The key to creating a successful lawn from sod is preparation. Remember, to establish a green lawn, dry is bad, mud is bad, moist is good. Seed can also be used to help with the blend. The heat produced in the process can kill the roll from the center out. With the preparation done, you’re ready to lay sod. Use shovels and garden rakes to remove what the sod-cutter can’t reach. If your lawn is really small, shovels and a mattock may do the trick. This will allow air pockets and uneven ground settling, create a barrier that inhibits new root establishment, and create an overall situation for the old grass to compete with the new.” Should you decide to remove the sod on a large area, sod cutters are the most efficient and least back-breaking way to handle the chore. Some pallets, especially for Southern grasses, are cut into strips of 16 inches by 24 inches. At that point, you can back off the watering and go to a schedule of watering occasionally, but deeply to a depth of about 6 inches of water, so the roots are encouraged to grow. Since the controversy arose, manufacturers have produced glyphosate alternatives. Soil preparation will likely take longer than laying the sod, so don’t buy sod well in advance. With the perimeter sod in place, determine the direction to roll the interior sod by identifying the general slope of the yard. Push “sod purchase” down on your to-do list. Step 2 We had the band to hook up all of their electronics to a single 20-amp outlet just to see it blow. Sod cutters are available for rent for do-it-yourselfers or from professional landscapers. After it was all over, we pulled up the old sod and laid down new sod. If possible, run sod along the longest dimension of the lawn, this makes for a faster install. Its best if you cut up the old grass first though. A slow drip irrigation system can be great for new trees and plants, and by doing some of the irrigation on your own you can save some cash. After you have tilled the ground, use a metal bow rake and smooth the soil. We had professional teppanyaki chefs prepare food on our hardwood floor and take a few whacks at it with machetes and axes just so we can show you how to repair it. With so many moving parts and water seals, dishwashers can break or leak in a lot of places and damage the floor underneath. Fertilize responsibly. “You really need soil to soil contact, in order for the roots to establish. Soon, you should see roots breaking through the bottom of the sod pieces. Use solarization to remove your old lawn. You should remove every last piece of plant material from the area. Consult a professional if there are any reframing needs due to building codes. The short answer is, ‘no.’ This will allow air pockets and uneven ground settling, create a barrier that inhibits new root establishment, and create an overall situation for the old grass to compete with the new.”. 4. During this time, check by lifting up corners of sod and resume watering when the sod is beginning to dry out. Planting a grass lawn from seed is a much slower process, however. Begin laying strips of sod. Comb out any rocks, clods and debris. Run the lengths of sod across the slope to minimize erosion and moisture loss. Professional landscapers often apply sod directly over grass. Try to grade soil about one inch lower than surrounding concrete driveways, sidewalks, and landscape edging so that the installed sod will be flush when installed. You neither want it to ever dry out or stay saturated. Water early in the day to avoid evaporation and disease. Flatten any mounds or high spots on your soil. The New Grass We opted for a sod installation because it provides an instant lawn with fewer weeds and almost no erosion problems. You have an extra step ahead of you that others don’t: You must figure out what went wrong the last time so it won’t happen again. Position the tip of the spout directly over each plant and pour a steady steam of boiling water to cover it. If it is an in-ground system, run it under close scrutiny. Products containing glyphosate, for example, are highly effective and relatively inexpensive. Once you get the results of the soil test or tests, follow the advice. Use the garden rake to grade the soil. Watch this video to understand this process of grass removal. At Disaster House, we invited heavy-metal rock band Slaughter to overload our electrical system. “In no situation should sod be installed over existing grass, said Michele Gibson, co-owner of DG Turf Farm, a third-generation sod farm in Greenleaf, Idaho. 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