You are no doubt familiar with the saying, “Count the cost”, meaning that you should realize what it’s going to cost you to get where you want to go. If you are considering laying a sod lawn yourself, then absolutely “count the cost”. Just be prepared for hard physical labor, and a pretty big chunk out of your bank account.

But if you can weather the “cost”, then this is the route for you. The key to the entire process is planning ahead…

Start planning…

Select a 2-week period of time in which to install your sod lawn. Check long-range weather forecasts… and keep checking them. If you plan to hire laborers or recruit some friends, contact them to verify that they will be available throughout these two weeks.

Get estimates from at least 2 or 3 reliable sod dealers. Give them a delivery date that’s in the middle of your two-week period, and ask them what their lead-time is. (How long does it take them between the day you order and the day they deliver.)

Ask them if you pay the driver at delivery, or if they bill you. Also useful is whether they unload the sod… the extra charge (if any) is definitely worth it. Make sure they supply you with a written estimate.

Note all of this information on a large calendar or in a notebook, including names and telephone numbers.

If you plan to install a lawn sprinkling system, follow the same procedures. Get some estimates if you hire it out. Schedule installation during the second half of the first week. If you plan to install it yourself, make a schematic and a materials list. In fact, go ahead and purchase what you need so you will be ready.

Lastly, check out sources for the equipment you will need. Most do-it-yourself rental stores carry lawn strippers and rototillers and lawn rollers that can be rented for several hours or days. Some of them even supply a hauling trailer… for an extra charge, naturally. If possible, reserve the equipment.

Order the sod…

Call your supplier at least two weeks prior to their lead-time to verify the order date and delivery date. Sometimes circumstances can change your supplier’s schedule… weather, labor, etc.

Place the order on the agreed order date, again verifying the delivery date. This is very important because sod should be installed as soon as it’s off loaded, or at least within 3 to 6 hours. It will dry out very quickly in hot weather, or rot if it’s damp or rainy. Get all the details of your order in writing… by fax or email.

Clear the area…

Pick up the heavy equipment from the rental shop. You might call ahead to see if someone is available to help you load up. If not, bring along a couple of your recruits.

Remove any existing lawn, then rototill the dirt to loosen up any remaining plant materials. Drag or rake the area to prepare for sprinklers. (Hopefully, automatic watering is part of your plan.)

Install sprinklers…

This is the ideal time to install the automatic lawn sprinkling system. Make sure the trenches are below frost-levels for your area, but at least 10″ to 12″. This gives you a cushion for digging planting holes later on. When the system is hooked up, make sure to test it.

If your schedule allows, try to give it a 24-hour testing period. You definitely don’t want to dig up your newly sodded lawn in order to fix a leak.

Soil preparation…

Just like painting a house, preparation is 90% of the work. If necessary, adjust the soil pH. Do a final rake through of the area, leveling the surface and removing any larger pebbles, rocks, or sticks.

Moisten the soil, making sure that it doesn’t become soggy or muddy. If it’s a hot day, moisten just prior to laying each piece of sod.

Laying your sod lawn…

Starting at one end of the yard, line up the first row of sod with a straight line, like a sidewalk or a building. Just make sure that you end up next to a sidewalk, or someplace where you can walk other than the new sod.

Line up sod as closely together as possible, pushing and weaving the edges into each other without overlapping them.
When you can’t see any spaces between the pieces of sod, then you’ve done it perfectly. Also, make sure to stagger the short end joints. Visualize the staggered joints in a brick wall. This will also make your new sod lawn look like it grew there naturally over time.

Cut the sod to fill in rounded and oddly shaped areas. Using a cheap but sharp carpet knife makes quick work of this. I also helps to custom-fit any of the strips around sprinkler heads, pools, trees…

When your lawn is completely sodded, run a sod roller over it. This is a critical step because it pushes the roots down into the soil that you so carefully prepared. When these little roots make contact with all that good stuff, they start growing within hours.

You and your crew may be tempted to skip this step out of sheer exhaustion, but you risk negating all of that exhausting prep work. So, take a little break and then push forward.

One more thing before you quit for the day (or did it take you into the night?). If it’s at all hot, turn the sprinklers on and water deeply.. about 10 to 15 minutes. Then stop… yes, it’s OK to quit for the day and get a good night’s sleep.

Caring for your newly sodded lawn…

The following morning, set the automatic sprinkler system for daily waterings for the first week. It it’s raining, then just skip the day’s watering. It it’s hot, you may need to water twice. Change the watering schedule gradually over the next few weeks. The goal is a once a week. Of course, hot weather may dictate twice or even three times a week.

You can start mowing your new sod lawn within three to four weeks. Here’s a tip… Maintaining a 2″ to 3″ grass height makes for a healthy lawn… and less mowings for you.

As you new lawn matures, you will need to apply fertilizers. Just use common sense in your choices.

So… “count the cost” of laying a new sod lawn. You just might find that it’s much less than you imagined!

 

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.