Tips For Installing Sod In Your Yard

Does your grass not look so good these days, and you've been unsuccessful at growing grass from seeds? If so, then sod could be the solution to your problem. Here are a few tips that are going to help you with installing sod on your lawn. 

Measure Your Yard

Never estimate how much sod you will need for your lawn, because it may not be easy or possible to return a lot of unused sod. Take measurements of your yard so that you know exactly how much sod to buy. It will help to purchase a little bit more to account for cutting odd pieces that fit around curves and places where you may need some thin strips to fill in a gap. 

Gather The Right Tools

There are a few special tools that you are going to need to make installing sod a breeze. You'll definitely need a rototiller. While there are manual rototillers that may be fine for a small patch of sod, it will help to have an automatic rototiller to make the job easier. You can rent these machines from your local home improvement store. Another odd tool you may not have is a lawn roller, which will help flatten out the sod. 

Rototill The Soil

When rototilling to loosen the soil, you'll want to mix in any fertilizer with it so that it is mixed several inches beneath the soil. You'll also want to remove enough soil so that ground levels are not above nearby sidewalks. This typically involves removing about an inch of soil after it has been rototilled, which is about the thickness of a piece of sod. You'll then water the soil for a couple of days before you actually install the sod. 

Lay The Sod In Staggered Rows

When placing the sod on the ground, you'll want to create staggered rows as if you were laying bricks. This helps prevent places from forming where all four corners of the sod meet. You will need to cut that first piece of sod in half so that the row is staggered as you lay it on the ground. All edges should be tight without overlapping to ensure that it is a good fit since you do not want any soil exposed. 

Once the sod is covering the lawn, you will want to compress the sod with a lawn roller. This helps push the roots into the soil and helps the grass continue to grow.

Contact a local sod installation company to learn more.  


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