How Often Should I Water My New Sod
If you water your new sod often, it will grow strong roots. Water it throughout the day for sod you apply in summer to prevent shrinking and drying. Ensure moisture your lawn stays moist for at least two weeks after installation of your sod, and continue watering it for another two weeks to ensure it does not dry out. You can also install an irrigation system for your lawn, which will help you save time and money in the long run.
How To Care For New Sod
If your home is getting a new lawn installed, or has gone through a construction project, you most likely need new sod. But in most instances, thin or damaged lawns can be repaired with over-seeding , which is actually a much more cost effective and requires less intensive after care from you!
Although Hometurf Lawn Care does not provide or install sod ourselves, we understand you may be going down that path and have compiled a few vital steps for you below that you need to follow in order for your new sod to survive and thrive!
Proper Watering:
Your newly installed sod requires a lot more water than a regular, established lawn normally would. This is because the roots in the new sod need much more, consistent moisture. You need to provide your sod with enough water to thoroughly soak the first few inches of soil for the first week to week and a half of laying the sod. This should be accomplished with about five to ten minutes of watering two to three times a day, depending on the weather. Following this time frame, you can decrease the amount youre watering the new sod to once a day while still ensuring that youre soaking top quarter inch of the soil. After about three weeks, you can begin watering every other day and after about a month you can begin watering as you would an established lawn, as the roots of your new sod should be established. Always make sure to water your new sod in the morning or evening to allow maximum moisture absorption!
Fertilization Rules:
Kill Your Current Yard
Yes, the sad part of laying sod is you must first kill off your current grass. Pick up enough non-selective herbicide, like Roundup, to treat the part of the yard you plan to lay sod.
Spray the entire section of the lawn you plan to replace with the herbicide. Use extreme care not to hit parts you do not intend to replace. Using a pattern indicator mixed with the herbicide can help you keep track of where you sprayed so you dont miss or overtreat spots.
While the exact amount of time it takes for your existing lawn to brown and die will vary, it generally takes a week or two. You can adjust your sod-ordering day based on how long it takes to die off.
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How Much Does Sod Cost If I Do It Myself Or Have You Install It For Me
The cost of sod and sodding a new lawn is given to immediately when you complete a request for a quote below:
How much does sod / turf weigh?
Each sod roll will weigh a minimum of 8 lbs. and in wet weather may weigh up to 100 lbs.
How big are the sod rolls? What are the size of the turf rolls?
Each roll is 2 by 45. At BC Instant Lawns we sell the sod in square feet and do the conversion for you. There is no need to convert square feet to rolls anymore. Most farms do not sell a true square yard or meter so doing a conversion becomes a pain. All you need to do is measure your area in square feet, we do the rest.
How do I convert my area size to the amount of sod rolls I need?
You no longer need to convert your area size to sod rolls. We do the conversion for you. All you need to know is the square footage of your lawn area. Calculate this by measuring your lawn in FEET. Take the length x width = Square Footage. Many times, by simply pacing the area out is as accurate as a tape measure, 1 pace is equivalent to about 3 feet for most people.
Tips From Sod Farmers
Here’s some advice from the pros for DIY sod installation.
- Because sod is perishable and dries out quickly, many farmers cut their turf in the middle of the night so that it can be delivered and installed the same day. To keep it moist, consider watering the sod after you lay the first large area and move the sprinkler around the lawn as you complete each subsequent section.
- Even sod farmers can’t tell how moist soil is by looking at a lawn. Use a soil probe to check moisture levels. After a thorough watering, soil should be damp 3 to 4 inches below the surface.
- Strong turf needs plenty of sun shade-grown grass is weaker and more susceptible to disease since it stays covered with dew longer. Water shady spots less often and reduce fertilizer by 25 percent.
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How To Prepare Soil Prior To Laying Sod
In order for your new sod to take root, the underlying soil should be loose. Compacted clay soil does not allow for roots to penetrate and take hold.
When installing sod in small areas, disturb the existing soil with a metal rake to loosen it up or add about one inch of new soil to the areas.
If installing sod over a larger area, you will find it beneficial to rent a tiller to loosen the compacted soil before installation.
Water And Maintain The Sod
New sod should be watered immediately to make sure it thrives. To check to see that the sod is making good contact, gently lift a corner. The ground below should be moist after watering the sod. If its bone dry or muddy, adjust your sod installation or watering technique.
