Caring For New Sod

Sod (whether it is Bermuda, St. Augustine or Zoysia) is grass that has been cut off at ground level. Nearly all its roots have been cut off. That means the sod has no way to search in the soil for the moisture it needs to survive.

NEWLY-LAID SOD CAN NEVER BE ALLOWED TO GET DRY! It is not necessary to create a swamp, but for the first few weeks, it must be kept at least damp all the time. This may mean watering lightly two or three times per day at first, then gradually reducing the frequency to one time per day, then every other day, etc.

During watering restrictions when you cannot run sprinklers as often as the grass needs it, you are permitted to use soaker hoses or to water by hand, and this will absolutely be necessary until the grass is established.

You will be able to tell when the grass is well-rooted by seeing new growth on top and pulling gently on the sod to see how well the new roots are growing in. Once the grass is well-rooted, water deeply and thoroughly, but less frequently to encourage deep root growth. Now is the time to apply a mild fertilizer such as Ferti-lome New Lawn Starter, and water thoroughly.

If the grass ever shows signs of browning, especially during hot weather, increase the watering schedule again.

There is no trick to growing a beautiful yard from sod. The only requirement is water at the right time.