Quick Summary
For most Harvey yards, St. Augustine is the best sod to order. It is the most commonly delivered variety on the West Bank, it copes with the slow draining clay and partial shade, and it tolerates wet ground longer than the alternatives. Bermuda suits open, full sun lawns that drain well, and Zoysia wants at least six hours of direct sun.
Last Updated: September 2026
On this page
- What is the best sod to get in Harvey?
- Why does Harvey soil favor St. Augustine?
- When is Bermuda the better choice in Harvey?
- What about Zoysia and Centipede?
- Which St. Augustine should you ask for?
- How does sod delivery to Harvey work?
- What should you do when the sod arrives?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing sod in Harvey is less about which grass is best in general and more about which grass suits this particular ground. Harvey sits on flat, low West Bank land with dense clay, and the wrong variety can look fine in spring and then fail by August.
Big Easy Sod delivers and installs sod across Greater New Orleans and the Northshore, and Harvey is a regular stop on our West Bank routes. This guide covers which grass to order for a Harvey yard, then how delivery works once you have picked one.
What is the best sod to get in Harvey?
St. Augustine is the best fit for most Harvey yards. It is the variety delivered most often on the West Bank, it handles clay soil and partial shade well, and it survives saturated ground longer than Bermuda, Zoysia or Centipede. Full sun lawns with good drainage are the main exception, where Bermuda can suit better.
No grass is right for every yard, and many Harvey lots need two. A common pattern is a sunny front yard and a back yard shaded by a fence, a house or trees. On one Harvey job we used St. Augustine for the partly shaded back and Bermuda for the open front.
The three things that decide it are hours of direct sun, how the ground drains, and how much traffic the lawn takes. Our broader guide to which sod type suits a New Orleans lawn covers all five varieties, while this one focuses on what changes once you cross to the West Bank.
Why does Harvey soil favor St. Augustine?
Harvey has classic West Bank soil, a clay and alluvial mix that holds moisture, compacts easily and drains slowly. The terrain is flat, so water can sit after heavy rain. St. Augustine tolerates that saturation better than the other common sod grasses, which gives it a margin other varieties do not have here.
Our own flood tolerance ranking puts St. Augustine at the top, surviving roughly three to five days of saturation. Centipede and Zoysia sit in the middle at about one to two days, and Bermuda is the least tolerant at around twelve to twenty-four hours. On flat Harvey lots, that difference can show up after a heavy storm.
Grass choice only goes so far on its own, though. Drainage grading is part of almost every Harvey install we plan, because even the most tolerant grass fails in a low spot that never dries. Our guide to installing sod in flood-prone New Orleans yards covers that preparation.
When is Bermuda the better choice in Harvey?
Bermuda suits a Harvey yard that gets at least eight hours of direct sun, drains well and takes heavy use from kids, pets or sports. It establishes quickly and has the lowest material cost of the main varieties, but it thins in shade and handles standing water poorly.
Many Harvey lots are larger than typical East Bank properties, and a big open lawn in full sun is where Bermuda earns its place. It is also the budget option, at about $0.35 to $0.55 per square foot in material against $0.40 to $0.60 for Floratam St. Augustine.
The risk is putting it in the wrong spot. Bermuda in the shade of a fence line or a live oak will thin out regardless of care, and a low corner that holds water after rain will hurt it faster than it would hurt St. Augustine. If part of the yard is shaded or wet, that part usually needs a different grass.
Please note: The prices in this article are estimates only, shared to help you plan. Your actual cost depends on your property, the materials and the size of the job. For pricing on your project, call Big Easy Sod for a quote.
What about Zoysia and Centipede?
Both can work in Harvey, but in narrower conditions. Zoysia needs at least six hours of direct sun and good drainage, and it costs the most, at about $0.55 to $0.80 per square foot in material. Centipede is low maintenance and tolerates acidic soil, so a soil test first is sensible.
Zoysia has a reputation as a shade grass, and that is where people get caught out. University of Arkansas extension rates it only fair for shade and sets a floor of about six hours of direct sun. Our guide to how much shade zoysia actually tolerates sets out where it holds up.
