Monday 6 May 2013

How to Care your Sod Lawn

By Maxie Feret


Establishing your brand-new sod lawn is straight forward. Sod should be put down on dry land within 24 hours when it gets there. However, if temperatures are higher than 80 degrees, moisten the ground the day before to lower the soil heat. Do not over water to be sure you or the installers are not doing the job in the mud. Soon after the sod is laid the initial watering, it will ideally drench the sod as well as moisten the soil. All you need to do is water regularly and stay off. Continue to keep the lawn moist continuously, preferably by regular quick watering schedules. Water the sod two times a day at 8AM early in the morning and 1PM early in the afternoon if the temperature is less than 95. The sprinkling procedure must be repeated three times per day in the hottest months of the year, 95 plus, at approximately 8 AM, 11AM and 1PM day-to-day. DON'T LET THE LAWN DRY OUT!!! Remember fondly, the key is to maintain IT MOIST, NOT SOAKED. Sinking brings about algae and fungus.

Watering is ideal if done during day time hours, 3 to 4 am, when sunlight and also heat cannot cause excessive evaporation. After your lawn becomes established, it requires approximately one inch of water weekly and an inch every other day during the heat of the summer. Spring and fall may possibly require maybe once or twice a week watering depending on climatic conditions. Cut the water back through the winter, at times when your lawn will only require watering once or twice a month, depending on weather conditions. The soil needs to be condensed through when watered. Water should penetrate at least 6 inches into the soil to make sure profound rooting. When your lawn requires water, it will turn from bright green to blue or gray-green.

Commercial fertilizer needs to be applied ahead before laying the sod for a price of one pound per 150 square feet. This use of fertilizer should provide the nutrients to give the sod a proper start. An extra use of fertilizer should be applied again every 6-8 weeks. We propose an all-purpose fertilizer like triple 15 or 16. Lawns usually do not need feeding during December or January. Remember when you see a lawn that seems great, it's because the owner did quick and easy things with consistency, proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing and weed control.

A whole new sod lawn must be mowed for the first time between 10-14 days. Delaying the very first cutting permits too much shading, blade widening and possible sunburn. Set your mower at its highest setting, lowering a setting each mowing till the lawn is cut at two inches. Never get rid of more than one-third of the blade length at any mowing. Weekly mowing is essential during the growing season. Lawn mower blades should always be kept sharp to avoid bruised and torn grass which develops unsightly white blade tops.

Weeds will appear in your new lawn. They come from seeds which may have lain dormant in your yard or which have been taken in by wind or birds. These weeds can best be controlled by growing good healthy grass. Grass which is properly watered, mowed, and well fertilized provides too much competition for weed plants to get any stronghold. However, there are chemical remedies which are able to help whenever your lawn has matured, usually after 3 mowings. Weed -B-Gon for broad leaf and Weed-hoe for grassy weeds for example. Pre-emergent is essential to keep crabgrass, spurge and approximately 35 other weeds from your lawn. Treatment ought to be applied the first part of February and again in mid May on a yearly basis. When your lawn ever become damaged or have bare spots, reseed or sod immediately to prevent competitive weed growth from becoming established.




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