Although the term ” winter” in Florida is laughable to most residents of the Northeast, Florida winters do bring a few of those below freezing nights. Just enough of them to kill patches of our otherwise beautiful green lawns.
Here are a few tips that will ensure your new grass will take root.
1. Clear the dead grass away with a motorized tiller ( preferred ) or with an old fashioned potato rake ( less preferred ) Actually, I made the obvious choice of a tiller but after severing the cable television line, and two water sprinkler lines, I returned the tiller and opted for blisters on the hands !
2. Once all of the dead grass is pulled away, you will need to rake the entire area to be replaced. The dead grass will be easier to remove if it is left to dry in the sun for a few hours as clinging soils will dry and fall away.
One does not need to get all of the roots of the dead grass however, you will want to have most of them out. The potato rake, although tough on arms and hands, is an excellent tool for accomplishing this.
3. Now you will want to order the sod. Make certain to delay it’s arrival by about three days so that the remaining weed roots can dry out. Also, before the sod arrives it is a great idea to spread garden soil down as a rich base for the sod root.
4. When the sod arrives you now need to soak the ground where the sod will be placed. Use your garden hose to soak the dirt for at least twenty minutes before laying the sod. Throwing sod is back braking work so take your time. You will want to place the sod squares as close to each other as possible, much like laying bricks. For areas where the sod is larger than the prepared area, such as corners and odd fits, you can turn the squares upside down and cut them to size with a regular kitchen knife. Take your time and fill in any odd corners or short strips with trimmed pieces of sod.
5. Once the sod is down you will want to water it. Most people make the mistake of simply running a sprinkler on the repaired area, however the best way to water your new sod is to flood the root system with plenty of water. When you pulled the old grass up, you created a reservoir where water can accumulate under the sod base. Run your water hose on top of and in the middle of the row of sod. This allows the water to go through and fill up the area under the sod. The water will follow the natural grade slope of your yard. You will want to move the hose around the sod area to be sure the entire root system has been flooded with water. The sod will feel soft and “squishy” under your feet when enough water has been applied.
6. One you have flooded the root system you will not have to repeat that process. Flooding the root and base system of the sod at the time of installation is sufficient. Be sure to water your new grass often with sprinklers from then on. Also note that if the sod is turning yellow in some places, it is most likely from being stacked on the pallets too long before installation. Remember that most sod has spent up to three days in transit and may take some time to recover.
