Maintaining Newly Laid Sod

So you have a newly sodded yard.. CONGRATS! Let the barbecues begin. At High Point Contracting as you can imagine we have some experience with sod installs and the maintenance aspects as well. We are more then happy to share some of our best knowledge on the maintenance of newly laid sod to keep your lawn looking fresh! 

1. Watering

 DO NOT water the sod lightly. A light application of water will evaporate off the blades of the grass before it even has the chance to soak into the topsoil. You need to ensure that 6 inches of the top soil below the sod is soaked during each watering in the early morning before the sun comes out (preferably) evening works as well. 

2. Mowing

Okay so now you’ve watered your sod for 2 weeks straight and it should by now be rooted enough for you to start mowing! Mowing is vital to keep your lawn healthy and under control. When your sod is about 3 inches tall you can cut it back to about 1.5-2 inches in height. Do not cut it any shorter then that as it is not healthy for the sod. If you sod is extremely long do not cut it back to 1.5-2 inches right away as it will cut off the food producing blades and leave your sod starving most likely resulting in dead sod or bugs. Best practice when your lawn is extremely tall is to cut it back 1/3 of the way until you reach the desired height. 

3. Fertilizing

Every spring, summer and fall when your grass is actively growing you should apply fertilizer to help the growth of a thick and healthy lawn. Please note do not fertilize new sod as it has been fertilized before it was laid. Test your soil every spring of every year and follow the best advice for your type of soil in terms of fertilizer to use. We recommend to use the slow-release granular fertilizer as liquid fertilizer is very hard to spray evenly across your yard which can result in burning your lawn. 

4. Aerating

This step is not for everyone as it is very dependent on the usage of your lawn. When a lawn is heavy used (walked on, played on, etc.) It starts to become compacted, this is where aerating comes in. If you notice that water starts to run off of the soil instead of sinking in then aerating might be a necessary practice every year or so. First, you would dethatch the sod and then remove the 1/4 inches to 1/2 inch wide soil cores which are about 3 inches deep and you should space each hole out about 6 inches. The holes from the ground can be broken up after and spread evenly around to act as a top dressing for your lawn. 

 

5. General Notes

– After your newly sod has been installed please do not walk on it as you can disturb the grading especially if you have soaked 6 inches through

– I know it can be hard to water every morning before the sun comes up so if it absolutely necessary night time watering is okay as well (do not water in the day as the water evaporates to quickly)

– If you ever have any questions regarding your new lawn your installers should be able to answer any questions you have as well or call your local sod supplier

– Lastly, enjoy your new lawn. Thanks for reading 

 

–  High Point Contracting

 

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