How to Maintain New Sod

How to Maintain New Sod – So you notice bare spots in your lawn, and you know you must do something. Watering and fertilizer won’t solve the problem. The grass is dead. You know you must replace some sod.

While the actual planting is relatively easy, the follow-up to maintain new sod takes some care and effort. To make sure your new grass patches grow into part of a healthy lawn, you must understand that the first three weeks are critical to maintain new sod .

WATER

New sod needs extra attention so its roots can well, take root. You should follow recommendations for north Texas sod care.

Keep in mind that fresh sod is vulnerable. In a nutshell, you must start the watering process the day you lay the sod and for the next couple of weeks, keep your new grass saturated.

Beginning the day your grass is planted and for the first week or so, water for between 15-30 minutes two or three times a day. Cut back if you see runoff, but keep the new sod saturated. To check, you might peel back a corner of some sod corners and make sure they are wet.

REDUCE WATER

After that, cut back on watering for the next two weeks. Water every other day for about 30 minutes. A schedule like that weans the grass from the water and trains the roots to reach deeper, creating a more hearty lawn. The grass should be taking root. You’ll find lifting a sod corner at this stage is more difficult, as your new yard is starting to establish itself. If you can pull the corner easily, it’s probably not taking root and you need to water more.

MAINTAIN NEW SOD – PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

AS you move into week three, the grass should have become more established and you can begin a more traditional maintenance program. If it has taken root, you can begin mowing it. You should also cut back the watering to about one inch per week (remember to water in the morning). If you continue seeing positive results, you can add fertilizer after about six weeks. Look for a fertilizer with a ratio of 3:1:2 NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

The care and initial maintenance of a new lawn takes some extra care, and following recommendations carefully is critical for lawn success. But when you see the lush, green results, you’ll be happy you took the time.

Visit our Lawn Maintenance Tips page for more great Tips.