In Orange County we garden year round. Planting cool-season crops in fall and winter and warm-season crops in spring and summer. As a general rule, begin planting cool-season vegetables in September, and begin planting warm-season crops in March. Learn more about Santa Ana Sod planting conditions, hardiness zones and weather.
Santa Ana Sod Weather and Geography
Before Santa Ana became an actual city in 1869, it was a mustard field! The city is nested on flat, low-lying plains with little land elevation change. It is located in Orange County, adjacent to the Santa Ana River, about 10 miles from the coast. Santa Ana is both the most most populous city and the largest city in Orange County, covering 27.2 square miles.
Sod Preparation and Installation in Santa Ana
Measure for Sod:
Multiply the length times the width. This gives you your total square footage to order. Suggestion: Add 5% to the total for irregular shapes.
Soil Preparation:
Clear the site of all rocks and debris larger than 2-3 inches in diameter.
Rough grade the entire area to eliminate drainage problems.
Add topsoil, if necessary, to achieve a total topsoil depth of 4-6 inches.
Test the soil pH for balanced and healthy soil before installing sod.
Apply starter fertilizer that is high in phosphate. Typical starter fertilizer recommendations are (N-P-K) of 10-10-10 or 19-19-19.
Lightly tamp or roll the topsoil to settle the surface and create an ideal surface for installing the sod.
Read more sod preparation and installation tips.
Order Sod:
Same-day installation of your sod is imperative to the success of establishment. Sod is a living plant that requires immediate water, nutrients, and air to live and establish itself.
Lay Sod:
Start at a straight line such as a driveway or walk.
Lay out the sod as you would a rug or tiles.
Make sure all joints are butted tightly together, without overlapping or spaces between strips of sod.
Stagger the joints in each row like rows of bricks.
Use a large sharp knife for shaping sod around trees, at flower beds or along borders.
Completely soak the sod with at least 1″ of water. Start watering 20 minutes after the first strip is laid.
Roll the sod to smooth out small bumps and air pockets. This will assure good contact with the soil.
Watering Schedule:
To gauge watering, simply place an empty can about 6″away from sprinkler.
When there is an inch of water in the can, it is time to move the sprinkler to the next area.
Reflected heat along buildings dries sod quickly; be sure to water such areas more often.
See our watering tips and watering schedules.
Santa Ana Hardiness Zone 10a
Santa Ana is classified in Zone 10a which is 30 °F to 35°F according to the California USDA Hardiness Zone Map in 2012.
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined to encompass a certain range of climatic conditions relevant to plant growth and survival.
Unless otherwise specified, “hardiness zone” or simply “zone” usually refers to the USDA scale. For example, a plant may be described as “hardy to zone 10,” and this means the plant can withstand a minimum temperature of 30.2 °F to 39.0 °F.
Santa Ana Weather for Planting Sod Grass
Santa Ana experiences a hot semi-arid climate, with hot dry summers and mild winters with moderate rainfall. Rainfall averages about 13.7 inches per year, mostly occurring from November through April. There are an average of 36 days with measurable precipitation annually. The winters are so mild, lows rarely fall below freezing. The climate is influenced by the ocean approximately 85 percent of the time.
Santa Ana Average temperatures:
Summer Average High 84° → Average Low 60°
Winter Average High 68° → Average Low 43°
Santa Ana Average Humidity:
Summer: 68%
Winter: 63%
Santa Ana Average Frost Dates:
Average First Frost: December 21 – 31
Average Last Frost: January 21-31
Santa Ana has warm to hot days and mild nights in the summer and warm days and cool to cold nights for fall and spring seasons. The weather is influenced by moist coastal air, producing good gardening conditions. Nested on flat, low-lying plains with little land elevation change, Santa Ana has an average elevation of 134 feet. Lying south and east of the city, the Santa Ana mountains rise to their highest point at Santiago Peak, an elevation of 5,687 feet. They lie within a division of Cleveland National Forest.
Planting a Beautiful Sod Lawn in Santa Ana
Planting sod requires a little planning, measurement and choosing the right types of sod. The Orange County Sod Farm Team is here to assist you in choosing the right sod and soils to get the lawn you want. Call us today for a sod quote. Orange County Sod Farm delivers the highest quality Marathon Sod to all Orange County locations. We offer Original Marathon Sod, Marathon II, Marathon III Lite Sod, St. Augustine, Tifgreen Bermuda and the stunning Zeon Zoysias.