It can be stressful and time-consuming to add new sod to your lawn and set everything up beautifully. The sod is the ground where the turf will sit. This has already been sown and planted with seeds, and the grasses are harvested after 18 months. See more about sod in this link here.
The harvesting is generally done by removing the topsoil on top. The farmers can sow various combinations of grasses like the perennial rye, and they will result in healthier. This is because the sod plants are professionally grown and taken care of to develop stronger roots. They received regular water and fertilizer and were planted in the best soil.
One of the primary benefits of sod is avoiding weeds on your new lawn, removing erosion, mud control, and reducing the need to apply herbicides in the future. Also, you can install the sod any time of the year because the roots are already established. Except for winter or frozen ground, you can plant the seeds and get denser grasses at any time of the year without worrying about bare areas.
The Process of Laying Sod
Generally, laying and unrolling the strips is easy, but you must do it during the cooler months. This should be during the fall or at least a month before winter. This will allow the grass to grow its roots and extend beneath the earth. The early spring might also be the best time to lay it. You would want to avoid the onset of summer because the heat will make the grass dormant.
Before you start laying the strips, an extensive amount of preparation is needed for the soil. Test the pH levels of the ground and make sure that they are between 6.0 to 7.5. Too much alkalinity or acidity might cause the grasses to fail, and it can be challenging for them to grow new roots.
A home kit will be a handy testing tool that will provide more valuable and detailed results. You can also call a county extension office to help you with instructions on how to test the soil and an information sheet that you should fill up. Collect the soil from different parts of the yard, mix it in a bag, and send it back to the pros. They will generally advise you to add garden lime or ammonium sulfate to adjust the soil’s pH levels.
Buying Sod
In some places, you will have a variety of grass species to choose from. You might receive salt-tolerant mixes if you apply them near the sidewalks or roads. If you live in the South, your options can be zoysia grass, Bermudagrass, or tall fescue. Do your research and see which one would make the most sense to grow in your region.
You might also want help from the experts, which can transport large quantities of sod for your lawn installation. Get in touch with professionals from companies such as mrlawn.ca for more information about the experts’ services. The professionals can save you time, and you’ll have a beautiful lawn that’s professionally made. This can add curb appeal, and you’ll get maintenance services for the grasses to maintain their amazing look.
The experts will also know about the sources of affordable sod by the square foot. They will inspect your backyard, determine the amount of sod needed, and ensure that everything will be delivered on time. The pros will also prepare everything before the pallets arrive, so you will not have a lot of rolls sitting in your garage for a long period of time.
What’s Involved in Prep Work?
Proper preparation is needed to determine the long-term success of your lawn. This can take a few weeks, depending on the current condition of your yard and the grass species you’ve chosen. Some of the things involved at this stage are the following:
- Removal of other Plants
The new sod does not tend to grow on existing plant life, so the first step is to kill them off or remove them. They can be removed by hand, or some tools will make your life easier. Some professionals might use glyphosate, an herbicide, to kill off the existing plants where you will install the sod. This can take a lot of applications which takes about four weeks.
- Cleaning the Yard
The ones with twigs, stones, logs, and other rubble will need cleaning. There may also be a need to do some grading to level out the ground. You might also try to create gentle slopes and drainage if your landscape needs it.
- Till and Rake
Tillers can help churn up the entire backyard. This can make the existing roots of other plants loosen up and you can read more about a tiller’s use at this url: https://gardening.tips.net/T005108_Using_a_Power_Tiller.html. Break up the soil fully and rake out the lawn afterward. Remove the area’s twigs, dried leaves, debris, stones, and other vegetation. Rake out a lot of materials, especially if you rake an old existing lawn.
- Topsoil Additions
The process of adding topsoil is optional for many homeowners. However, it can help if you add about a 6-inch-thick layer and churn it with a power tiller. This step is useful for people installing a new lawn for the first time.
- Organic Materials might be Needed
You might need to make specific changes to the soil to adjust its nutrients. If so, according to expert recommendations, you can amend the pH levels with lime or sulfur as well as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These materials are spread over the entire site, and they will help the sod become more established. Others add compost, peat moss, and other organic materials that contain enzymes and nutrients to improve the soil.
- Smoothing Out Everything
After removing the large clumps of debris and stones, you can smooth out the lawn with a bow rake or drag mat. You could also compress everything with a roller to get firm topsoil. Laying the sod can follow afterward, and you can always call the experts at Mr. Lawn for help.
