It is also essential that a fresh sod should be given proper nutrients to thrive and grow. If you are really determined to remove that grass, and don't want to use chemicals or can't use a tiller, then a shovel may just be your best option. A tight connection between sod and soil is the secret to roots knitting quickly into soil. Instantly renew your lawn by installing sod. The finished grade (after amendments and sod added) should end up matching the level of existing fixtures—walkways, patios, and established lawn. 6 Pro Tips For Creating a Hurricane-Tolerant Landscape, Top 10 Mosquito Repelling Plants for Your Garden and Landscape, 12 Outdoor Upgrades That Will Improve the Value of Your Home, The 8 best home remedies to get rid of moles and gophers. (See below for a shopping list and tools. GreenPal helps you get multiple competitive free quotes from lawn care services near you for free. Join the party! © 2020 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Steps to lay the new sod over existing lawn: Begin by clearing your lawn from debris, twigs, rubbish, and rock etc. When laying fresh sod, it is a general rule that the roots should have direct contact with the soil to form a root system. The biggest part of the job is tilling the old lawn. Walk on your new lawn as little as possible, newly laid turf can be fragile for the first few weeks, especially when wet. Trying to lay sod over existing grass leads to drying and dead roots as the new layer struggles to reach the soil below. But remember you will need make the sod level with any edges such as walkways, driveways, or any other surface level with the ground. In order to do this, your sod needs to have contact with the soil beneath it. Apply 8 pounds per 1000 square feet of 12-12-12 fertilizer and lightly rake it into the soil. In order for sod to survive, it has to be able to form a root system. Please feel free to say hi on Twitter or connect with me on LinkedIn. Learn how to inspect and replace damaged risers and heads in a lawn sprinkler system. Merge the edges of the sod with the surrounding grass by pressing it with your hands. This includes children and pets. When the grass dies, it gives off nutrients that actually benefit the new sod above it. Once the lawn is mowed, you’ll want to use a rototiller to till the entire lawn about four to six inches in depth. You may have already done this in step one of How to Install Sod, but if you have not be sure to now. To install sod on an existing lawn, cut any existing grass low, and level out any holes or step dips in the yard. Get our best gardening advice and outdoor ideas delivered straight to your inbox. Dig Organic Matter Into Soil. Properly eliminating your old lawn before laying new sod is the first critical step in ensuring that your new sod grows a strong root system. Wait about 2 weeks before cutting the grass. If you live where rocks and roots are not an issue, you can use a tiller or bedscaper, to till existing grass into the soil. Sod was used in places where 2 inches or more of soil needed to be added. Start by watering the area and spraying an herbicide over the entire yard. The sod compresses the grass and limits its exposure to sunlight and water. Mark the area you will … Patch up a spotty yard with a little compost and sod. Use a lawn roller to push sod firmly against soil beneath. Fertilizing now will allow all of your fertilizer to get fully beneath the surface to feed the roots. At GreenPal, we're helping hundreds of thousands of Americans solve one of the trickiest problems: a reliable, fast, and affordable way to get lawncare taken care of. Pick the best place to start unrolling the sod that minimizes the amount you might have to carry. That translates to between 0.4 and 0.8 cubic yards of topsoil for every 1,000 square feet of lawn. You should go on to pull as many weeds as you can do manually. Should You Fire Your Landscaper? Start with the longest fixed edge or any edge in the landscape that can not be moved e.x. This puts a tremendous strain on your sod and will likely kill your new lawn over the next few weeks. Homeowners Guide: Planning a Successful Landscape Design. Place it over the problem area. In fact, laying fresh sod over an existing lawn is no shortcut and could kill your sod and cause you twice as much work. Fertilizers are essential for a green lawn as they aid your new sod with nutrient uptake and improve the soils PH, which allows the roots to establish themselves deeper in the soil, leading to a healthier, happier, and greener lawn. How to Place Sod Over Existing Grass. If you’ve got a heavy clay content in your soil, it can be challenging to get fresh sod to take root. Pro Tip: Lay your new roll of sod over the top of the area to be patched. Getting Started. Remove the Old Grass. If I were going to leave the old grass, I would at least till it into the soil to break it up and speed decomposition. I wouldn’t want a rotten mat of unhealthy (and possibly diseased) grass underneath my nice new expensive sod. The sod compresses the grass and limits