Zoysia rewards the right yard with a dense, slow-growing lawn that needs mowing less often. On a well drained Harvey lot with plenty of sun it is a good choice. On a low, shaded or poorly draining lot, St. Augustine is usually the safer order.
Which St. Augustine should you ask for?
It depends on light and disease risk. Floratam is the most widely installed St. Augustine in the metro and is generally grown in full sun. Palmetto is a semi-dwarf cultivar bred for shade. Raleigh is on the LSU AgCenter list of cultivars resistant to St. Augustine Decline, a virus found in Louisiana lawns.
St. Augustine Decline is worth knowing about because nothing cures it. The LSU AgCenter lists Floratam, Floralawn, Raleigh and Seville as resistant. Palmetto is not on that list, which does not mean it is susceptible, only that it is not among the varieties LSU names. Our guide to St. Augustine Decline in Louisiana explains the signs.
For a side-by-side look at the three cultivars most often sold here, our comparison of Floratam, Palmetto and Raleigh St. Augustine covers sun needs, blade texture and upkeep. Tell us the light in each part of the yard when you order, and we will match the cultivar to it.
How does sod delivery to Harvey work?
Big Easy Sod cuts fresh and delivers to Harvey addresses the same day on orders placed before 10 a.m., with no warehouse time between cutting and arrival. Larger orders of three or more pallets need 24 hours of lead time. Each pallet covers approximately 450 to 500 square feet.
To work out how many pallets to order, measure the length and width of each area you plan to sod and multiply to get square feet. Add the areas together and divide by the pallet coverage. We cut to your square footage rather than rounding up, and will check the estimate before you commit.
Our guide to how much a pallet of sod covers walks through the measuring in more detail. Harvey deliveries often share a route with Marrero, which sits directly west along Lapalco Boulevard, and scheduling nearby jobs together often lets us hold the same delivery window.
We deliver full and partial pallets, residential or commercial. Delivery charges depend on the address, so confirm yours when ordering. Our guide to what sod delivery costs in New Orleans covers how to budget for it.
What should you do when the sod arrives?
Lay it the same day if you can. Sod left stacked on a pallet in New Orleans heat degrades quickly. If you cannot install on delivery day, keep the rolls in shade and mist them with water until you are ready to lay them.
Have the ground ready before the truck arrives. That means the old grass and debris cleared, low spots graded so water runs away from the house, and the surface raked level. Improper drainage prep is the most common reason sod fails in this area, so the ground work matters as much as the grass.
If you would rather not lay it yourself, our crew can handle delivery and installation together, and most residential installs are finished in a single day. Once it is down, the first few weeks of watering matter most while the roots grow into the soil below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grass is best for Harvey, Louisiana?
St. Augustine suits most Harvey yards because it tolerates clay, partial shade and wet ground. Bermuda is a strong choice for well drained lawns in full sun, and Zoysia works where there are at least six hours of direct sun.
Can I get sod delivered the same day in Harvey?
Yes, for orders placed before 10 a.m. Orders of three or more pallets need 24 hours of lead time, so plan ahead for a larger lawn.
How many pallets of sod do I need for my Harvey yard?
Each pallet covers approximately 450 to 500 square feet. Measure each area, add them together and divide by that coverage. A 2,000 square foot lawn needs about four to five pallets.
Does St. Augustine grow in shade in Harvey?
It handles partial shade better than Bermuda or Zoysia. For heavier shade, Palmetto is the semi-dwarf St. Augustine bred for it, though even a shade-tolerant grass struggles in deep, all day shade.
Is Bermuda sod cheaper than St. Augustine?
Slightly, in material. Bermuda runs about $0.35 to $0.55 per square foot against $0.40 to $0.60 for Floratam St. Augustine. A grass planted in the wrong conditions can end up costing more if it has to be replaced.
What if I cannot lay the sod the day it arrives?
Keep the rolls shaded and mist them with water until you are ready. Sod left stacked in the heat deteriorates quickly, so lay it as soon as you can.
Order the right grass for each part of the yard
Most Harvey yards need an honest look at sun and drainage before the order goes in. Orders placed before 10 a.m. qualify for same-day delivery. Call (504) 608-3321 to order, or tell us the size and light of your yard for a free quote. See our sod delivery service in Harvey for the details, or our sod delivery across New Orleans for the wider metro.
