Implementing your own sod lawn is not very difficult. Sod will need to be installed on dry ground within a day of when it is delivered. When temps are higher than 80° moisten the soil the day before to decrease the soil temperature. Take care not to over water so that you or the workers are not doing the job in the mud. After the sod is fitted the 1st irrigation should saturate the sod and hydrate the soil. Virtually all you do then is water often and stay off. Keep the lawn wet consistently, preferably by consistent short watering schedules. Water a couple of times a day at 8AM and 1PM (morning hours and early mid-day) if the temperatures are under 95°. The sprinkling procedure should be repeated thrice on a daily basis in the hottest months of the year, 95° plus, at approximately 8 AM, 11AM and 1PM every single day. DON’T LET THE LAWN DRY OUT!!! Remember fondly the key is to maintain IT MOIST, NOT SOAKED. Too much water brings about algae and fungus.
Watering is most effective if done during day time time, Three to four am, when sunlight and also heat cannot cause excessive evaporation. After your lawn becomes established it needs approximately 1 ½ inches of water weekly, ½ inch alternate day, throughout the heat of the summer season. Spring and fall may possibly require one or two times a week watering according to weather conditions. Cut water back throughout the winter, sometimes your lawn will simply require watering once or twice a month, depending on weather conditions. The soil needs to be drenched through when watered. Water should penetrate at the least 6 inches into your soil to make sure deep rooting. When your lawn requires water it will eventually turn from bright green to blue or gray-green.
Commercial fertilizer should be applied ahead of your laying the sod at a rate of 1 lb. per 150 Sq. Ft. This application of fertilizer ought to provide the nutrients to get the sod a proper start. An additional use of fertilizer should be applied all over again every six to eight weeks. We advise a great purpose fertilizer for instance triple 15 or 16. Lawns usually do not need feeding during Dec. or Jan. Remember when you notice a lawn that seems great its because the owner did a few simple things with consistency, proper watering, mowing, fertilizing and weed control.
A new sod lawn needs to be mowed for the first time between 10-14 days. Delaying the primary cutting permits too much shading, blade widening and possible sunburn. Set your lawnmower at its maximum setting, lowering a setting each mowing before the lawn is cut at 2 inches. Never eliminate more that 1/3 of the blade length at any mowing. Weekly mowing is essential throughout the growing season. Lawnmower blades should invariably be kept sharp to avoid bruised and torn grass which develops unsightly white blade tops.
Weeds will appear within your new lawn. They come from seeds which may have lain dormant in the ground or which have been taken in by wind or birds. These weeds can best be controlled by growing good healthy grass. Grass which is well watered, mowed, and well fertilized provides excessive competition for weed plants in order to gain any stronghold. However you can find chemical remedies which will be able to help when your lawn has matured, usually after 3 mowings. Weed -B-Gon for broad leaf and Weed-hoe for grassy weeds. Pre-emergent is important to hold crabgrass, spurge and approximately 35 other weeds from your lawn. Treatment must be applied the 1st part of February and again in mid May on a yearly basis. Should your lawn ever become damaged or have bare spots, reseed or sod immediately in order to avoid competitive weed growth from becoming established.
Sod in Sacramento at its best.
