Sod: Three Important Things to Consider Before Laying it Down
Sod is a great way to keep your lawn healthy and looking great, but there are some important things to know before you commit to sodding your yard. While the benefits of sod installation far outweigh the initial maintenance commitment, you want to ensure that you’re treating your sod correctly so it continues to grow healthily. Here are three important things to consider. Preparation is Key
Soil Preparation Preparing your soil for sod is essential to an optimal outcome. Essentially, laying down sod is like laying down a blanket of grass and roots; and if you want those roots to take hold and produce vibrant, healthy grass, the soil needs to be absolutely clear before laying it down. While the professional installers will take care of most of the prep for you, you want to ensure that you’ve been maintaining your lawn and that any excessive debris is removed from the area. If you already know what type of soil you have and what nutrients it may need, that’s even better because you can then adjust your lawn maintenance habits moving forward. 
Soil Testing Many people choose to collect soil samples from around their yard and send it to a lab for testing. The test will tell you the texture, stability, nutrients, fertility, acidity/alkalinity, and toxicities/contaminants of your soil. When you get the results back, here are some things to note:
- Your soil’s pH should be between 6.2 and 6.8–plants thrive in slightly acidic soil
- Your soil’s calcium base saturation level should be between 65 and 75%
- Your soil’s magnesium level should be between 10 and 18%
- Your soil’s potassium level should be around 35%
Best Time to Lay Sod It depends on where you live and thus depends on whether you’re planting cool-season or warm-season grasses. Warm-season grasses should be planted in mid to late spring, and warm-season grasses in early fall. The reasons for laying sod in these transitional seasons are because the temperatures yield optimal growth due to the warm soil and cool air combination and because these seasons historically have more rain, and sod requires lots of water. Proper Installation It would be a shame to spend good money just to lay sod unsuccessfully. Hiring a professional is highly recommended for this type of service because sod can be finicky when you don’t know all its nuances. Improper installation can lead to dry, patchy, or nonexistent grass. There are many steps to sod installation, and they all need to be done carefully. The Importance of Maintenance and Care
Watering Perhaps the most important part of laying sod properly is understanding just how much water it needs. In order for those roots to take hold and those seeds to germinate, the sod needs to be watered twice per day, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon, for 15-20 minutes for the first two weeks after installation. And that’s at a minimum. That being said, overwatering leads to insect, fungus, and disease damage, which can destroy all the sod you just laid down. Because of this, your sod needs to be closely monitored for at least the first two weeks, so you can make sure it’s receiving the exact amount of water it needs.
Mowing and Fertilization Mowing is an invaluable part of lawn maintenance, especially with sod, but it’s important not to mow too early. Usually, it takes a minimum of two weeks for the sod to be ready to mow for the first time. You can test it to make sure by gently tugging on the sod–if the turf feels anchored to the ground, that means the roots have established themselves, and you’re ready to mow. But if the turf lifts up, you want to wait for the roots to take. You should fertilize once on the day of installation, but wait about a month before fertilizing again. Your grass needs a chance to establish its roots and gain some strength before any fertilizer is applied. From there, depending on your grass' specific needs, you can fertilize once every 4-6 weeks from March to October. Conclusion Overall, homeowners who are suffering from yellow, brown, dry, or patchy grass benefit quite a bit from installing sod. It’s just important to understand the ins and outs of sod use before you commit to laying it down. But now that you know what sod is all about, you can assess your lawn and decide if it’s the right solution for you.