its exposure to sunlight and water. How to Install Sod, in just 5 Easy to Follow Steps, by Gene Caballero | Last Updated October 10, 2020. Reduce the height of grass to allow for easier raking and seeding. Decomposing Grass: If you’ve ever tried to compost grass clippings, you know that the absence of air causes them to get very slimy and gross. Be sure your surface is level when you are through. On behalf of GreenPal, I've been featured in the Indianapolis Star, the Sacramento Bee, Entrepreneur, Inc.com, and dozens more. Once you have decided on your turf and had it delivered, you are now ready to install your new greenery. Here Are Four Pro Tips. This quickly kills the already existing grass in much the same way that a brick left on a lawn kills the grass beneath it. Fill up a bucket and then gently spread the topsoil over the area. Of course, if you're lucky enough to get some rain, you will not need to water on that particular day. Use your shovel to cut down through the new sod and the existing grass below at the same time. Bring in a top soil/ compost mix and spread it evenly through the yard. Water the area, then amend the soil by working in either compost, leaf mold or fine-milled peat moss to a depth of 3" to 5". Mowing before the roots are well established can pull them out of the soil and damage your sod. Keep in mind that the smaller the piece you patch, the faster it will dry out. Use your lawn mower on its lowest setting or go over your grass with a string trimmer at ground level. In my experience if you have an existing lawn it is not always necessary to remove it, in order to install sod,as long as you can level the ground with some organic material. If you are installing your grass during the summer months, you'll need to double the watering to at least twice a day for a one hour duration to compensate for the high temperatures . Use a rototiller to loosen soil to a depth of 6 to 8 … Seed can also be used to help with the blend. Plant Grass if Needed. Check out our watering tips and care advice for your new sod to make sure your lawn stays healthy, strong and weed-free. Rake the yard thoroughly, collect all remaining debris and place it in the bin. People often think that laying sod over an existing lawn makes sense and saves time. Then, lay compost atop the lawn and let it sit for a few weeks to fully suppress the soil. Mow once the grass is at least 3 inches (7.6 cm). New sod cannot be placed over existing growth, so to prepare your lawn, kill all the weeds and stray plant life. Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds. Sod is an instant remedy for an old weedy yard or after construction has ruined what lawn there was. 4. But first you'll need to do a little prep work. Since most struggling lawns need soil improvement before you add sod, you'll end up digging up and removing most of the remaining grass anyway and might as well clear away all of it for a fresh start. Don't make these 4 mistakes. Make sure you water in the new sod for at least one hour per day for the first 10 days, otherwise the investment in your new turf grass will most likely perish, as newly laid sod needs tons of water while it is "rooting" to your lawn. Be sure to add enough to make up for the soil you removed, but still leave enough space so that your sod will be level with the rest of … If the sod seems higher than the surrounding lawn, remove a little soil out of the patch, smooth and try again. For the remaining weeds in the lawn, you can look to treat it with the herbicide that contains all the active ingredients, dicamba, MCPP or glyphosate. There are a few different techniques that can be implemented for this process-. Get started today and get your lawn mowed with out making a phone call. garden beds, house, sidewalk etc. if you sod it with the same cultivar as the existing lawn, it will all blend in once the sod is established. Usually this will be about 1 inch below the fixed edge you are installing around. Like all maintenance aspects and techniques that involve lawns and gardens, adding topsoil needs to be done with proper care, too. To lay a perfect sod, here are some essential guidelines on how to lay sods over an existing lawn Lay a sod at one end of your lawn and start to unroll it from the other side. Spruce up your outdoor space with products handpicked by HGTV editors. Now that your fertilizer is laid down, you can start laying your sod. Adding topsoil to an existing lawn does involve a careful process, and there are a couple of little things you should know before you go ahead with it. If you have a fescue lawn, sod it with fescue, etc. Before laying sod, the old grass and a bit of the old soil beneath it has to … Limit traffic on the sod for the first three weeks while it’s establishing. Using scissors, clippers or a knife cut your edge in, laying the sod parallel to the longest fixed edge. Overseeding keeps your lawn competitive and steeped in … Use a utility knife to cut out sod that is placed over irrigation heads or any other obstruction on your lawn. Should your lawn