New Sod Care Tips - When to Mow, Water and Fertilize

Sod is perishable and must be installed immediately upon receipt and followed by a deep watering. Heat can build up within a roll and cause damage to turf. Most successful sod installations are installed right after delivery to the jobsite. 

After rolling your new sod, begin irrigating deeply - about six inches into the soil until it’s soggy to walk on. 

Proper watering is essential to establishment (rooting) of your new sod. DO NOT HAND-WATER. It's impossible to achieve thorough coverage by hand-watering. Invest in a sprinkle/irrigation system. 

As a general rule, keep sod and soil moist all throughout the day. As much as 2 to 6 sprinklings during the day (morning and afternoon) are required until sod begins to root. Avoid watering at night, as new sod is especially susceptible to disease. Adjust amount of waterings for location, sprinklers, and temperature. 

Stay off new sod as much as possible until after the first mowing. 

Try cutting back frequency of irrigations just before the first mow to firm up the soil. The first mow is approximately 14 days after installation (except in winter, which will require a longer time before the first mow). Mowing high is least stressful to the new sod. Never mow off more than one-third of the grass blade. 

Re-adjust your watering timer. Reduce frequency of waterings gradually after each mowing, while increasing minutes per watering. Deeper, less frequent soakings will help roots grow down deeper and establish more quickly into the soil. To check rooting progress, gently lift the corner of a sod roll. You should see white roots. 

Fertilize your new sod lawn at one month to continue encouraging rooting and establishment. We recommend applying 18-18-18 fertilizer. 

•  Sod not rooting? – Most sod varieties will begin to root within 10 to 14 days. Check watering schedule and adjust to deeper, less frequent soaking. Excessive shade will slow down rooting.
• Bluish-grey spots on lawn or footprints show after being walked on – Drought stressed spots in the lawn. Try increasing minutes per watering and check or adjust sprinkler coverage.
• Mushrooms? – Temporary nuisance, usually growing in compost mixed into the soil at preparation. As waterings get deeper and less often, mushrooms usually dry up and wither away.
• Edges turning brown and/or gaps between rolls? – Sod is shrinking or has pulled up at the corners. Due to lack of water! Increase minutes per watering and frequency to minimize gaps. Press down edges with foot after watering.   
• Dormant sodded areas often lack irrigation. Even dormant sod must be kept moist or else it will not grow successfully.
• Spacing of sod seams is poor. When sod seams are overlapping or have too much space between sods, this can cause desiccation.
• Installation of sod more than 24 hours after it was harvested. Install your sod as soon as it arrives. 
• Allowing too much foot traffic too soon after installation. Keep people off the newly planted grass for a couple weeks to allow roots to become well anchored.

If you are replacing an existing lawn, your soil may be missing some essential nutrients. Soil testing will let you know what the soil needs to be fully prepared for the sod installation. Amend the soil to ideal levels (6.5 to 7.0) as well as with

nutrients that are deficient and need to be added. Healthy soil is critical if you want your grass to thrive. 

Laying sod over large objects will not only make the lawn look uneven, but it may also interfere with proper growth. To prevent this, take the time to go over the area and remove any rocks, branches, or other debris that you can find before your sod installation.

You won’t want to deal with weeds once your new sod is in place, so the best time to do something about them is before the installation. Use a vegetation killer to eliminate all vegetation in the area you plan to sod. Depending on the herbicide you

use, you may need more than one application, so do your first application one month before laying the new sod. Also, be sure to keep your distance from garden beds and shrubs as the herbicide will not discriminate between plants.

With a rake or shovel, break any peaks in the soil and spread them around to make the area even with the surrounding soil. If there are any dips in the soil, fill them in to help prevent an uneven appearance once the sod is installed, and to avoid areas of water build-up. Make sure that the ground slopes away from buildings so that water will drain away from them.

Topsoil makes your soil healthier and this, in turn, helps to establish the sod. A well draining topsoil/sand lawn blend is ideal for new sod. Contact us for more information about the topsoil we supply. Adding 3-6 inches of topsoil will work,

or alternately, you may use manure or compost.

When you get the results of the soil testing, you will have an idea of which amendments your soil needs. Lime, for example can increase soil pH, sulfur will lower it, and gypsum will flush out salts.

Tilling the top few inches of the soil helps mix the topsoil and amendments while also loosening the soil, making it easier for the sod’s roots to establish. Do one or two passes only, to avoid damaging the structure of the soil.

Fine grading packs and smooths the soil. As with tilling, don’t overdo it. If the soil is packed too much, the sod’s roots will have difficulty attaching properly. Rake and roll the soil a few times until the grade is acceptable.

Add a root starter fertilizer. Use a 10-30-10 or a high middle number, granular form, 2 pounds per 1000 square feet. Contact us about purchasing starter fertilizer.

Sod won’t attach properly to dry soil, so be sure to water the area before sod installation. The soil should be damp, but not actively wet. If it becomes muddy, give it a chance to dry slightly before laying the sod.