IMPORTANT NOTE DO A SOIL TEST: Before making an investment in your lawn the only way to know how good your soil is or know what inputs your soil needs is to do a soil test. This test tells you what your PH, organic matter, phosphorus and potash levels are at. If you want to know your micro nutrients, they do that test also. This soil report is very important in establishing a healthy lawn so you know what fertilizer and lime to buy and what the application rate should be. An example is that some lawns don't need lime. The PH is already too high.
Visit this link to PEI Analytical Laboratories (PEIAL) to find out everything about getting a soil test done.
Sodding Tips and Care
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Prep base as you would for seeding (remove debris, smooth layer of top soil and fertilizer). Lay your new sod.
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Apply at least one inch of water so that the soil beneath the sod is wet. You may pull back a corner of sod to make sure. Ideally the soil three to four inches below the surface should be moist.
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If your sodded area is sloped or contoured be aware of run-off. Water your lawn then wait 30 minutes for it to soak in and then check for adequate moisture and water again in problem spots if necessary.
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For the next two weeks water your sod daily (or more frequent). Hot, dry or windy weather will mean more watering.
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When the sod starts to knit its new roots do not pull up the corners to check for moisture. Use a sharp tool such as a screw driver to push through the sod into the soil to check moisture depth.
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Water as early in the morning as possible or later in the evening to avoid evaporation.
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Infrequent, deep watering is preferred to frequent swallow watering as it will promote deep root growth. Deeply rooted grass will survive drought and hot weather longer.
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You may mow weekly, being careful never to remove more than a 1/3 of the shoot growth. Leave the clippings as a nutrient source.
Over seeding Tips and Care
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Prep the area by removing any weeds, mow your lawn very short and remove clippings. Rake the bare or this areas vigorously to loosen soil.
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Apply starter fertilizer at recommended rate.
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Apply seed at half the recommended rate for thickening up purposes and at full recommended rate for patching up purposes.
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Apply a thin layer (1/4 inch) of top soil on patched up areas and roll soil lightly.
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Keep the area moist with frequent light watering until the seed is established.
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One of the biggest reasons for patch seeding being unsuccessful is mowing the damaged area too soon. Make sure seed had germinated and taken root before mowing this are.
Seeding Tips and Care
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Remove all stones, clumps and other debris from planting area.
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Ensure that you have a minimum of four inches of good top soil and fine smooth seed bed.
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Add starter fertilizer at the recommended rate.
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Apply seed at the recommended rate with a seed spreader (1/2 horizontally and 1/2 vertically). Or by hand in small areas.
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Lightly rake and roll the soil after applying seed.
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Keep the area moist with frequent light watering until the seed is established.
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Depending on grass species and growing conditions, some seed will germinate within one week and others will take up to four weeks. Seed applied at cooler temperatures (below 15 degrees) may take longer to germinate.
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For best results, apply seed in early to mid-spring or early fall.