- Water it daily for the first week, preferably in the morning. Avoid walking on it if at all possible. Walking on it can shift the sod, making it uneven or bunched.
- After the first week, you can reduce the irrigation schedule to every other day. Water twice per week as the sod begins to take root.
- Once the grass grows to roughly three inches high, its time for a trim. We recommend using a push mower as the new patches will still be fragile.
- Fertilize the lawn after you mow it to add fresh nutrients to the soil.
- As your sod matures and grows stronger roots, you can trim it lower with a mower.
Installing sod is a great DIY project for homeowners with instant results. Learning how to lay sod is the first step in upgrading your lawn. Get started now and order your landscape tools online. The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them.
If you plan on laying sod but don’t want to do it all by hand, weve got you covered. Consider using a rototiller or lawn roller from our lawn and garden tool rental to get your project done. Use it once, then bring it back no maintenance required.
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Sod Grass Delivery Fee
The more grass sod you buy, the cheaper the delivery fee. Order over 1,000 sq. ft and it could even be free. 200495 sq. ft of sod carries a $75 delivery fee, and 500995 sq. ft. should be right around $50 to deliver. Having sod delivered is desirable due to its weight. It looks like a few rolls of grass, but each roll weighs about 3550 lbs. so a small order of 10 rolls will weigh in at about 500 lbs.
Laying Sod Around Curves
Neat green rectangles of sod fit tightly against each other when laid in straight lines, but they won’t conform to a curve, such as around the edge of a flower bed. Some people cut the sod lengthwise into strips that can be bent around a curve, but This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook says smaller pieces like that are more likely to dry out and die than ones that remain full-width.
Instead, Roger makes his sod curve the way a tailor might, by cutting a dart or two in a full-sized piece. With the sod laid next to the curve, he grabs a couple of spots along one edge and pinces them together to make the sod follow the contours of the bed. This creates a triangular upward fold that he slices down its crease with a razor knife. One side of the cut goes down against the ground he lays the other flap on top of it. Using the cut edge of this flap as a guide, he saws the knife through the sod and removes the triangular piece underneath. Now, the flaps meet andvoilathe cut disappears.
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When To Fertilize Your A New Sod Lawn
If you follow my recommendation of amending the soil with some starter fertilizer before laying sod, I recommend that you follow up after about 3 to 4 weeks and broadcast starter fertilizer on your sod.
You can use more Bio-Tone if you have a small section of lawn, but for a larger sod lawn, you may want to choose a quick-release synthetic lawn fertilizer.
When Im over-seeding or starting a new lawn from sod or seed in the fall, I use the Scotts starter fertilizer .
Generally I try to stay organic on my lawn, but the quick-release synthetic fertilizers really give your new lawn what it needs to thrive, and I highly recommend the Scotts starter fertilizer products. Its the one time I use synthetic fertilizer. It works really well.
After the application of your starter fertilizer, go back to organic in subsequent applications.
Natural, slow-release organic fertilizers work very well for this because they support healthy root systems and good soil quality.
How To Cut Sod Around Curved Obstacles & Obstructions
A rookie mistake when you have to lay sod around a fence or lamp post or other curved obstacle is to guesstimate the shape.
Its a bad idea to do a cutout in your sod sheet, and then to pack in little pieces of sod for a tight fit.
There are a few reasons why this isnt the best approach, but the biggest is this:
Small pieces of sod dry out faster than large pieces, even if their depth is the same as a standard piece of sod. Those small pieces of sod youre using to fill gaps around a curved object will turn yellow and be dead within a week.
The way I recommend you adapt to curves and obstacles is to cut darts into full-size pieces and bend the grass to meet it.
This is a similar technique used by tailors taking in a suit jacket.
To do this, lay out the sod adjacent to the curve and pinch spots along the edge together until it matches the curves contours. This raises a triangular upward fold, which you can then cut. Cut on one side at the ground level, then lay the flap flat. Make another cut so that the sod fits snug against the curve and remove the excess piece.
