Proper Care Procedures

 

Whether you hire sod installation services or install your sod, you’ll need to take good care of your new sod to ensure it gets established.

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Watering New Sod

 

Watering is the most critical step you can take to help your newly laid sod survive. Without the correct watering, your new sod and its roots will dry. On the other hand, too much water will kill sod.

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Watering should be about balancing the water needs based on your irrigation system, your climate, and your soil type.

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For instance, if you live in warmer climates or lay sod in summer, you will have to water your lawn more. Similarly, your new sod will need more water if your yard has sandy soil.

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When watering, don’t fall for the temptation to overwater your lawn, just water enough to wet the roots. This ensures that the roots have enough moisture but not too much that they die.

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Avoid watering the lawn in the evening after sundown, as it creates the risk of overwatering.

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Walking on New Sod

 

Tempting as it might be, you should not walk on freshly laid sod. You should leave the sod undisturbed until the roots establish and entrench themselves firmly into the ground. Walking in the yard too soon can cause soil compaction and root failure.

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Mowing New Sod

 

Mowing new sod is encouraged as it facilitates lateral growth, which allows the sod pieces to interconnect.

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New sod takes about 15 days for the roots to take hold. You can mow your new sod within the first three weeks, but before you do that, you must check to confirm that your lawn is establishing itself as expected and that the grass has established itself.

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The goal of mowing new sod is to cut the topmost leaf blades without pulling the sod from the ground or cutting it too low. Therefore, you should set your mower in the highest possible setting.

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Fertilizing New Sod

 

You should fertilize your sod to promote healthy growth. It’s advisable to start fertilizing after six weeks of sod installation. This timeframe might vary depending on when you lay the sod and how fast the roots establish.

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If your sod had trouble establishing itself, wait until new growth emerges before you start fertilizing your lawn. The specific fertilizer you use will depend on the sod type and the soil in your yard. You can ask the sod installation provider who laid the sod for fertilizer recommendations.

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If you laid new sod in the winter, you must wait until it greens in the spring.

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Benefits of Sod

 

The outright benefit of sod installation is the shortened time it takes to have a fully established lawn. Whereas starting a lawn with seed can take up to six months, a lawn with sod only takes a few weeks to thrive.

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Sod is great for slope stabilization and erosion control. Once applied, it can prevent the ease with which soil moves. It also takes the sod roots about two weeks to establish themselves, providing more erosion control.

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It’s also effective at preventing dust and mud in your yard, which often ends up inside your home.

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Sod offers flexibility when you lay it down. Unlike seed requiring peak germination time, you can install sod anytime.

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Working With a Sod Installation Company

 

Although sod installation is something you can do yourself, missing any steps, especially in the preparatory stages, can be a costly mistake that derails your efforts to establish your lawn.

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Don’t gamble with your lawn’s aesthetics. Contact Out of Eden Garden Center for sod installation services. We have years of experience when it comes to lawn care, and we guarantee quality sod installation. We’ll walk you through all the steps of sod installation, helping you avoid the common mistakes people make when laying sod.