Whether you’re in the research, buying or caring for phase, you may have questions about how to best care for the new sod on your lawn. If you haven’t already, we urge you to read our preparations page as well as how to care for your sodlawn page. Here we have a few frequently asked question that we felt would be easiest if put in one place.
How long does it take for new sod to take root?
Should all the elements align -the right combination of water and sun, your sod should take root in 2-6 weeks. With the right soil preparation, you should have shallow roots in roughly two weeks.
When should you fertilizer new sod?
Typically you want to wait to fertilize your lawn until after the sod has taken root (safe to say at least 3 weeks). You’ll want to make sure you pick the right fertilizer for your specific type of grass. We recommend fertilizing the sod with either Starter, Triple 15 (15-15-15) or Triple 16 (16-16-16) fertilizer. DON’T use any fertilizer with “weed” control. Wait until at least 7-8 mowings to use a fertilizer with “weed” control. You’ll want to fertilize every 5-6 weeks during the growing season. We recommend Scotts™ products.
When can you mow your new sod?
Should you feel the need, you can mow after 10-14 days after installation, but we recommend lessing the watering time beforehand as you want the ground firm before cutting. Be careful not to cut more than 1/3 the blades, any more is considering “scalping” and can damage the lawn. Blow them off as quickly as possible because of the tannic acid and shade created by the debris.
