When you decide to handle your own hardscaping by yourself, you might have concerns about how to handle sodding & sodding installation. The truth is that this will be quite a nerve-wrecking process, but when you do it yourself, at the end, you will find it very rewarding. Here are some simple steps that you will have to follow:
Step 1: Prepare the soil – First, you have to loosen the top layer of the soil (6-8 inches). Use the rototiller for this. Then spread 2-inches of finished compost and add 2-3 inches of claylike soil to it so that there is good drainage. You have to use a starter fertilizer. Mix it with lime if necessary.
Step 2: Level the Surface – An iron rake will be the best tool to knock down the high spots, in order to level the surface. Maintain it at 1 inch below the paved surface. Water it lightly because you need damp soil for your sodding & sodding installation to be successful.
Step 3: Set the first line or row – You have to define the longest edge of your yard, which is the fence line. Unroll the rod along this line, but stay off it while installing. Rake out your footprints as you move and smoothen out the loose or wrinkled areas. Pat it down against the soil so that there are no air pockets.
Step 4: Lay other line or rows – Once you’ve completed the first row, lay the subsequent rows as you snugly sod them against one another. Do not overlap them. This will prevent their drying off and will not let the sods to die out. Cut holes where you want to fix in-ground sprinklers and trim the pieces along paved areas and planting beds.
Step 5: Water them regularly – The lawn will need watering thoroughly to keep the soil moist and to help the sods settle into the soil. For a week, do not allow traffic on the sod. Watering the sods in the morning is important because it keep the grass cool during the heat of the day. Watering at night is a bad idea because it can encourage the growth of disease causing pests. After the first week, you can cut down on the watering to every second day and then after the third week to just once a week.
Step 6: Mow the sod – When the sod grows to a height of 3 inches, it is time to mow it down. Ideally, it should be 2 inches high. Use a walk mower in the beginning because your lawn will be fragile and will not be able to withstand a heavy mower. Use a sharp blade to make sure you cut off 1/3rd of the length.
Step 7: Fertilize once again – Allow the lawn to grow for 3-4 weeks and then fertilize it once again. This will replace washed away nutrients and help the lawn to grow.
Keep in mind that the sod is delicate and perishes easily. You can use a scissor or knife to cut the sod in shapes too, especially in curves. If you have to cut the turf, then do it at mid night so that you can install it the very same day in the morning. Use a sprinkler to keep the sod moist. Sodding & sodding installation is quite easy, but time consuming. If you cannot make time, then it’s best to hire a professional.