named endomycorrhizae, a *Bacillus* and *Trichoderma* biology package, seaweed, and humic acid (plus fulvic acid). The bag-per-pallet rate is part of the design: one pallet, one bag, done. See the full product specs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much starter fertilizer do you need per pallet of 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.
How much Under Sod 4-2-5 does a 1,000 sq ft lawn need?+
50 lb — two 25 lb bags. A 1,000 sq ft lawn is two pallets, so it takes two bags. The rate is 25 lb per 500 sq ft, blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil, not 25 lb per 1,000 sq ft.
What is the application rate per 100 sq ft?+
Roughly 5 lb per 100 sq ft, which is exactly one 25 lb bag per 500 sq ft pallet, blended into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil.
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
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.