How Soon Can I Mow Sod After It Is Installed?
New sod needs to be established in the soil below before you can mow it. If the sod is not well-established when mowing it, the lawn mower can lift up the sod and cause damage. The blades of grass must also be long enough, and you need to take care to not cut off too much at one time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Rolling
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After installing the sod, you use a drum roller to flatten the sod and remove any air pockets between the sod roots and the ground beneath. If the air pockets are not removed, the roots will not be able to establish deep into the ground. Until the roots are established, you cannot mow the sod.
Watering
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After rolling the sod, you begin a watering schedule. The schedule you use to water the sod depends on where you live, the time of the year and the air temperatures. The basic watering schedule is used to keep the sod moist so the roots grow downward and establish in the ground.
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Mowing
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During the second to third week after installing and watering, the sod should be established and ready to mow. The grass blades have to be 3 inches or longer. Before mowing, you need to lift up on a corner of a piece of sod. If the sod lifts up, it isn't established or ready for cutting. If the sod doesn't lift up and it is dry, the sod is ready to cut, but only cut off 1/3 to 1/2 inch from the top.
Continued Maintenance
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After mowing the grass for the first time, continue a reduced watering schedule. The grass blades should remain about 2 to 2 1/2 inches long so the grass stays strong and healthy. If the sod grass blades are more than 2 1/2 inches long, mow more often, only removing up to 1/2 inch each time.
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References
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