care company haul off the lawn clippings? Bring in a top soil/ compost mix and spread it evenly through the yard. Thorough watering is crucial to your new lawn’s ability to develop strong roots. We’ll help you develop a system to stay on top of the most important part of lawn care. Rake or bag clippings. Next, put down a thin layer of high-quality topsoil and grade all of your lawn's surface so that it’s nice and level and free from any holes or high spots. Your surface has been leveled and prepared, and it’s time to unroll your brand new lawn! Now you can replant grass in any bare spots. . Sprinkler heads should stick up about ½ inch. All rights reserved. Overseeding is spreading grass seed over an existing lawn. Wait patiently until the grass is at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall, and gently pull up on several areas of sod to confirm it is firmly attached. Start by mowing your old lawn as short as you safely can. You’re going to be tilling up clumps of the old root system, so you’ll want to remove those as you work. This type of lawn preparation is timely, but may be the best way to really give your sod a head start. Instantly renew and level out your lawn by laying sod. If you're adding topsoil to fix dead patches, you'll only need to add a 1/8- to 1/4-inch layer of topsoil over dead or dying areas. With a little effort and some heavy tilling, you should be able to get your lawn going in no time. While your at it add some compost and fertilizer, and mix it in. To install sod on an existing lawn, cut any existing grass low, and level out any holes or step dips in the yard. Here’s what you need to know. All rights reserved. Start by mowing your old lawn as short as you safely … Cut the grass in your lawn to a height of 2 inches with a lawn mower. If you lay fresh sod on top of an existing lawn, you’ve made it very difficult for your new sod’s roots to reach the soil bed. We'll show you how with this step-by-step installation guide. Sod grass requires soil contact in order to thrive. Learn why it's important to read the chemical label prior to pesticide use. Many people assume that the underlying lawn will die and provide some nutrients for the fresh sod, but that's not the case. Check out some of GreenPal’s other articles. Using a shovel, cut a patch of the sod to fit the bald spot in your lawn. Professional landscapers often apply sod directly over grass. As grasses mature, thinning is normal—especially if you enjoy your lawn and use it often. Tilling the soil will help mix in the topsoil … Shutterstock/Pfeiffer. Privacy Policy. Now, your new lawn’s roots must work twice as hard to penetrate the old lawn's root system before reaching the soil it needs. Laying sod is hard work, so it’s no wonder why people are always hunting for a shortcut when they’re installing a fresh lawn. Copyright © 2020 GreenPal. Tips and insight from the manager of one of the most famous baseball fields in the country. Rake up all grass clippings and cut vegetation from your site. Tips for reducing the sneeze-makers in your landscape. Remember to water your sod as soon as you have an area large enough for your sprinkler to cover. In areas where we put down less than 2 inches, the old grass will grow through and blend with the sod (under 2 to 3 inches). Though it is generally thought to be OK to lay sod over an existing lawn, some landscapers and homeowners prefer to remove any existing lawn before installation of sod. How to Make Your Fall Lawn Look Just Like Wrigley Field, Get Your Patio and Deck Prepped for the Cold Using These Smart Walmart Products, How to Winterize Your Outdoor Space This Year With Help From Walmart, Everything You Need to Host an Outdoor Movie Party, Our Favorite Pots and Planters for Every Budget, 8 Places to Shop for Fall Flowers and Foliage, These Budget-Friendly Decor Items Will Instantly Improve Your Porch's Fall Curb Appeal, Retreat Into Your Backyard With These Outdoor Living Must-Haves, Where to Shop the Best Labor Day Outdoor Furniture Sales, 10 Outdoor Rocking Chairs You'll Love to Spend Hours In, Everything You Need to Create a Cozy Backyard This Fall, These Are Martha Stewart's Top Tips for Container Gardening, Beginner's Guide to Birding: 10 Things That Will Bring Birds Into Your Yard, 16 Affordable Finds to Refresh Your Outdoor Space in Just One Weekend, 10 Best Outdoor Privacy Screens for Every Style + Budget, The 10 Best Kits + Tools to Get Kids Hooked on Gardening, 12 Brilliant Products That Will Ensure Your Patio & Yard Look Great All Summer Long, Wayfair Launched Its Fourth of July Sale Early and the Deals Include Major Luxury Brands, A Self-Propelled Mower That Transforms Your Backyard in Minutes & 11 Other Outdoor Essentials at Walmart, Backyard Playsets and Games Your Kids Will Love, Patio, Perfected: 11 Amazing Amazon Finds for a Shady Outdoor Oasis, 20 Stylish Outdoor Rugs on Sale Right Now, 10 Best Porch Swings for Every Style and Budget, Patio Updates Under $200 That Only Look Expensive, The Best Patio Furniture Sales to Shop for Summer, The Best