Sod Failure? 3 Important Tips For Getting It Right The Second Time
It's pretty frustrating to go through all the trouble of buying and laying sod only to have the sod wither and die on you after a short period of time. Don't be discouraged, though – you might be surprised by how many people this happens to. There are a lot of reasons why sod might die. You may have waited for too long to install it, not watered it enough, or your soil might just not have been up to the task. You can use that first experience to ensure that your next attempt at laying sod is a success. Here are some tips to help you ensure that your next round of sod takes root and grows into a healthy lawn.
Prepare the Soil
Your first layer of sod may have failed because the ground wasn't properly prepared. Don't make that mistake this time. Start by completely removing all of the dead sod. You'll have to dig it up with a shovel or spade, unless you have a mechanical sod cutter on hand. If the old sod is left in place, your new sod won't have the chance to reach the soil and put down roots because it won't be able to get through the layer of dead soil. You can use the old sod to create compost.
After you've removed the old sod, you can start preparing the soil to accept new sod. Rake the soil thoroughly to remove twigs, rocks, and other debris in the soil. Even small debris in the soil can interfere with your sod's ability to take root. Add a high-phosphorus fertilizer to the soil. That will help your next layer of soil to take root and thrive in your yard.
Water the Sod
Improper or inefficient watering is one of the most common reasons for sod not to take the first time, so make sure that you pay close attention to the watering needs of your sod. As soon as you lay the sod down, turn on the sprinklers and soak the sod for long enough to completely saturate the sod and the soil below it. This will help your sod take root. It takes anywhere between half an hour to an hour to achieve that much saturation.
Repeat the deep watering process every day for the first week or so, then gradually begin reducing the amount of water you use each day over the next couple of weeks. If you're installing sod in hot, dry weather, you may want to include a second watering session each day. However, you do need to be careful not to overwater. Look for signs of overwatering by lifting up a corner of the sod. If you notice signs of rot on the roots, or if the sod still lifts up easily by the end of the third week, then you are watering too much and need to cut back.
Protect the Sod
New sod is particularly vulnerable to stress. While you're waiting for the sod to firmly root itself into the soil, keep the traffic on the new sod to a minimum. If you have kids or pets that like to play outside on the lawn, it may be best to install sod in the front and back yards a few weeks apart from each other. That way, you can send the children or animals outside to whatever part of the yard doesn't contain sod that's still trying to take root.
You should also avoid pesticides or weed control products for the first few weeks. However, if your previous sod turned gray before it died, you may want to invest in an organic fungicide and apply it to your new sod. Fungus can be dangerous to new sod, and can cause gray discoloration of the grass.
Just because your attempt at laying sod failed once doesn't mean that you should give up. With the right preparation, you'll be able to bring your lawn to life with your next attempt at laying sod. Try checking out a sod distributor online at https://californiasodcenter.com/ to try sod out again with more success.