Perennial turfgrasses are some of the hardiest and durable plants often found in urban landscapes. Like any new planting, they require attention and care during and after installation to ensure successful establishment. Here’s how to care for your sod post-installation.
Watering
Freshly cut sod contains enough moisture in the leaves, roots, and soil to keep the grass healthy and alive for transport and planting. However, once the sod is laid at the site it will continue to transpire water that will need to be replaced by either rainfall or supplemental irrigation.
In-Ground Irrigation Systems
In-ground irrigation systems often require professional installation but are a great way to effectively irrigate large areas. In-ground irrigation systems can also be programmed to run at specific days and times, allowing for customizable watering schedules during turfgrass establishment. Things to consider when scheduling watering programs for newly laid sod include:
- Morning and evening are good times to saturate the sod and allow it to soak into the top 1⁄2 – 1 inch of soil
- due to reduced losses from evaporation.
- Mid-day to early afternoon is the most likely time for newly laid sod to dry out so be sure to schedule at least one mid-day irrigation event during the first few days or weeks of establishment.
- As roots begin to penetrate the soil and the sod is difficult to lift up, then this is an indication that irrigation length and frequency can be reduced.
- Pay close attention to corners and edges to make sure that irrigation coverage is sufficient to water newly laid sod and adjust heads to eliminate overspray onto non-turfgrass areas such as driveways, streets, and sidewalks.
Hose-End Sprinklers
Hose-End Sprinklers range in price, durability, and complexity but their portability makes them a great way to water newly laid sod. They can be easily moved from place to place in the lawn as the sod requires, can be scheduled on inexpensive electronic timers, and can even be used by hand to irrigate small or irregularly shaped areas that would otherwise be hard to reach. Things to consider when using Hose-End Sprinklers to water newly laid sod include:
- Output and coverage vary widely by nozzle-type so be sure to select one that will deliver a sufficient volume and pattern of water.
- Hose-End sprinklers with larger droplet sizes will reduce evaporative losses and are an important consideration, particularly for mid-day watering when evapotranspiration rates may be high.
- Hose-End sprinklers often need to be moved manually multiple times per day to adequately reach all of the newly laid sod, particularly in larger areas.
- All of the same guidelines from in-ground irrigation systems also apply to hose-end sprinklers with regard to timing, frequency, and adjustment
Mowing
Mowing newly laid sod is an important component of encouraging lateral growth. Newly laid sod should be mowed once the underlying surface is firm enough to support it and should not be prolonged to the point where significant scalping can occur. All turfgrasses, including newly laid sod, should be mowed using sharp mower blades within the recommended ranges of mowing heights frequently enough to prevent from removing more than 1/3rd of the leaf blade at any one time.
Fertilization
Newly laid sod can be fertilized immediately prior to establishment, during establishment, or as needed after establishment. Selecting the appropriate fertilizer and application rate should be based on soil test results.
Irrigation
As newly laid sod begins to root into the soil, irrigation applications should gradually be reduced from multiple times per day during establishment to only once every few days. Deep and infrequent watering of established turfgrasses provides a balance of oxygen and water in the soil that encourages deep, healthy roots.
