Your new sod is working to establish its root system into your soil. The most critical time period is the first 4 weeks. We recommend limiting the amount of foot traffic during this time. You can go about your normal routine, with light walking and mowing, but have your kids and pets play in another area of the lawn, if possible.
Sod has a very shallow root system and must remain moist to encourage the roots to grow into the soil. You will provide the most water during the early days and weeks following installation. As the roots establish themselves, they will absorb moisture from the deeper levels of the soil and will require less frequent watering.
We recommend that you provide the following amounts of water during this time. The best time to water is early in the morning, even before sunrise. This gives your sod time to soak up the water before the heat of the day, which reduces evaporation and conserves water.
Day 1: Water thoroughly, providing ½” of water
Days 2+3: Water thoroughly, providing ¼” of water each day
Days 4+5: Hold off on watering unless we have dry, hot weather, in which case lightly water to cool down the sod
Day 6: Water thoroughly, providing ½” of water
Day 7: Hold off on watering unless we have dry, hot weather, in which case lightly water to cool down the sod
Weeks 2–4: Water thoroughly every two to three days, providing 1” of water each week
After the first month:
Water 1” per week
Water thoroughly the day your sod is installed. Use an oscillating lawn sprinkler and soak the entire area until the sod and the soil beneath it are fully saturated. You can typically soak the area by running your sprinkler for about 2 hours. However, since water output varies from sprinkler to sprinkler, we recommend placing an empty can with straight sides in the watering area and running the sprinkler until ½” of water collects.
Water the second and third days following installation. Since the ground should still be sufficiently moist from the initial watering, run your oscillating sprinkler for 1 hour, or long enough to apply ¼” of water on the second and third days.
Hold off on watering on days 4 and 5 and thoroughly soak the sod on day 6 by running your sprinkler for 2 hours and applying ½” of water. Hold off on watering on day seven. If we experience hot and dry weather with temperatures above 85º F, you can do some light watering to cool down the sod on days 4, 5 and 7.
Water thoroughly every 2 to 3 days by running your sprinkler for 1 to 2 hours and applying ¼ to ½” of water. The goal is to provide 1″ of water per week and keep the sod sufficiently moist.
Within 4 weeks your sod should have roots extending 1 to ” into the soil. At this point, you can reduce your watering frequency to be consistent with your watering schedule for your established lawn. Established lawns prefer at least 1″ of water each week. If this comes from natural rainfall, you should not need to water. In the absence of rainfall–especially in the hot, dry summer–we recommend applying 1″ of water once a week, or ½” of water twice a week. You can achieve 1″ of water by running your sprinkler for 4 to 5 hours.
If you have an in-ground irrigation system, check with your irrigation contractor as output can vary based on your system design. We typically recommend running your system for 30 minutes per zone every 2 days and adjusting as needed to keep your sod sufficiently moist.
We recommend using a push lawn mower during the first month as the roots of your sod are working to get established. If you use a lawn mowing service, you should let your contractor know you have new sod in place before they mow.
One of the easiest ways to maintain a beautiful and healthy lawn is to mow the lawn with sharp blades set at the correct mowing height. Mowing with dull blades will tear the grass rather than cut it. Ripped, ragged leaf tips will turn brown, heal slowly and leave the grass susceptible to disease. We recommend sharpening mower blades at least once a year.
Time your mowing schedule so no more than 1/3″ of the length of grass blades are removed at any one time. This helps promote deep roots for better drought tolerance.
Once your sod is established, it’s important to fertilize it as you would your established lawn. Fertilizer has important nutrients that will keep your lawn thick, green and healthy. We recommend feeding your lawn at least once in the spring and twice in the fall with one of our custom fertilizer blends.
Analysis: 14-18-14
Use: When seeding or sodding new lawns and over seeding existing lawns
Features: Contains phosphorus for root establishment and long lasting, slow-release nitrogen for a healthy, deep green color.
Analysis: 26-0-12
Use: When feeding established lawns
Features: Contains sulfate of potash for drought resistance and turf vigor, and long lasting, slow-release nitrogen for a healthy, deep green color.
Here is a sample watering schedule for a yard that had sod installed on a Monday. Use the watering schedule guidelines to create your own watering schedule.
The goal is to make sure the sod does not dry out. You will need to adjust your watering schedule to account for the season and the weather. In the summer, this could mean watering the sod every day during the first week due to hot and dry conditions. Always water if the sod shows signs of wilting or turning color.
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