How to Put New Sod

A patch of dead, brown lawn.

A lot of homeowners are faced with a problem of having dead or brown lawns due to drought and over-exposure to the sun last summer. One of the remedies to make your lawn come to life again is by putting new sod. In this article, I will give you the step-by-step guide to replace your dead grass with new sod.

Things You'll Need

• Hoe
• Sod cutter
• Rake
• Work gloves
• Sod
• Fertilizer
• Eye protection
• Grass stomper (optional)

Instructions

1. Put on your work gloves for protection. Mark the areas in your lawn that has dead grass. Using a color spray can or white construction powder, mark the areas where you are going to cut out. Make sure to make a cut as straight as possible, like a square or a rectangle, for easy cutting and placement of sod.

2. Using a sod cutter, cut out the marked areas of dead grass by following the lines. Make sure that the grass and roots are removed.

3. Scruff up the soil using a hoe until the areas are clear of grass roots.

4. Spread starter fertilizer into the areas you will put the sod.

5. Get your new sod and cut to the size of the areas that had been prepared to receive the new grass. Pat on the sod and make sure to lay the sod snuggly without leaving any space between the new sod and the remaining existing grass.

6. Stomp on the newly laid grass to make sure they lay flat. For larger areas you may want to use a grass stomper you can rent from a home improvement store.

7. Water the new sod. Water frequently so that the grass does not dry up.

Tips & Warnings

• Watering helps new sods settle faster in its new environment. It is important to water up to an inch or for about 30 minutes everyday during the first few weeks.

• Do not mow the new sod until they have settled, approximately a month or two later when the roots are more stabilized.

• Protect yourself by wearing work gloves, eye protection, and work boots to avoid injury.

• Practice safety when using gardening tools especially around children.