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Sod Vs Seed Which Is The Cheapest To Install And Maintain
Looking at a 2,000 sq. ft. lawn area, it is definitely cheaper to plant seed at about $124, than to install sod, which could run about $899 for planting and installation. If you plan to seed a lawn, be aware it can take months before you have a yard you can use. It requires a consistent watering schedule while the grass seed sprouts and starts to lay down a root system. If it dries out, it can die. Sod, on the other hand, can be walked on after a few days and will quickly establish a root system. Laying sod is more expensive up front, but from then on, the maintenance is much easierjust water, fertilize, and mow as usual.
If You Have Not Already Its Time To Fertilize
Fertilizing now will allow all of your fertilizer to get fully beneath the surface to feed the roots. Though you can add fertilizer after laying the sod, you may lose some of it due to runoff.
Fertilizers are essential for a green lawn as they aid your new sod with nutrient uptake and improve the soils PH, which allows the roots to establish themselves deeper in the soil, leading to a healthier, happier, and greener lawn.
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How To Take Care Of Your New Lawn
There are a few things you can do to ensure your sod remains healthy and vibrant. Here are our pro tips for taking care of your new lawn:
- Water it every day until it establishes itself
- Try not to walk on your new lawn for a few weeks as the sod is in a fragile state while establishing a root system
- We recommend fertilizing in the spring and at the end of summer
- Dont cut your new lawn for at least 2 weeks
- Aerate and dethatch your lawn twice a year
Placing Your First Row Of Sod
Your first row of sod should be laid out on your longest, straight edge of lawn.
In most yards, this is usually on a fence line, driveway, road, or garden bed.
Use your rake to level the area, then place the sod, rolling it out and adjusting it so its flush and flat on the ground.
Dont step on it while its being installed and rake out any footprints as you go. Pat down the sheet to smooth out any loose areas and remove any air pockets. Place the next sheet so its flat and touching, but not overlapping, the previous sheet of sod. Using your hands, press down on the seams so that you can no longer tell where one sheet ended and the other began.
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Remove Existing Plant Life
New sod will not grow on existing grass or other plant life, so the first step is to remove or kill off the existing grass. There are various ways to do this, including simply cutting it into pieces and removing it by hand. Or, you can use a manual or power sod cutter to slice off sections of the old lawn down to the roots.
An easier, though more time-consuming way, is to use a broadspectrum spray herbicide to kill off all vegetation over the area where the sod will be laid. But it may take multiple applications spaced over two to four weeks to fully kill off grass and weeds. But once killed, this dead plant material can simply be churned into the soil with a tiller.
How Long Does It Take For Roots To Develop In New Sod
New sod should take 10 to 14 days to take root after laying. We also recommend waiting for this 1014-day period to pass before mowing the grass from your new sod. Avoid walking or running on new sod, and ensure that pets stay off your new sod. This action ensures that the fragile young roots develop properly.
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How Often Do You Water After Laying New Grass
Newly installed sod grass will need to be watered daily for the first 10-14 days. You should keep the sod moist enough for the roots to be loose enough to secure themselves into the soil also referred to as the rooting stage.
We recommend watering in the morning before the sun is at its highest. Water long enough for the sod to become a bit squishy. By the end of the day, if you notice that the sod has completely dried out, water it again. This second watering might also be necessary when laying sod in the summer.
After this initial rooting stage, most sod can be watered once or twice weekly.
Care For New Sod Lawns
The most important part of proper care for new sod is irrigation, especially in warm weather. Generally, new sod needs to be watered every two to three days. Give it a thorough soaking, about an inch or so deep.
Check for root development periodically to make sure that rooting is taking place. Once it has taken hold, you can begin to gradually decrease the amount of watering.
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Caring For Your New Lawn After Sod Is Installed
Once you have a brand new lawn, we understand you dont want to go back to the way it was!
College Fund Landscaping can help you remain proud of your lawn with our full service lawn maintenance plans. Our experienced teams will feed your lawn, apply crabgrass preventer, and get rid of weeds so that youre able to enjoy your outdoor living space with your friends and family all year round.
From the very beginning stages of getting a quote to the final touches, College Fund Landscaping will be there to guide you, answer questions, and work diligently to provide you the best lawn care service available.
We are a recognized leader serving local North Texas customers with residential lawn care and weed control services. From lawn care, mowing, to landscaping and yard cleanup, you can rely on us to bring experience, beauty, and value to your lawn care project.
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