You wouldn’t be alone if you said that you wanted a lush, green lawn. While you could take the long road and grow your own grass from tiny seedlings, nurturing them along the way, but if you want a beautiful lawn fast, sod is the way to go. If you are installing sod in Kingsport, Promier Landscapes has five easy steps to help you through this process. Your lawn will be the envy of the neighborhood in no time!
1. Start clean
It is best to start fresh with a clean slate, making sure the organic soil left behind is as level as possible. To remove your existing grass, you can use one of these methods. Chemicals such as Round-Up will kill the grass allowing you to lay sod over it. A tiller mixes up the grass with the soil. Another option is to use a shovel and some good ole’ elbow grease, although it is a lot of work, to scrape the top layer of grass away.
It is possible, however, to lay sod over existing grass, but you want to make sure you level the ground by adding organic material in uneven areas. We recommend killing the grass, or removing it, however.
2. Smooth the surface
After preparing the surface, you need to make it smooth by grading and rolling it. Also, during this step, be sure that all edges along paths or the driveway are dug deep enough down to where once the sod is laid, it won’t stick above the pavement or concrete.
3. Add fertilizer
Fertilize the exposed surface so that the nutrients have a chance to really soak into the ground, which will feed the new roots of the sod. While adding fertilizer only to the top of the sod is sometimes done, you risk losing some of the fertilizer due to runoff. It is important not to skip this step as fertilizer helps balance the soil’s pH levels, and provides necessary nutrients for healthy, green grass.
4. Lay sod
Now comes the moment you have been waiting for; it is time to lay the sod! Always use fresh sod or turf. You will want to start along the longest edge that is fixed, for example, along your driveway or a long flowerbed. Always use a sharp edge such as scissors, clippers, or a knife to make any cuts. Once your first run is laid, stagger your next run, and take care to avoid overlapping any edges.
5. Water
This goes without saying, of course, but you must water your new sod at least one hour a day for the first 10 days or so. This is to help during the “rooting” phase, while the grass from the sod establishes strong, deep roots. If you are installing sod during the hot, dry summer, be sure to double your watering frequency to twice a day. If, however, you get enough rain in a single day, you can skip watering for that particular day.
A few extra tips that we recommend are to avoid walking on your sod, as much as possible, for the first couple of weeks. During this time your sod is most fragile, especially after watering sessions. You will want to wait about two weeks before the first mow. And, remember to fertilize twice a year.
Professional sod installation in Kingsport
If you are looking to hire professionals to install sod at your Kingsport or Johnson City property, look no further than Promier Landscapes. We can provide a free estimate! Learn more by calling (423) 872-2988.