preparing for new sod

Stu – posted 28 July 2005 11:08

I just had a low spot in my back yard filled in with top soil. I am getting ready to lay bermuda sod on this area now. What, if anything should be done before laying the sod….such as fertalize ? The soil is still pretty loose, and smooth.

tommy – posted 28 July 2005 22:00

Throw some ‘Scotts starter fertilizer’ down on the area before you sod. Rake it in lightly. Fertilize again a month after sodding. If you have starter fertilizer left over, you can use it again… or any lawn food.

Asian Cajun – posted 30 July 2005 04:34

Try to level the land the best you can how and make sure dem sod pieces is tightly bump against each other. Also, make sure dem soil is fairly moist and lay dem sod down in a brick layer pattern. Bestest and safest way to cut dem sod is to just a big butcher knife is chop dem down on the ground. Good Luck and I hope this HELPS! Asian.

cohiba – posted 30 July 2005 09:14

All good stuff. The only thing I would add is to make sure you have good contact with the sod and soil. Rolling would help this. If you can fill the roller half way with the water. This will ensure that you give the sod something to grab onto.

Another thing you should do is get as much info from the sod farm as possible. When was it last fertilized? What variety is the sod? “Bermuda” encompasses alot of variety differences. Knowing exactly what variety and getting info on that variety will help you in the long run with management decisions. Such as disease susceptability drought tolerance, thatch production, ect.

Good Luck and take it easy on your back.