Laying Sod

After many unsuccessful attempts at grass seed, I finally gave in and bought a few rolls of sod to patch the dead areas in the backyard. An afternoon of work and presto...lawn! Instant gratification! If you remember these four steps, sod is an easy fix for troublesome yard areas.

1. Soil Prep: Till the soil to four to six inches, rake it to remove sticks and stones and roots, then smooth the surface to make it even. Water the bare soil a day or two before you lay the sod to see if you have any low spots where water puddles up. Add top soil or re-grade to eliminate low spots.
2. Sod Install: Once the sod is delivered, lay it as soon as possible. You do not want your sod to dry out. Stagger the pieces you lay (make sure the corners of the sod aren’t in the same exact place for each row). Butt and push edges and ends against each other tightly, and stretch lightly. Avoid gaps as sod shrinks when it dries. Use a pocket knife or box cutter to cut any odd shaped pieces you need. When you've laid all the sod, you need to tamp down the grass so it makes solid contact with the soil underneath.
3. Watering: After 30 minutes of installation, give the lawn a good watering. Water it at least every day for two weeks to keep the soil moist but not soaked. After about two weeks, the sod should be firmly rooted in. After that, water every three days for the next two weeks. Water deep enough to wet the soil underneath the sod and to encourage the roots to plunge deeper into the soil.
4. Mowing: Wait about two to three weeks before mowing. Once the blades are about three inches high, cut just a little off the top. Every time after that, gradually reduce the height till the grass is an inch and a half tall.