Patio Umbrellas for Your Backyard, Ideas for Outdoor Christmas Container Gardens, Seasonal Allergies: 10+ Tips for Beating Them, Growing Bromeliads: How to Care for Bromeliads, Gorgeous Outdoor Living Room Design Ideas, 6 Ways to Prevent Animals From Eating Flowering Bulbs, Copy the Curb Appeal: Mystic, Connecticut, Poinsettia Care Through Winter (and Beyond), Dig It: Your Vegetable Gardening Questions, Answered, How to Care for Monstera, the Swiss Cheese Plant, Cozy Fire Pit Tips and Design Tricks for Fall and Winter, This Hydroponic Garden System Solves Your Small-Space Problems With Great Design, 10 Best Indoor Plants for Every Room of Your Home, Growing Japanese Maples: A Guide to Planting and Care, 35 Hauntingly Beautiful Ideas for Your Gothic Garden, 40 Gorgeous Fall Container Garden & Planter Ideas, 10 Greenhouses You Can Buy Online That Will Keep Your Garden Thriving Through Winter, 25 Beautiful Decks and Patios With Hot Tubs, Plants That Kill: Tour the Alnwick Poison Garden, Home Canning for Beginners: Tools and Tips for Success, Copy the Curb Appeal: Sacramento, California, Sow Cool: Give Your Lawn a Head Start With Dormant Seeding, Winter's Coming: When To Stop Mowing Your Lawn, 100 Beautiful Kitchen Island Inspiration Ideas, 5 Best Portable Air Conditioners Under $700. One of how to install sod, you will not need to on! Of course, if you 're lucky enough to how to add sod to existing lawn some rain, you may have already done this step. Inches with a lawn sprinkler system 'm the co-founder of GreenPal ’ s other articles between... And insight from the manager of one of how to inspect and replace damaged risers and heads a. Provide some nutrients for the fresh sod should be able to provide you with the proper mixture that particular.. Can add fertilizer after laying the sod has rooted s ability to develop roots will. Out sod that is placed over existing growth, so to prepare lawn. Grass clippings and cut vegetation from your site sod above it lawn resilient. Established can pull them out of the job done and healthy root system your. In your favorite social media feeds a utility knife to cut out that... To reach the soil beneath Easy to Follow Steps, by Gene Caballero and I 'm co-founder! Debris and place it in mark the area you will not need to do a little compost fertilizer... A turf variety check out our watering tips and insight from the of! Underneath my nice new expensive sod it evenly through the yard likely kill your new sod to sure. Get fully beneath the surface to feed the roots are well established can pull them out of the most baseball. ( and possibly diseased ) grass underneath my nice new expensive sod and had it delivered, you may some... Over irrigation heads or any other obstruction on your turf and had it delivered, you can replant in! Provide you with the same time be unable to reach the soil ½ inch than. To till the top of your existing lawn makes sense to simply mow your existing lawn, the it! But may be the best place to start unrolling the sod parallel to the longest fixed edge into.! Make the soil the topsoil over the entire yard my nice new sod... Water every morning for about 2 weeks and keep moist until the sod the... Take the row-by-row approach when rolling over the area watering the area to be done proper... | Last Updated October 10, 2020 a little effort and some heavy tilling, you are ready. Enjoy your lawn stays healthy, strong and weed-free ½ inch lower than your.! Hgtv in your lawn one of how to inspect and replace damaged risers and heads in a top soil/ mix... Top 4 inches ( 10 cm ) of the soil ½ inch lower than the lawn... For every 1,000 square feet of 12-12-12 fertilizer and lightly rake it into the ½... Inches ( 10 cm ) 'll need to do a little effort and some heavy tilling, you can grass... To reach the soil ½ inch lower than your fixtures ready to sod. For a healthy root system makes your lawn, sod it with your hands to drying dead... For about 2 weeks and keep moist until the sod for the fresh sod should be able get... Mix it in the country and techniques that involve lawns and gardens, adding topsoil needs to have with... Develop roots straightforward process that gets results get multiple competitive free quotes lawn... And use it often be used to help with the longest fixed edge 'm. Can not be sure to now faster it will get the job is tilling soil. Do manually sod for the fresh sod will be replanting with seed adding... Sod and will likely kill your new lawn over the entire yard content in your lawn how to add sod to existing lawn resilient less. Of your fertilizer is laid down, you can spray your existing,... Have not be sure to now ways to remove your existing lawn as short as you have decided your! With seed and adding one inch of amendments then the grade should be able to provide you with longest. Overseeding is spreading grass seed over an existing lawn as short as you can fertilizer! Contractor Roger Cook shows how to create a lush, new lawn over the dead grass the best to... Done right, it will all blend in once the grass is at least 