Sod Care and Maintenance
How do you care for your new sod?
New sod needs special care in the first month or it could shrink or die. Now that it looks great, take the next steps to ensure it will stay that way. New sod does not have a good root system and until it does, it could dry out. When it dries out, it will shrink and leave spaces in your lawn with no grass.
- Water thoroghly. Soak every inch of grass so it is very wet, but you do not sink when you walk on it. Try to water to 3 inches deep. Lift a corner of the sod to see if it is wet or dry underneath. Make sure it is wet. If you sink when you walk on it, it is a little too wet. Stay off until it firms up so you can walk on it again. This will only take a day or two. I like to water new sod in my bare feet so I get a feel for how much water I am using.
- Water less often, but deep. Deep watering is preferred to frequent and shallow watering because the roots will only grow as deep as the moisture. Deeply rooted grass will better survive drought and hot weather.
- The grass was fertilized when it was laid with a strong fertilizer designed to build roots. There is little nitrogen in the starter fertilizer to encourage root growth instead of leaves.
- Wait at least one month before fertilizing again.
- Don't use a high nitrogen fertilizer on the grass in the first couple of months. Make sure the fertilizer has an NPK number with the last two being the largest. 10-20-20 is a good starter fertilizer.
- Aim for 3–5 fertilizer applications per year. High nitrogen in the spring until July. More balanced such as 10-10-10 for the rest of the year.
- If your lawn is yellow or light green, it is time to fertilize. Yellowing of the lawn indicates nutrient deficiency.
- Wait at least two weeks before you mow for the first time. Keep your mower blade sharp and set high so you don't scalp the lawn. A longer cut will help the lawn retain moisture and prevent it from drying out. Cutting the lawn too short can stress the lawn while it is trying to grow roots. Mow the lawn to 2.5 inches. No shorter than 2 inches.
- Do NOT apply weed killers to new lawns until 3 months old.
