Using Sod And How To Maintain It
If you have decided to lay sod in your yard, you may be wondering if there are any special instructions needed to take care of it. Sod is a wonderful alternative to grass seed, and, when taken care of, it will last all season long. Here are some tips you can use when taking care of sod in your own yard.
Why Sod Instead Of Seed?
There are many benefits in laying sod over planting your grass from seed. Sod will give you a lush-looking lawn as soon as you lay the rolls, while grass seed will take several weeks to grow. If you want to get a head start on the look of your lawn, sod is the way to go.
When you have sod, you do not have to worry about people stepping on it as you would with grass seed. In seeding stages, when you are trying to get your grass to start to grow, any small movement of the seed can cause it to not grow. Sod will have the blades of grass already started and will just need them to take root.
Laying The Sod
You will want to prepare the area where the sod will be placed by raking and removing any obstructions such as rocks and boulders. Water down the area so it is moist when you unroll your sod into place. Make sure that you place the edges close to each other so there is no gap in between rows.
Water your sod twice a day for the first three days that it is in place. After this you can water it once a day for a week. When the sod seems to be taking root, you will be able to let up on the watering to once every other day. If the weather seems exceptionally warm, however, you can continue watering daily.
Maintenance Tips
After your sod has been in place for three days, check it for any signs of fungus or disease. If there seem to be areas that are in danger, you will want to apply a fungicide immediately.
After the sod has been in place for a week, fertilize it using an organic fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers are known to burn the blades of grass if the chemicals within are too harsh for the plant. Spread the fertilizer by hand and rake it into the sod so it is evenly distributed.
You can start mowing your sod after it has been in place for about two weeks. Keep the length of the grass to about two inches so it will look nice and will continue to grow healthily.
For more information, contact a business such as California Sod Center.