Tilling And Smoothing Your Soil
Measure The Space And Purchase Sod
Preparation is key for getting your sod to take root. Start planning a few weeks before youre ready to lay the new sod. Plan to lay sod on a day when the weather forecast is clear. Rain may delay this project.
On the other hand, too little water will also affect sod success. Avoid laying sod during times of drought or water restriction. New sod needs plenty of water once it’s in place. Its best to wait if watering your sod will be difficult.
Before you begin, take measurements of your yard to make sure you purchase enough sod. Landscaping is generally measured in square feet. The easiest way to calculate your space is to walk the area.
The average human step is roughly three feet. It may be less for shorter people. You can measure your step if youd like to be exact. To measure your yard by walking, follow these steps:
- Walk the length of your yard and note the number of steps. Then walk the width.
- Multiply the number of steps by 3 for length. Do the same for width. Multiply by 2.5 if youre shorter or by your exact step length in feet if you have it.
- Multiply those two numbers, length and width, to find the square footage.
You could also use a measuring wheel if youd prefer. Its a simple tool to measure long distances. A measuring wheel will give you a more exact measurement.
Once youve measured your yard, its time to plan your sod order:
How To Prep For Sod Installation In 10 Critical Steps
The best way to prepare a lawn for successful sod installation is to:
- Plan to lay sod at the right time of year for your grass type.
- Perform a soil test to see if lime is needed.
- Remove the existing lawn with a sod cutter.
- Clear away rocks and plant debris on the soil surface
- Till the soil to a depth of 6 inches to loosen it.
- Add soil amendments and till them into the soil.
- Level and grade your yard for proper drainage.
- Add topsoil to low spots as necessary.
- Roll your yard to provide a firm sod rooting surface.
- Find your yards square footage so youre ready to order sod.
These 10 steps will make sure your sod roots quickly, grows into a healthy lawn, and holds up for years to come. Skipping some of these steps can result in struggling sod with poor root growth. So, its essential to take the proper time to prep your yard.
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Contact Monarch Sod For Your Sod Installation
We know that getting your yard ready for sod installation is time-consuming and tedious, and lets face it youd rather be doing other things with the people you love. If you want a lush, beautiful lawn but dont want to use your precious time prepping for and installing sod yourself, the lawn experts at Monarch Sod are here to help you out! We are located in Lehi, Utah, and are available to help residents and businesses in the Salt Lake and Utah Valley with all of their sod needs. Contact us to learn more today!
Will Sod Grow On Hard Dirt
The sod isnt likely to thrive when its covered in dirt. Prepare the dirt so that your sod can grow quickly and provide you with a green lawn.
If you dont have a lawn mower, you can use a garden hoe to mow your lawn, but be careful not to over-mow, as this can damage the soil. You can also use an electric lawnmower to cut down on the amount of work you have to do.
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Have Lawn Soil Tested Before Sod
Step 1 is to get a proper soil test done. Soil tests are done by local laboratories, universities, and state extension offices. These tests are often not much more expensive than the DIY tests at the hardware store, but they are much more reliable. If youre serious enough about your lawn to invest in purchasing sod, be serious enough to invest in a proper laboratory soil test.
A good soil analysis will include a report of the soil composition, as well as recommendations for amending the soil to make it more conducive to growing a lawn. The analysis will tell you exactly which nutrients the soil in your lawn is deficient in. Most will even recommend specific amounts of nutrients that should be added to the soil with fertilizer. A soil test means youll actually know what the lawn soil needs .
The easiest way to get your lawn soil tested is with SoilKit an at-home soil sample collection kit paired with a pre-paid sample mailer. You send your soil sample off to a professional laboratory and then receive a detailed analysis along with specific expert recommendations for fertilizer and soil amendments.
Organic matter , reported as percent of total soil, contains about 95 percent of all soil nitrogen .
Soil Test Explanation Fact Sheet , Colorado State University, J.R. Self, CSU Extension Program
For help interpreting the results of your lawns soil analysis, refer to this helpful guide from North Dakota State University.
Should You Compact Topsoil Before Laying Sod
It is important to loosen the soil before planting new sod because it reduces compaction and makes it easier for the roots to grow into the soil. The amount of water you have to give your plants will be reduced by the loose soil.
If you dont have a soil test kit, you can check the pH of your soil with a pH meter. If its too acidic or too alkaline, it could be a sign that you need to adjust your watering schedule.
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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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Remove Any Existing Grass Or Weeds
The last step in preparing your soil for sod is to remove any existing grass or weeds. This is important because you dont want these things competing with your new sod for nutrients and water.
If the area is small, you can do this by hand with a shovel or hoe. For larger areas, however, you may want to consider renting a power tiller or rototiller.
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Test The Soils Ph Level
The best way to find out what nutrients are already in your soil is by testing it. If you have too much or too little of a nutrient, it can make it difficult for sod and other plants to grow. You may want to hire someone to test it for you, or you can purchase an inexpensive kit at a local garden center or home improvement store and do it yourself.
Depending on the results of your soil test, you may need to add some sand, peat moss, clay or compost to your ground in order to balance out the pH level.
Youll want to make sure your soil isnt too acidic or too alkaline . A pH level of 6.5 to 7 is ideal for grass growth, but many types of grass will grow at higher or lower levels. Consult a local nursery or garden center if you need information on what pH level works best for common types of grass seed in your area.
How To Prepare Soil For Sod
Sod installation is a landscaping task that homeowners can perform themselves if they are up to the challenge. Preparation should begin a few weeks before you are ready to install new sod. The first step to getting ready for sod installation is to prepare your soil. Follow our step-by-step guide to get your soil ready.
