lifting sod

rusty_apache – posted 12 March 2008 14:17

I’m still battling Bermuda grass and even wild onions underneath my Zoysia Jamur sod.

I have been pulling the bermuda when it peeks through, but now i’ve noticed that near the sidewalks, it’s really fierce. So today, I got frustrated and lifted a few of the squares to find a whole lot of roots and different unknown plants trying to come through. There was also quite a few pillbugs/doodlebugs camped out under there as well. So I took a hoe, and yanked out some pretty substantial root systems, that should have been removed before sod was laid down. I also replaced less soil near the sidewalk so that the soil in the sod is about even with the level of the sidewalk. Originally the sod was sitting higher that the sidewalk, and I noticed that the soil would dry out very quickly, and the grass was not greening up, up to about 4″ from the sidewalk. I had been watering the edges more extensively than the center, and it was getting greener, except in places where the Bermuda was interfering.

Obviously my landscaper did a substandard job, as well as charging me $200 a pallet for the sod.

The Zoysia roots are poking out under the sod anywhere from 1/2″ to 2″. So my question is: Should I act sooner than later, and continue to clean up underneath the sod, or will the shock of being yanked up kill it? Or will the Zoysia eventually choke out the other vegetation?

Alex_in_FL – posted 06 April 2008 03:30

You are better off to kill the weeds now rather than fight them continuously. Especially bermuda. Zoysia + post emergent herbicides will kill most weeds…eventually. Pulling up the grass is not going to kill it. Just water it heavily for a few days and it should be fine.

You might also consider putting down a pre emergent to help kill the weeds.

Best of luck to you.

rusty_apache – posted 06 April 2008 07:13

thanks for the response Alex. I’m glad to know that I did the right thing. -kevin