Here are some maintenance tips for your fresh sod.
Fresh sod requires special care before it establishes itself and grows roots. However, because sod already has its own rooting system, the initial care only needs to last for about 2 to 3 weeks. After that, your sod has established its roots and can grow normally, like any other lawn.
Sod maintenance involves special rules for watering, walking, fertilizing, and mowing. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to help your sod grow and turn it into a beautiful lawn that all your neighbors and friends will admire.
Watering Your Sod
You will need to water your sod 4 to 6 times a day. The total amount of water fresh sod needs is around 1 inch of water per day for the first 2 weeks. Your sod should feel moist and damp but not spongy and overwatered.
You need to ensure the soil under your sod is damp. Check how well you have watered the soil by gently lifting an edge and pressing the soil underneath with a finger to check its moisture.
Getting it right is a bit of a fine balance. If you water your sod too much, then you will be soaking it and depriving it of oxygen.
When Should You Water Your Sod?
It is best to water early in the morning; if you water in the middle of the day, most of the water will evaporate, particularly in the middle of summer. Also, the combination of water and heat is the perfect breeding ground for diseases.
In general, for the first 2 weeks, you should water 4 to 6 times a day. After the second week, you can eliminate the last watering session.
Depending on the weather and how your sod is maturing, you should move on to deeper but less frequent watering sessions. This will help your lawn develop deeper roots that can find water deep in the soil, thus better sustaining the grass.
Walking on Your Sod
It is a good idea to keep foot traffic off your new sod for the first 2 to 3 weeks after installation. If you walk on your sod before that, you risk displacing it and causing depressions and bumps. Also, if your sod is not in close contact with the soil, it will eventually die, and brown patches will soon appear on your lawn.
After the second week, go to the edge of your sod and gently try to lift one corner: if you can’t lift it, it means that your sod has attached itself to the soil and is growing roots. While you may now softly walk on your lawn, we strongly advise starting with gentle foot traffic on your newly-laid sod until at least one month after installation.
Get Your Yard Ready for Fall!
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.