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How To Lay Sod And Upgrade Your Yard
Heres how to lay sod to get a whole new lawn
Knowing how to lay sod can transform your tired and downtrodden lawn into a lush and vibrant Garden of Eden once again. Sod is essentially a fresh layer of soil and grass which you can roll over your yard to create a new lawn. It sounds like a lot of effort, and it arguably is, but the good news is that it gives your yard an instant new look. Theres no having to learn how to plant grass seeds and wait around for the results. You can also learn how to stripe your lawn to make it look bigger.
There are many benefits to laying sod. If youre struggling to get rid of dandelions, a new lawn gives you a fresh, weed-free start. While if youre really struggling to make your grass greener, laying sod could be the solution youve been looking for you could opt for a new type of grass better suited to your region. Interested, but not sure what to do? Here, we take you through how to lay sod step-by-step, so you can refresh your yard in time for summer.
It might also benefit from knowing how to put lime on your lawn for greener results. Also, here are 5 reasons to buy an electric lawn mower if you’re thinking of upgrading.
Should You Roll Dirt Before Sod
Before sod arrives, be sure to have topsoil in place, spread, leveled, and rolled/compacted. As soon as the sod arrives, you should be prepared to install it. To compact the topsoil, use a light to medium weight roller and roll it. Lay sod on top of the rolled & compacted soil. Place sod in the hole.
Let sod sit for a few days to allow it to dry out. Remove sod from hole and place it in a bucket of water. Fill bucket with water and let it sit overnight. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until all sod has been placed in bucket. Allow sod to sit in water for 24 hours.
Drain bucket and allow to air dry. Continue to do this until you have used all of your sod. If you do not have enough water to fill the bucket, you can use a garden hose to water your garden.
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How Much Does It Cost For Sod Installation
It costs about $400 to cover a 1,000-square-foot backyard . But if you follow our tips for laying sod, in a couple of weeks youll have a dense, well-established lawn that’s naturally resistant to weeds, diseases, and pest infestations.
“You’re basically buying time,” says This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. “You’re paying for turf that someone else has coddled for 14 to 18 months.”
Read these steps to learn how to lay sod in your yard.
How Long Does Sod Take To Root
Your new sod should root within 10-14 days of application. You should mow your new lawn for the first time after laying sod. To avoid cutting it too short, be sure to set your mower to the highest setting possible.
You can check to see if your sod has been planted by looking at the top of the sod with your fingers. If it is green, then you have a ready-to-be-planted sod and you can plant it right away. Otherwise, you will need to wait a few days until the soil is dry enough to allow the roots to grow.
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Removing Your Existing Lawn:
Prior to the installation of sod, any existing lawn should be chemically killed and removed. Make sure that the existing lawn is well watered and growing vigorously. Apply an herbicide such as Roundup, or a similar product, to the entire lawn. Read and follow all label instructions. A second application about two weeks after the first will catch those areas missed and generally insure a complete kill of turf and weeds. Should the existing lawn contain bermuda grass, kikuyu grass, or other warm season grasses, chemical control will only be attained from April through mid-October. For information concerning the control of weed seed prior to sod installation, consult your local nurseryman for recommendations.
When the turf is dry, brown and dead, you can remove the lawn. Rent a sod cutter and cut the lawn into small sections. Just cut short, thin strips! They are easier to move, and you only need to cut out the dead sod, not a thick layer of soil. A sod cutter is about the size of a lawnmower, so you might want to arrange for help loading and unloading this piece of equipment from your vehicle. If you already have a sprinkler system, use flags to mark the sprinkler heads so you don’t hit them!
After removing the old sod, rake over the soil to remove any debris. Water for a few days to see what grows back. You can put down another application of herbicide to kill off any re-growth.
S To Prepare For Sod Installation
Preparing the ground for sod installation is an essential step that needs to be taken for the best possible results.
A grassy yard gives the space beauty and color and provides an excellent environment for you and your loved ones to gather together. With the busy schedules we all experience, nobody wants to wait around for the grass seed to fill in. Sod is a great option, but if you want the best outcome for your sod, it is crucial to prepare the soil before anything else. Correctly prepping the ground can help reduce the amount of water your lawn needs by 20 to 30%! Getting your soil ready for sod requires several steps, which we will explore today.
Continue reading below.
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Continuing Water At A Reduced Rate
In areas with harsh winters, continuing to water the lawn would lead to serious damage. But, for South Florida sod lawns, a total lack of winter water is even worse for their roots. Apply about an inch of water to your lawn once per week over the winter. Subtract any natural rain your lawn receives from this total since overwatering while the roots are dormant can lead to rot and damage. You can also wait until the grass shows signs of needing water like folding over gently and turning slightly blue or gray rather than bright green. Cold temperatures can cause the same kind of visible changes, so tracking the amount of water your lawn has received on a weekly basis is the most reliable method.
Interested in overhauling your Florida lawn before winter arrives? Theres still time for sod installation from our team here at Duda Sod.
Contact us today to get recommendations on the right turf variety for your lawn and more tips on winter lawn care in Florida.
How To Install Sod Without Removing Existing Lawn
In my experience if you have an existing lawn it is not always necessary to remove it, in order to install sod,as long as you can level the ground with some organic material.
But remember you will need make the sod level with any edges such as walkways, driveways, or any other surface level with the ground.
To install sod on an existing lawn, cut any existing grass low, and level out any holes or step dips in the yard. Bring in a top soil/ compost mix and spread it evenly through the yard. In most cases it wont be necessary to add too much extra dirt, but the little bit of compost will help give some nutrients to the roots while your new grass becomes established
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