How To Install Sod
So, you are interested in installing sod on your lawn? After all, it is the quickest and easiest way to get a lush, green lawn. Seeding a lawn can sometimes take an entire season to mature. Planting sod is a relatively easy task to complete. You can lay sod anytime from early spring to late fall as long as you are willing to water enough. The greatest disadvantage to sod is its higher cost. Seed generally costs much less.
In this article, we will outline all the steps needed to install sod on your lawn.
- Lay the first row in against a straight line
- Tightly mash the ends of each sod roll together
- Lay each row in a staggered pattern
- Cut sod to fit irregularly shaped areas
- Tamp seams with the back of a rake
Soil Preparation
Soil preparation for sod is very similar to seeding. The main difference is the finished grade of the soil. Because sod comes with its own soil, the grade should be approximately 1-1/2" below surrounding hard surfaces. You should apply a starter fertilizer high in phosphorus to the soil surface and lightly rake it in to the soil. After soil preparation, you are ready to start planting the sod.
Laying Sod
Sod should be planted as soon as possible after it is harvested. If you can't lay it immediatly, store it in the shade to prevent killing the sod. The first row should be placed along a straight edge such as a sidewalk or driveway. Place the next row at the end of the first mashing the ends together. Avoid gaps between each row. Each adjacent row should be laid in a staggered brickwork pattern. When sodding slopes, you should lay the sod perpendicular to the slope and use stakes to hold it in place.
You should use a board to stand on previous rows to spread your weight out as you work and prevent gouging the sod. Not all lawns are perfectly rectangular like sod. You will need to trim the sod along curves and irregular shapes. For a guide you can use string to cut straight lines and a garden hose for curves. It is easiest to cut the sod with a heavy knife, small hatchet or a half-moon edger.
When all the sod is in place, tamp down all the sod rows with the back of a rake to remove any air spaces between the sod and the soil. Air pockets cause the sod to dry out and die. The last task to perform is to water the newly laid sod. You should aim for wetting the upper 6 to 8 inches of soil. This will help the roots search for moisture and grow deep into the soil. Continue watering deeply, but space each application to avoid a constant saturation of the soil. Over-saturated soil can delay the growth of roots.
Final Notes
You should avoid walking on the lawn until the sod has rooted well to the soil beneath it. This often takes as long as two weeks. You can check by gently lifting up on the grass. If it doesn't move up, then it is rooting. One month after sodding you can begin to treat it like a mature lawn. You should apply a standard lawn fertilizer and begin a regular watering schedule of around 1" per week.
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