How to Care for a New Sod Lawn

The use of sod is a smart and popular choice for a new lawn. A layer of sod is normally laid on top of normal soil, and requires little to no preparation ahead of time. Certain varieties of sod will tolerate moderate amounts of shade, while others prefer sunny areas. With some planning and regular maintenance, sod can be an attractive asset to your home and property.

Whatever your choice of sod, it should be laid on top of finely graded soils, which should be raked in order provide the soil with a smooth, even surface. By keeping the soil as firm as possible, any humps or follows that appear can be corrected and smoothed out as necessary.

It’s important that the sod is watered correctly, as this is critical to the sod’s survival. You want to keep both the sod and the soil under it moist, in order to encourage regular root growth. It’s recommended to water 1 inch every 2 to 3 days in the early morning, as this will be sufficient to keep the soil moist. Once the sod has a chance to firmly root itself to the topsoil – a period of 1 to 3 weeks – you can change the frequency of when you water it. Water thoroughly so that you can keep the root zone soaked, which consists of the top 4-5 inches of soil, but do so infrequently.

The first time you should mow your new sod lawn is anywhere from 4 to 7 days after you install it. Make sure not to over-mow the sod, and allow for a length of about 2 inches for the grass to grow. Also remember that it isn’t necessary to pick up any clippings after you mow.