For many landscapers, the instant gratification felt in having an instant
lawn is not to be competed with. After all, when one seeds a lawn, it can
take quite a while to grow. But laying sod is an excellent way to get an
instantly grassy and lush yard. It is more than possible to lay sod yourself.
It is not very difficult to do, although it does require planning and some
hard work. But, if you plan wisely and work well, you should be able to
save a great deal of money over having someone else lay the sod for you.
The very first thing to do is to prepare the dirt area for the sod.
You should, of course, already have the sod on order to be delivered
or picked up, so that you can lay it as soon as the ground is prepared
(but do not have it delivered or go pick it up before preparations are
complete; it will rot if it sits in the sun for too long before you begin
laying it). Prepare your yard by performing any necessary soil enhancements
to bring the pH in line with what the sod needs. The soil should already
be tilled, and you should do a final rake or drag of the area to ensure
that it is level and that all larger pebbles, rocks, and sticks are removed
from the area. Moisten the soil, but do not make it muddy and soggy.
If you plan to have an irrigation or sprinkler system, make sure that
it is in place before you lay your sod.
Sod comes either in rolls or in rectangles or squares. In any case,
it is a good idea to begin by laying the sod against a straight line.
A sidewalk, driveway, or flowerbed against the side of the house makes
an excellent guide. As you unroll each new length of sod, or fit in each
piece, press the edges together. Do not overlap them, but do try to manually “knit” them
together so that there are no visible spaces between pieces of sod. You
should stagger the locations of joints so that there is not a line of
sod pieces showing the length of the yard. Staggering will give the sodded
lawn an appearance of being more naturally grown.
Having an inexpensive carpet knife available will help you as you lay
your sod around more oddly shaped or rounded areas. Even though you start
along a straight edge, few yards are completely uniform in their shape.
You can cut pieces of sod to fit around fixtures, trees, and sprinkler
heads. You should work from one end of the yard to another, but in such
a manner as to avoid walking on laid sod until after it can be rolled.
After the sod is down, you should use a lawn roller to go over your
sod. These can be rented at reasonable rates. The roller is specially
designed to help sodded lawns take better root. It forces the roots in
the sod to make positive contact with the soil below, encouraging better
knitting. You should water your new lawn every day for the first week
(except, of course, on rainy days) and more than every day if the weather
is especially hot. After the first week, gradually begin stretching out
times between watering, as this encourages the roots to grow downward,
seeking moisture deeper in the soil. Be sure to water deeply, however.
Fertilizer can be applies at intervals throughout the season, and you
should begin a regular mowing schedule three to four weeks after first
laying the sod.
If you take good care of your new lawn, it should flourish, and you
will achieve faster results than seeding the lawn and waiting for it
to grow. Additionally, if you take care to conscientiously prepare your
soil and carefully lay your sod, then there is no reason that you cannot
enjoy some of the best lawn in your neighborhood. But be sure to properly
care for the sod after it is laid to ensure that the roots firmly house
themselves in your soil, and to prevent the sun from drying out and killing
your brand new lawn.
