How to Lay Sod

Having a beautiful lawn starts with having the right kind of sod for your area. Let us consider how you can install or lay sod properly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sod
• Cerated knife
• 2'x 4'boards
• Water from a hose
• Compost
• Soil (optional)
• Starter fertilizer
• Lawn roller
• Seed Spreader

1. Apply a starter fertilizer over the surface of the entire planting bed using the seed spreader and the right amount of fertilizer.

2. Spread half the fertilizer in one direction and the other half in the perpendicular direction over the soil before you lay sod.

3. Water every spot for each piece of sod just before a roll is laid. Water should soak about three to six inches deep.

4. Lay each roll lengthwise and parallel to the next piece of sod and/or the side walk. Pull each strip of sod until flattened, not stretched.

5. Adjust any soil dips or mounds as you go and after you finish covering the entire lawn adjust the sod to fit snuggly if needed.

6. You should lay sod at the start lengthwise and parallel to the longest perimeter of the planting bed. Sod should be laid in a brick pattern.

7. But each piece of sod up against all adjacent pieces and surfaces. There should not be any overlapping or gaps when you lay sod.

8. If and when parts of any piece of sod overlaps with the surrounding hardscape cut it with a cerated knife to the contour of the surface.

9. Using a half water-filled lawn roller or a solid lawn roller roll over the entire sod in one direction and then in the perpendicular direction.

10. After you lay sod completely water the entire lawn thoroughly enough to soak at least three inches deep.

Tips & Warnings

• Lay sod during the season that its particular grass grows best (early fall for cool-season grasses and late spring for warm-season grasses)
• Sod pieces should be kept unrolled
• Sod pieces should be kept near and in shade
• Sod pieces should be kept moist
• Planting beds should be prepared before buying sod
• Lay sod lengthwise across slopes and perpendicular to the downward direction of the slope
• Stick sturdy pins in the top corners of each piece of sod to keep them from moving on slopes
• Use two 2'x4' wooden boards or boards that are 1-2" broader than the pieces of sod instead of a lawn roller if it would be more practical, stand on then to ensure good sod to soil contact
• Boards allow you to avoid walking on the new lawn but causes you to work a little slower
• Use boards starting at the perimeter of the lawn
• Walk over the boards to press the sod down
• While standing on one board lay the other onto an adjacent area of sod until you have systematically covered the entire lawn
• Check the sod every week after the second or third week by tugging on the perimeter edges to see if the roots have begun to establish themselves
• When checking for root establishment step on the boards to check the interior of the sod bed
• After you pull a piece that has not established itself press it down again firmly to the soil underneath
• Water sod everyday, once or more, keeping it moist yet not drenched, until there is overall growth
• Always water sod at least during the suniest part of the day when there is direct sunlight on the lawn
• Some newly laid lawns may benefit from fertilizer about 6 weeks after they are laid (except centipede grass lawns)
• Avoid allowing sod to sit in direct sunlight
• Avoid allowing sod to dry out
• Avoid leaving gaps between pieces of sod
• Avoid overlapping sod pieces
• Avoid drenching sod with water
• If at all possible, avoid walking on newly laid sod (though you will have to walk on it to use the lawn roller)for an entire month or until the entire lawn grows
• Avoid using an herbicide on the newly laid lawn for 6 to 12 months (which should not be necessary if the soil was prepared properly)

Resources

• Lay Sod
• Environmental Sod Care
• Sod Benefits
• Water Sod
• Mow Sod