New Sod Care Guide
Guidelines
Your lawn is looking great and you're excited to start using the space - not just yet! Much diligence is needed within the first two weeks of installation. Following these simple steps can help your turfgrass establish swiftly and remain healthy.
Installation Date and Watering Schedule
| Mar/Apr | May/June | Jul/Aug | Sep/Oct | Nov/Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-3x Daily | Week 1 | Week 1-2 | Week 1-3 | Week 1-2 | Week 1 |
| Daily | Week 2-3 | Week 3-4 | Week 4-5 | Week 3-4 | Week 2-3 |
| 3-4 Weekly | Week 4+ | Week 5+ | Week 6+ | Week 5+ | Week 4+ |
Weeks 1-2:
2-3x daily watering
- Light foot traffic only. Reduce traffic use while sod is wet.
- After a week, lift back the sod to check and feel for resistance. White roots below the sod will begin to grow into the subsoil.
- Pay special attention to watering all edges along concrete or other surfaces. Seams and edges are prone to drying out quicker and is worsened by a hot surface.
Weeks 3-4:
Daily watering
- Light foot traffic only. Reduce traffic use while sod is wet.
- After the sod reaches +4” height, use a push-mower to mow at a high setting (3.5-4”).
Weeks 5-10:
Every other day watering
- Feel free to use the lawn as you would normally.
- Summer heat may require additional waterings.
Summer Installations:
- Summer is an okay time to install sod. However, extra caution should be had.
- It is extremely important to keep up with watering during the hot summer. If fresh sod is not watered on one single hot day, the sod could die that day.
Definitions
- Three times daily: once early AM (4am - 6am), once late AM (8am - 10am), and once late PM (7pm -9pm).
- Twice daily: once early AM (4am - 6am) and once late PM (7pm -9pm).
- Daily: once in the morning (4am - 8am).
- Morning waterings are preferred to reduce prolonged foliage moisture and to saturate the roots immediately before the harshest part of the day.
- If a morning watering is missed, then an evening watering is the next best opportunity (6pm - 9pm).
Watering Tips and Tricks
- Inspect your sod daily.
- An irrigation system is not a substitute to watering sod for establishment. Sprinklers should be considered as a buffer or backup.
- Hand water all seams and edges. Edges that touch concrete or other surfaces can heat up faster and lose moisture.
- Temporary Irrigation System
- Spigot splitter
- Spigot timer (or timer / splitter combo)
- Multiple hoses
- Multiple sprinklers (oscillating preferred)
Pups and Poops
- Pickup debris as usual (baggie or scooper) and hose down immediately after usage.
- If possible, direct your doggie debris to a different location. Dog urine is high in nitrogen, which can burn the grass.
- Hose down any areas immediately after your pup pees.
Turf Appearance
- Your sod was grown in the perfect, optimal conditions: full sun, well-drained soil, and the perfect amount of fertilizer. One beautiful day, your gorgeous deep-green grass was ripped apart and cut from it’s roots!
- More than likely, your sod will look it’s best the day it was installed. Afterwards, life gets to it - weeds, drought, lack of nutrients.
- Light browning is normal during the first 1-2 weeks after installation. This will typically bounce back.
Avoid!
- Gasoline, oils, grease, motor oil (and keep lawn equipment away from these substances!).
Snow
- Take caution when salting your nearby surfaces. Salt can easily damage your turfgrass.
- Surface deicers can leach onto nearby sod. Snow blowing salted surfaces can throw salt over your lawn as well.
- Plant-friendly deicers exist: try Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA). However, some sources show that CMA can be more harmful to your concrete surfaces.