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Sod
Planting Guide
Preparation is the key to a
successful hybrid bermuda lawn from sod. There
are four main keys to success:
-
Loosening the soil
- Incorporating organic matter
- Preparing a smooth surface
- Acidification
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Soil should be
loosened to a minimum depth of six to nine
inches. Incorporating Gardener's World
Greenworld Mulch or peat moss enhances our
native soil with needed organic matter. Organic
matter improves aeration, encourages healthy
roots and opens clay soils for better
penetration and drainage.
Till the mulch or peat moss into the soil
with a rototiller or spade in to get the organic
matter into the soil where it is beneficial. If
you just lay the organic matter on the soil
surface rather than tilling it in, you may
actually form a barrier for the water to
penetrate. This can be more harmful than not
using organic matter at all. Tilling also helps
break up the compaction that is common in
Arizona soils, thus allowing better water
penetration and drainage.
We do not recommend steer manure for use as
an amendment unless it is completely composted
or decayed for an extended period of time. When
manure is fresh it can burn new grass blades or
tender root radicals, and it contains a high
proportion of salts and weed seed that could
ruin your lawn.
The addition of Disper-Sul or First Step to
your soil before tilling will help reduce the
soil’s pH. A lower pH is beneficial to the
rooting process, the uptake of soil nutrients,
and aids water penetration.
Soil Preparation Tips:
-
Apply organic matter and additives
- Till to a depth of three to nine
inches
- Remove rocks, debris, large dirt
clods
- Rake to a smooth surface
- Water well
- Fine grade and roll
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The
following guidelines will help you have a
beautiful lawn instantly:
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How
many square feet of sod? Measure the
area to be sodded in order to
calculate the total square footage.
Add 5% to compensate for errors in
measurements.
- Soil preparation: apply mulch at
the rate of 1½ bags (3 cubic feet)
per 70 square feet or one yard of
mulch per 650 square feet, and spade
or till in.
- Install your sod as soon as
possible after it is delivered --
sod is alive and perishable. Start
sod installation at the longest
straight edge of your sod area. Push
edges together with a firm push. Do
not overlap pieces or leave gaps. As
you lay each row of sod, stagger the
seams like brickwork. Sod pieces
should be laid against the pitch of
slope. Curved edges can be cut
easily with a knife. Newly installed
sod must be watered lightly within
30 minutes. Water the entire sodded
area lightly and roll it in two
directions to remove air pockets and
ensure good soil-to-sod root
contact.
- Watering your new lawn: During
the first two weeks, watering your
lawn for frequent short periods of
time is crucial. Maintain moisture
in the top 3" of soil until your sod
can establish a deep root system.
During the summer months, water four
times a day. Once your lawn has
established roots, reduce frequency
but increase the length of each
watering until water penetrates the
soil 6"-8". Healthy established turf
should be watered twice a week,
delivering ¾” to 1” of water per
watering.
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