Ensuring Success: Dos and Don’ts of Laying Sod Over an Existing Lawn
Knowing how to lay sod over existing lawn can offer a quick and effective solution for a tired, patchy yard. However, this approach requires careful consideration to ensure the health of your new grass and the longevity of your landscaping investment. The key to successful installation lies in diligent preparation, proper technique, and attentive aftercare.
Preparing Your Landscape
Before you even consider laying new sod, it is imperative that you address the condition of your existing lawn. Removing debris, assessing soil quality, and eradicating weeds are mandatory steps. You’ll also need to mow your old grass as short as possible—this minimizes competition and facilitates better contact between the sod roots and soil. Aeration may also be beneficial as it helps oxygenate the soil and promotes root development.
Laying Your Sod Correctly
- Avoid overlapping or leaving gaps: Ensuring that pieces of sod are snugly fitted together will help prevent edges from drying out or encroaching weeds.
- Address slopes carefully: When working on a hill, lay sod perpendicular to the slope and secure it with garden staples to prevent sliding.
- Rolling after sod installation: Using a lawn roller filled with water halves will help remove air pockets and ensure roots make good contact with the soil beneath.
Care and Maintenance Post-Installation
- Initial watering: Sod must be soaked all the way through upon installation; then regular watering should follow until roots establish fully in a couple of weeks.
- Avoid heavy use initially: Limit foot traffic on new sod for at least two weeks to allow roots to take hold without disturbance.
- Mowing considerations: Hold off on mowing until your sod is rooted well enough that gentle tugs don’t pull it up – usually around three weeks post-installation.
How To Lay Sod Over Existing Lawn? Leave It to Experts!
Incorporate these practices when deciding how to lay sod over existing lawn for optimal results. Always remember that patience plays an integral role – rushing processes or skipping steps could result in less than satisfactory outcomes. Should you need professional guidance or services within Beaverton, OR, look no further than Fresh Start Landscaping. You’re just one call away at (971) 309-3323 from turning your yard into an enviable lush landscape.