We have some essential tips for laying sod in summer.
Do you want to update your lawn, but missed the spring booking surge? Many homeowners may not realize this, but you can absolutely lay sod in June, July, and August. The catch is that summer leaves almost no margin for error. Cool spring weather forgives a missed watering. A 90-degree afternoon does not. We have some essential tips for laying sod in summer.
Sod Dries Out Quickly in Summer
Sod doesn’t fail in summer due to warm weather. Warm soil is actually great for root growth. Sod fails because a freshly harvested roll lacks a root system, so it can’t pull water from the ground. Until it develops roots, you must provide it with sufficient water.
On a hot, sunny, breezy day, an exposed pallet or a freshly-laid roll can dry out in a few hours. That is the entire challenge of summer sod in one sentence: you are keeping a cut plant alive long enough to grow new roots.
Prepare the Soil
Before sod arrives, the area should be cleared, graded, and loosened so roots can grab moist soil immediately. Compacted or rock-hard summer ground sheds water, leaving roots stranded on top. Good soil contact and a little moisture in the ground before you lay gives the sod a reservoir to draw from between waterings.
Install Your Sod Early
Schedule your sod installation for the cool part of the day. Early morning is ideal. Remember that fresh sod is perishable. In summer, a pallet left sitting can heat up and yellow in the center within a day. Have the area fully prepped so the sod goes straight from the pallet to the soil. If you can’t lay it all at once, keep the pallet in the shade and lightly mist the exposed rolls until you get to them. When installing, work in sections and water as you go. Don’t strip a whole yard and let it bake while you work on one side. Prep, lay, and start watering one area before moving to the next.
Water Within 30 Minutes
The first section of sod should be getting watered within about 30 minutes of installation, not at the end of the day when the whole lawn is finished. That first deep soak helps settle the sod into the soil and cools the root zone. Wait too long on a hot day, and the edges curl and the roots scorch before they ever make contact.
Your Summer Watering Schedule
In spring, you might water once a day. In the summer heat, that is not enough for the first two weeks. During the first 14 days, keep the sod and the soil beneath it consistently moist. In summer weather, that usually means watering 2 to 4 times a day in shorter sessions. The goal is never to let it dry out. If you’re not sure, lift a corner. The underside of the sod and the top inch of soil should feel damp. If it’s dry, it needs watering again.
Water early and throughout the day, not at night. Overnight wetness in summer humidity invites disease. Taper slowly after week two. Once the sod resists a gentle tug, it is rooting. Reduce to once a day, then to deep, less-frequent watering that trains roots downward.
Get Your Yard Ready for Summer!
Since our inception from a humble 30-acre field to over 4,500 acres of turf grasses, Quantico Creek Sod Farm is now the LARGEST SOD FARM IN THE TRI-STATE AREA. Our service areas cover Pennsylvania, Maryland, DC Delaware, Virginia and Northern North Carolina. Order early and order often to ensure the best service possible. Contact us through our online page. Please find us at 27616 Little Lane, Salisbury, Maryland 21801. Our phone number is 410-726-6103, and our fax number is 410-742-6550. Speak to Jason Anderson for Turf Grass Sales. Reach him by email at jason@quanticocreeksod.com. Finally, follow us on social media on Facebook, LinkedIn, and our blog.