Warning !!!
Your new sod requires a great deal of water in the first couple days and will die if not properly watered.
New sod should be flooded with water as soon as you have a large enough area for the sprinkler to cover. Do not wait until all the sod is laid. This may take to long and the roots could begin to dry out. It should be thoroughly soaked at all times so the soil underneath is wet for the first 10 days. This allows the roots to penetrate and grow in soft soil. After 14 days every couple of days should be sufficient. Of course this all depends on Mother nature.
After the lawn is established Bluegrass sod requires 1/2" of water twice per week. Fescue sod requires 3/4"of water once per week.
The best time is during the morning hours between 5:00 am and 10:00 am. The worst time is during the night. You should water infrequently and deep after the sod is established. This encourages the roots to chase down deep into the soil for the water and nutrients.
After the sod is installed wait until the sod has knit to the soil or no more than 2 weeks after installation to do the first mowing. Let the lawn dry so you don't make ruts with the mower or grass clumps. Set the mower to the highest setting so you don't scalp the grass. Remove any grass clumps and rake up any grass that is matted down. Gradually lower the mower height each week to the recommended height.
Bluegrass should be mowed at about 2'' in the spring and fall and at 2.5" in the summer. Fescue should be mowed at about 2.5" in the spring and fall and at 3" in the summer.
Kentucky Bluegrass spreads from rhizomes so it has the ability to fill in small bare spots. It is easy to maintain with adequate water (normally about 1'' per week). It will tolerate close mowing. Some varieties can be cut to less than 2" high. Bluegrass has a finer texture and darker color but requires a little bit more maintenance than some other varieties of grass. Kentucky Bluegrass grows best in full sun. It is one of the most popular cool season Turf grasses used in our area.
Tall Fescueadapts well to poor soil conditions. It requires less water, normally about 3/4'' per week, and less fertilizer than other varieties of grass. Tall fescue contains endophytes which makes it more insect resistant. Tall Fescue has deep roots which helps it tolerate heavy traffic, heat, and drought. It also is more adaptable to shade and has a medium texture. Tall Fescue grows best in full sun to partial shade.
Turf Selection/Care
