When it comes to landscaping supply runs, it’s important to start from the bottom up. In other words, start with the base for your lawn! Countless homeowners lay sod for their lawn, but the key is doing it right.
Are you laying your sod down correctly? Whether it’s your first time or your hundredth, here are a few big mistakes you need to avoid.
Overlapping Rolls
It might be tempting to overlap your rolls of sod for full coverage, but the end result will only be a lumpy, uneven lawn. Instead of giving in to the temptation, make sure you’re laying your sod side by side with no gaps. Doing this will ensure full, even coverage from your sod.
Mowing the Lawn Too Soon
If long grass drives you insane, sod might not be the best option for you. Rather than cutting your lawn right away and potentially damaging your sod, it’s imperative that you wait at least two to three weeks before cutting the grass. This will allow it adequate time to root properly.
Forgetting to Roll
After your sod has been laid, you should go over it with a lawn roller. Not doing so could result in uneven growth, as well as hinder the grass’s ability to root. And if you want a particularly even lawn, rolling is an excellent strategy.
Failing to Prep Your Soil
When you lay great sod on poor soil for gardening, you’re not going to see the results you want. In order to create the best environment for sod to take root and flourish, it’s important that you till your soil, remove any crushed shell or other debris, and ensure your fill dirt has plenty of organic material in it.
Not Watering Your Sod
Sod is still living, breathing grass! And being a living thing, it needs water in order to root and grow properly. If there’s one landscaping tip you need to keep in mind for sod, it’s hydration. In addition, you should ensure that your soil is prepped and properly watered before laying sod down. Soil stores approximately 0.01% of all water on Earth, which isn’t necessarily enough on its own to foster good sod growth.
Laying sod is an excellent way to build the base for your future landscaping projects. But before you lay it down, make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes!
FAQs
Don't Lay Your Sod Unevenly — Laying sod is much like a puzzle but almost as easy as unrolling a rug. Like puzzles, the pieces should line up just right. If there are gaps, you'll have bald spots, and if the pieces overlap, you'll end up with an uneven lawn.
What not to do when installing sod? ›
Don't Lay Your Sod Unevenly — Laying sod is much like a puzzle but almost as easy as unrolling a rug. Like puzzles, the pieces should line up just right. If there are gaps, you'll have bald spots, and if the pieces overlap, you'll end up with an uneven lawn.
Do you wet ground before laying sod? ›
The time to lay sod is early morning before it gets too hot. The soil in the planting area should be moist, not soggy or dry. Water thoroughly one or two days before the sod is delivered so that the top several inches of soil are wetted. Then allow time for the soil to drain so that it's not muddy and is workable.
Why can't you walk on new sod? ›
Your new sod lawn needs time to establish a firm root system before you use it as you did your old lawn. If you walk on your sod before its roots have established, you're lessening your chances of success. How long must you wait to use your new sod lawn?
Is there a wrong way to lay sod? ›
Be sure not to compress the soil so much while flattening that you push all the air out. Air in the base layer soil is essential for proper sod root establishment. If the soil becomes too compressed, use an aerator to fluff it back up a bit.
What to do immediately after laying sod? ›
Begin watering newly laid sod within 30 minutes of installation. Apply at least 1” of water so that the soil beneath the turf is wet. Ideally 3”-4” of soil beneath the surface should be moist. Turf is a living plant that requires ground contact and moisture to survive.
Can I just lay sod on dirt? ›
If you lay sod down without preparing the soil first, the new sod will be competing with the existing turf for water. This can lead to drainage problems and may eventually kill the new sod. To avoid this problem, you need to make sure that the soil is well-prepared before you lay down the new sod.
How many minutes should you water sod? ›
Make Sure You're Watering Enough
Your new lawn needs to be watered twice a day, for about 20 minutes per session every day for at least two months. This should be enough so that your lawn gets a solid six inches of watering per cycle.
Is it OK if it rains after laying sod? ›
Twinwood Farms for Your Sod
A light drizzle is workable but heavy rain could ruin all your previous work and your newly-purchased sod.
What is the best base for laying sod? ›
“Put down on properly prepared soil, it will thrive.” Turf likes a well-aerated base that's slightly acidic (with a pH between 6 and 7.5) and nutrient-rich. And the only way to know what kind of soil you've got is to test it.
If a roller isn't used, the soil underneath becomes soft as it is not compacted properly. This also leads to depressions being made when it is walked upon, leaving you with a bumpy and uneven lawn. These depressions can also make it hard for you to mow your lawn.
Can you put sod over existing grass? ›
You do need to take out the old turf before you put in new sod. One of the main reasons is that if you put new sod on top of old vegetation, the new sod's root system will never actually make contact with the soil. The roots will not be able to penetrate to the other side of the old turf, and it will die.
Why is my freshly laid sod dying? ›
The key reason why lawns turn brown is that they're thirsty. Areas where sod is wilting or turning brown, indicate that it's not getting enough water.
What happens if you don't stagger sod? ›
Mistake 2: Leaving Gaps
To avoid this: Lay the sod pieces edge-to-edge: Make no overlaps or gaps. Stagger the rows: Like bricks in a wall, this ensures that the seams don't line up, reducing the chance of gaps.
Why is my new sod always wet? ›
If your sod is squishy, that's a sign you've overwatered new sod. The sod should be damp, but not soggy or muddy. If you've been watering a lot, back off a bit and give your sod a chance to recover from being soggy.
When should you not water new sod? ›
Reducing watering after two weeks
Deep, less regular watering allows the roots to penetrate deeper into the soil and develop properly. Areas of the lawn in the shade may take more time for the roots to penetrate the soil and typically require less water.
How long does it take for sod to adhere to the ground? ›
Although sodding is much faster than the natural lawn seeding and growing process, it isn't instantaneous. Technically, once it s been installed, sod should begin to take root within 10-14 days. And with the right balance of sun, air, and water, your sod will fully take root in 2-6 weeks.
Does sod go into shock? ›
Sod must be watered within ½ hour of installation. A light spray is not sufficient. At least 1 inch of water should be applied ASAP - measure it to ensure the sod will not go into shock, because if it does not receive adequate water soon enough, it will turn yellow first before it greens up.
When it comes to landscaping supply runs, it’s important to start from the bottom up. In other words, start with the base for your lawn! Countless homeowners lay sod for their lawn, but the key is doing it right.