Warning !!!
Your new sod requires a great deal of water in the first couple days and will die if not properly watered.
Watering
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.
When to Water
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.
Mowing
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.
Turf Description
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 Fescue adapts 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.
Bio-Stimulants- Natural alternative for Turf estblishment and ongoing lawn care that is environmentally friendly, safe for children and pets, and won't "burn" your turf.
Use Blue XL prior to installation when installing new sod by spraying directly on the prepared soil. This will significantly help with root development and shorten the time to establish your lawn. The Blue XL contains 2 essential products for turf establishment. First, Huma-Balance XL which is a HumaSoil based soil conditioner that contains a proven blend of thirteen enhanced, plant and soil beneficial microbes, plus a special addition of 5 new strains of B. thuringiensis for increased management of surface and sub-surface insects. B. thuringiensis produces intracellular protein crystals toxic to a wide number of insect larvae and is the most commonly used biological pesticide worldwide. This new formula increases natural biological activity, detoxifies soil from salt and pesticide residues, accelerates root development, protects plants and soils against pathogenic diseases, increases resistance to surface and sub-surface insects, and transports valuable nutrients from the soil into the cell membrane of the plant. Huma-Balance XL is also blended with a new proprietary Bio-Cat Booster. Bio-Cat is a natural, ultra concentrated, non-bacterial product consisting of thousands of identifiable enzymes, coenzymes, amino acids and other proteins. Blended with the enzymes is a natural package of five different surface tension modifiers and is fortified with micro-nutrients to enhance the enzyme and microbial activity.
Second, Blue XL contains Establish™ 5-16-12 which is a multi-use, liquid, soil or foliar fertilizer for turf and plants. Establish provides for the rapid absorption of critical nutrients, increasing seed germination, improving root development, and encouraging new seed/sod establishment. Establish’s formulation provides weeks of balanced nutrition.
For ongoing care of established lawns we offer the following products.
Growth XL 16-4-8 is an all new, low P&K, liquid foliar fertilizer containing a patented, heterocyclic, organic nitrogen compound called urea-triazone. This unique nitrogen formula out performs other foliar nitrogen blends by remaining on the leaf surface longer in the liquid phase for increased absorption, reduced ammonia volatilization, greatly reduced burn potential, and a longer more uniform nitrogen release pattern.
Through 3 Tier’s proprietary formulation process, nutrients are scientifically blended with their unique humic/fulvic acid solution, making them more available for cellular uptake compared to conventional liquid nutrients. Regular use of Growth provides the balanced Nitrogen release for consistent, dependable growth that eliminates the peaks and valleys of traditional fertility programs. Growth is blended with Huma-Balance XL and Bio-Cat Booster.
Nitro XL 21-0-0 is an all new, higher nitrogen, liquid foliar fertilizer containing a patented, heterocyclic, organic nitrogen compound called urea-triazone. This unique nitrogen formula outperforms other foliar nitrogen blends by remaining on the leaf surface longer in the liquid phase for increased absorption, reduced ammonia volatilization, greatly reduced burn potential, and a longer more uniform nitrogen release pattern.
Through 3 Tier’s proprietary formulation process, nitrogen is scientifically blended with their unique humic/fulvic acid solution, making it more available for cellular uptake compared to conventional liquid nitrogen products. Regular use of Nitro XL provides the balanced Nitrogen release for increased, dependable growth that eliminates the peaks and valleys of traditional fertility programs. Nitro is blended with Huma-Balance XL and Bio-Cat Booster.
Huma-MnFe contains Manganese and Iron that produce a synergistic benefit during photosynthesis by providing the essential building blocks required to produce vibrant, natural color and systemic health in turf and plants. Huma-MnFe is a key component in stimulating the processes surrounding plant enzymatic activities, including the formation of chlorophyll, nitrogen fixation, and nitrate reduction.
The following program is designed for professional lawn care application. Please note that this is merely a guideline and can be custom tailored to meet your specific nutrient requirements.
1st and 6th Application:
Blue xl 4.5 Oz/1000
Huma-MnFe 1.5 Oz/1000
2nd and 5th Application
Growth xl 4.5 Oz/1000
Huma-MnFe 1.5 Oz/1000
3rd and 4th Application
Nitro 4.5 Oz/1000
Huma-MnFe 1.5 Oz/1000
For Best Results:
Mix and apply recommended products in a minimum of ½ gallon of water per 1,000 s.f.
Do not irrigate for 4 – 6 hours after application. After 4 – 6 hours, irrigate normally for turf health.
Can be applied with most herbicides, pre-emergent and insecticides. Do not apply with fungicides.
The above outlined program will provide the following annual nutrient inputs:
Nitrogen 4.84 #N
Phosphorus 2.30 #P
Potassium 2.05 #K
Plus Minors including Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Calcium and purified Humic acid
This natural program will deliver the essential nutrients, supplements, and complete microbial package for sustained turf growth throughout the year.
