Installation Tips
- Before ordering your sod be sure you have graded and leveled to your site to your satisfaction.
- Be certain that the ground is free of any weeds or grasses.
- Be prepared to water, either with underground irrigation or garden hoses and sprinklers. The ground should be dry the day you lay the sod.
- Start by laying out a straight line of sod either off the house foundation or from a deck, one end to the other.
The next row of sod will start with a half piece, so that the sod will lay in a brick-like fashion, staggering at the seams.- The most efficient way to lay sod is for one or two people to stay on the ground on hands and knees, fitting the sod together. Meanwhile, the rest of the group will drop the rolls of sod in the line about every five feet.
It goes really fast!
• As a guide, 7-8 people can lay 10,000 square feet of sod in about four hours or less; 3 people can lay 5,000 square feet of sod in about three hours. (If there is a lot of cutting to do around planting beds or trees, these times would probably go up some.)
A razor knife or box cutter works great to cut sod.
As soon as you can, start to water. A lot of water is required in the beginning to saturate the ground.
And you will have to maintain that level of water to keep the sod from shrinking!
Test the soil after you have been watering for a day or so. Gently walk out a little way onto the grass and peel back a corner of a piece of sod. You should be able to stick your index finger into the mud up to your third knuckle. If you have that much mud underneath then you are doing a good job!
Shelf Life of Sod
Sod must be layed within 24 hours after the time of pick up or delivery.
Sod is highly perishable!
