Thank you for your recent sod purchase.  There are a number of steps that need to be taken in the next couple weeks and over the next couple years to ensure that your sod will stay as beautiful as the day it was installed.  Below are the instruction for taking care of your investment.

Week One:
Keep close attention to your sod during the first week.  This is the most crucial period of the sod growth.  The sod should be DAMP throughout this time frame.  You can check your sod by pulling up a corner of the sod to see if the soil beneath the sod is moist.  It should never be dry.  Most of the time the grass should be watered twice a day unless the weather is very cool and cloudy.

Try to keep off the sod.  The ground will be very soft in certain areas if the ground was graded before the installation of sod.  If there are any questions please do not hesitate to call us at 757-377-5200 .

Never put any type of weed killer on the lawn during the first month and a half.  You can apply a starter fertilizer to help the grass grow greener and stronger at any point.  It is recommended to apply a starter fertilizer right away. 

Week Two and Three:
Watering can be cut back a little.  The ground still needs to be damp but this time frame is not as crucial as week one.  Most of the time the sod should be watered at least once a day unless the weather is very cool and cloudy. 

You can cut the grass somewhere between week 2 and 4.  If it is hard to pull up the sod pieces than it can be cut.  Keep grass at approximately 3 1/2” - 4” in height and bag the clippings 3 out of every 4 cuts.  Never leave clumps of grass in your yard.

Week Four:
Watering should be the same during this period as in week two and three.  Depending on the time of the year, the watering can be decreased to biweekly.  Please consult us if you would like to know whether it is alright.  After your second cut, you can start to apply weed killers and start your yearly chemical cycle.  Below is the 5 step process for tall fescue in our area.

After Week Four:
Watering can be done every other day during the spring and fall.  During the summer, watering is recommended every day.  During the winter, rain should be sufficient enough and watering should not be needed.

We offer fertilization for customers who would like to get on a yearly cycle and who do not want to deal with the hassle of the chemicals.  The average cost is $45 per application for the full yard.  Contact us for further prices.