Installing and Caring for Sod
Measuring & Ordering
Measure the area of your planned lawn. Include these measurements on a sketch of your lawn with any unusual features. You can either use our calculator to determine how much to order, or give us a call. We will be glad to help you determine how much sod will be needed.
Schedule your order for delivery or pick up after the preparatory work is completed and you are ready to install. Prompt installation the day of delivery is crucial to a strong start for your lawn.
Soil Preparation
Soil preparation is crucial to the establishment of a high quality lawn. Rototill or spade the area to a depth of 6 inches, then rake the soil to level any high or low spots. Eliminate drainage problems by having soil slope away from building foundations. The tilled area should be lightly rolled with a lawn roller to firm up the soil and avoid any settling.
Water the prepared area to provide a moist base for the sod.
Sod Installation
Install your sod immediately upon delivery. In hot weather, protect your sod by placing it in a shaded area while you're installing your lawn.
Begin installing sod along a straight edge such as a driveway, sidewalk, or lot line. If you don't have a good straight edge to work with, we suggest using a string stretched along the side of the installation area as a starting guide.
Lay two or three rolls of sod along the straight edge. Then, go back to the starting point and lay another roll along side the first roll. Cut this roll in half and follow the half-roll with a full roll. (For cutting, use a sharp, stiff bladed knife.) This "brick-work" pattern ensures that the seams do not line up and your growing lawn has a nice appearance.
Push edges and ends against each other tightly, without stretching. Avoid gaps or overlaps.
Do no repeatedly walk or kneel on the sod while it is being installed or just after watering. This will cause indentations or air pockets in your new lawn.
Begin watering your lawn within 30 minutes of installation. Sod is a living plant that requires ground contact to survive. Sod must be laid within 8 hours of cutting.
Installing on Slopes
If you need to install sod on a sloped area, lay your sod across the slope horizontally. If dealing with a steep slope, we recommend staking the sod to keep it in place.
Watering
Give your new lawn at least an inch of water within 30 minutes of installation. It is essential that you water your new lawn thoroughly to soak the sod and the soil under the sod. Pay particular attention to corners and edges of your lawn, as these areas tend to dry out more easily.
To give your new lawn the best start, water daily, keeping the sod moist until it is firmly rooted (about 2 weeks). The soil under your sod should be moist, but not muddy. In cooler weather, you may only need to water every other day. In hot weather, you may need to water deeply and thoroughly every day. Do not let the sod our soil dry out between watering.
In two weeks, the sod roots should begin digging into the base soil and watering can be lessened to once or twice per week, depending on weather conditions. Any time your lawn looks dry, pale, blue-grey or if the grass does not spring back after walking on it, it needs water.
During the first two weeks, avoid heavy use of your new lawn. This gives the roots some time to firmly knit with the soil and insures that the turf will remain smooth.
Mowing your New Lawn
Your new lawn may need mowing as early as two weeks after installation. Let your lawn dry out for a day or two before going over it with a heavy lawn mower. Our recommended mowing height is 3 inches for a new lawn. Letting your lawn grow a little longer encourages a stronger root system. Never mow shorter than 2 inches. Never remove more than 1/3 of the grass height at any one mowing.