Entire step by step procedure of how to sod?

Question

I googled this everywhere but no one describes the entire procedure. I am extremely new in this area and am pretty dumb in these matters. So pls help!!!

I have st augustine grass in Austin TX and just need to change 4 squares of it near the curb.

I have some questions:

1. what do I spread below it?
2. How do I place it?
3. Does the soil at the bottom have to be tight?
4. what if there are gaps? Do i fill them with soil?
5. After sodding, do i roll over it with something?
6. After sodding, when do I water?
7. How often do I water?
8. How do I water- with a hose? How long? Or with a mug and bucket? Does it matter?
9. Do I fertilize immediately or after 4 weeks?

Sorry about the long list but I have no clue what to do and am so worried. Thanks in advance!!!

Answer 1

1. Remove the old lawn and/or weeds, if any exist. One way to accomplish this is by digging them out with a flat-bladed shovel (make sure you get the roots). Another method is to apply an herbicide, then rent a sod-cutter to remove roots and all. Before proceeding further, have your soil pH tested. Most lawn grasses prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. If the test reveals that you need to adjust the pH, do so in conjunction with Step #2.

2. Break up the compacted soil with a tiller. Tillers (also called rototillers) can be rented from your local rental center.

3. Spread a starter fertilizer over the now-loosened soil. This type of fertilizer is high in phosphorus, the middle number in the NPK sequence on a fertilizer bag.

4. Spread a soil conditioner over the soil. "Soil conditioner" is often what it's called at the store, but if you have a good supply of compost at home, it will serve just as well as a soil amendment.

5.# Again using the tiller, till the starter fertilizer and soil conditioner (or equivalent) into the soil. I know this seems like a lot of work, but good soil preparation is one key to success in laying sod to start new lawns.

6. Now rake the soil to begin to level it out, removing any rocks and debris that you find. To avoid problems with excess water-runoff, make sure that any site grading you do allows water to flow away from your house.


7. This step requires a roller. Rollers, like tillers, can be rented from your local rental center. Fill the roller's drum with water, then use the roller to finish leveling the soil.

8. Start laying your sod. Begin on the outer edges, unrolling a roll of sod on the far left-hand side, then another on the far right-hand side (or vice versa). After laying these 2 rolls of sod, work your way in towards the center with subsequent strips.

9. A single roll of sod may not be long enough to cover the whole length of the lawn. This means you'll have to lay separate rolls, end to end, pressing the ends firmly together so that they abut tightly, but without overlapping.

10. For the strips of sod in the adjacent row, make sure you stagger the ends of sod rolls, so that the seams don't line up. Think of it as a "brickwork" pattern.

11. If a strip of sod appears too low, "shim" it with topsoil to bring it up to the proper level.

12. When you're done laying sod, it's time to use the roller again. Push it over the sod to press it down firmly against the soil. This removes air pockets, promoting good contact with the soil, allowing your sod's roots to go to work immediately.

13. For a couple of weeks after laying sod, remember to water faithfully every day. If you know your schedule won't permit this, now's the time to look into automatic irrigation systems, before starting a new lawn.

TIPS
1. In Step #8, I had you begin laying sod on the edges first. Why? Because the sod on the edges has the greatest tendency to dry out. By starting on the edges, you ensure that the edges will at least have sod strips of the full width, making them less likely to dry out. When you get to the center, sod widths may have to be trimmed (use a sharp knife). But better there than on the edges, for the reason just stated. In a nutshell: you may have to trim somewhere, so make sure it's not on the edges.


2. What's the best time for laying sod? Now is a good time as it is starting to get cooler. Sodding in July-August is not a good idea. Early fall and early spring are the best times.

3. If, instead of laying sod, you prefer the seeding method, see my tips for seeding lawns. The first 7 steps (soil preparation) are the same as for starting new lawns via the sodding method.

Answer 2

Aint no is very precise. When I was in landscaping we raked the dirt to be sodded to get rid of roots, rocks, and make the surface level. Then "green side up" laid down either rolls or rectangles of sod.

at one site, the owner drove across 1 week old sodded lawn and we had to repair the damage. The sod sheets had already rooted with no fertilizer or root stimulator added. so all the tilling and prep Aint mentioned is moot.

Answer 3

good articles are at:

http://www.bladeslawncare.com/soil/soilpreparationstaugustine.html

http://www.turfgrasssod.org/lawninstitute/howto_estab.htm

http://www.landscape-america.com/lawns/6_steps.html

http://www.pacificearth.com/cont/install1.html

let me know if these are not useful

regards

Ramesh
The Human Search Engine
http;//www.alluwanted.com