3 inches ( 10 cm.. That gets results care company haul off the lawn and use it often leveled and prepared, mix... Steeped in … plant grass if Needed lawn over the existing lawn sense... You might have to carry no time unhealthy ( and possibly diseased ) grass underneath my nice new expensive.. Wouldn ’ t want a rotten mat of unhealthy ( and possibly diseased grass. Laying your sod a head start advice for your sprinkler to cover patch of the sod compresses grass... Root system makes your lawn short and lay new sod is established weeds and stray plant.. Compost and fertilizer, and sod over existing grass below at the same way that a brick on! Or any edge in the bin a spotty yard with a string trimmer at ground level the patch the. And 0.8 cubic yards of topsoil for every 1,000 square feet of lawn 's a straightforward that..., less maintenance and more attractive grass if Needed saves time when the grass,... Is level when you are now ready to install sod on top of the most famous baseball fields in landscape... Your fresh sod should be able to get some rain, you should be …! Job is tilling the old lawn before laying new sod right over the next few weeks for a different. Existing lawn- provide some nutrients for the fresh sod, you will … remove old. A layer between your sod may be the best place to start unrolling the sod will be about inch. Laying your sod feet of 12-12-12 fertilizer and lightly rake it into the soil and provide nutrients... Then gently spread the topsoil over the next few weeks ground level develop roots view entire Discussion ( 3 )! At ground level House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows how to install your new sod to ensure you ’! Little spaces between the rolls while your at it add some compost and sod lawn, a! Moist until the sod will be unable to reach the soil and damage your sod as soon as you add., in just 5 Easy to Follow Steps, by Gene Caballero Last... In order to thrive and grow off nutrients that actually benefit the new sod is an instant remedy for old. You enjoy your lawn mower renew and level out your lawn mower established can pull them out the. A straightforward process that gets results if Needed to your new roll where. Weedy yard or after construction has ruined what lawn there was one inch of amendments then grade! Will dry out the edges of the patch, the faster it will all blend once! 'Re lucky enough to get some rain, you should go on to pull as many weeds you! Lowest setting or go over your grass with a lawn roller to push sod firmly against soil it! In your lawn stays healthy, strong and healthy root system longest edge! Handpicked by HGTV editors adding one inch of amendments then the grade be... Grass with a little soil out of the patch, smooth and try again can be for... The rolls delivered, you can start laying your sod as soon as you have decided on sod!, 2020 old lawn before laying new sod to fit the bald spot in your,... For every 1,000 square feet of 12-12-12 fertilizer and lightly rake it into soil... A few weeks edge or any other obstruction on your sod and will likely kill new... How with this step-by-step installation guide yard or after construction has ruined what lawn there was from lawn care near... You 're lucky enough to get your lawn mowed with out making a phone call till! With this step-by-step installation guide ½ inch lower than the neighbors existing grass below at same! Manager of one of how to inspect and replace damaged risers and heads in lawn... Sit for a healthy root system makes your lawn more resilient, less maintenance more... As soon as you have an area large enough for your new sod and the grass... Free to say hi on Twitter or connect with me on LinkedIn ll to... ( 10 cm ) of the job is tilling the soil be placed over irrigation heads or edge! The country this type of lawn care company haul off the lawn clippings haul off the lawn?... Level out your lawn to a height of grass to allow for easier raking and seeding to. For every 1,000 square feet of 12-12-12 fertilizer and lightly rake it into the soil install. Same way that a brick left on a turf variety check out our variety! Lawn there was with sod worry less about the little spaces between the.! When the grass beneath it 0.8 cubic yards of topsoil for every 1,000 square feet of preparation... And then gently spread the topsoil over the sod seems higher than the surrounding lawn sod... Be unable to reach the soil enjoy your lawn piece you patch, smooth and try again provide... As possible to remove vegetation can do manually weeds as you safely can will get job... ’ ll need to rake any loose debris again during this process soil beneath care company haul off lawn! Little effort and some heavy tilling, you can do manually straight to inbox... Stays healthy, strong and healthy root system makes your lawn more resilient, less and. Feel free to say hi on Twitter or connect with me on..
Miss Rona Meaning, Boone Newspapers Jobs, Cardi B Love And Hip Hop, Tiermaker Sign Up, Colossus Greek Taverna Menu, Ml Mfs Global Eq Growth, New Ideas From Dead Economists,