Renovating Your Lawn With A Sod Grass Installation

Summer is about half over and the season of Fall will be upon us in southeast Texas soon. Being in Houston that means that we will have temperatures in the 70s and 80s (much warmer than more Northern states). Being that more rain will come in the fall and the temperatures still warmer, it is the perfect time to renovate your lawn with sod grass. Installation of sod grass can bring immediate curb appeal to your landscape, raising the aesthetic and value of your home. Whether your lawn suffered over the summer or you wish for a more environmentally friendly lawn, installing fresh sod grass may be right for improving your landscape.

Installation of a new lawn with sod grass requires hard work, time, and patience. Following the proper installation procedures is essential to the success of your fresh sod grass. Failing to install and care for it properly could result in time, energy, and money wasted. Installing a new lawn with sod grass will require ground preparation, delivery and installation, and regular care.

Soil Preparation: Preparing the soil is essential to the success of your lawn when it is installed and in the future. Look at the soil as the foundation and without a good foundation it will end up failing, and possibly very quick in some cases. Soil preparation will involve removing the current grass or weeds, lightly tilling the first 2-4" of soil and removing some of that soil to allow for new to be added (not in every case). Remember that if you are choosing a new grass or ground-cover variety then you should eradicate the former, and in most cases this requires spraying a chemical such as glyphosate. Removing all of the weeds and grass by hand is nearly impossible.

Delivery & Installation: Once your soil has been properly prepared it will be time to have your chosen variety of sod grass delivered and installed. It is important to note that a pallet of sod is extremely heavy relative to its size and will not be suitable to haul with small trailers or trucks. The best option is to pay your sod supplier to have the pallet of sod delivered. You will find this very convenient and save time. Once the pallet of sod grass has been delivered installation should begin immediately. Most of the grass's roots have been cut off when removing from the field and laying and watering the sod pieces quickly is best practice. Once the sod has been laid make sure to thoroughly soak the lawn with water.

Sod Grass Care: With the soil prepared and the new sod grass installed in your landscape, the most laborious steps are completed. The last step which is care will determine if your lawn is successful and performing its best. New sod should be watered 2-3 time per day with hotter weather for 2-3 weeks depending on how much rain is forecasted. If heavy rain or cooler temperatures are around then feel free to skip but try to make sure the sod stays moist. Upon installing the grass a high nitrogen slow-release fertilizer should be applied to allow for green-up and rooting. Wait to cut your new lawn for about 3 weeks so it can be well-established and vigorous. Be sure not to mow more than 1/3 of the grass off during a single mowing and lower heights by .25" per mowing to achieve your desired lawn height.

Renovating your lawn is possible with time, energy, and patience. Though this is a short guide to installing a new lawn with sod grass, it will give you a general sense of what to expect when taking this landscape project on. Be sure to ask questions if you have them so you know you are installing your sod grass properly.