Proper watering is the most important step in establishing a sod lawn. Immediately after installation, apply approximately one inch of water. One inch of water can be measured by placing a can under the sprinkler and watching how long it takes to fill one inch. Continue to soak the sod at least once each day depending upon the weather during the first ten to fourteen days. The turf must be kept moist until the sod is firmly rooted. Keep in mind that turf near buildings or pavement will dry faster because of reflected heat. Make sure you overlap the watering areas to get the corners and the edges.

New sod will be very soft for a few weeks. Stay off of it as much as you can during this time. You might want to tie a string to the sprinkler so you can move it without walking on the wet area. Sod is wet when it is installed. When it dries out, it will shrink and make gaps between the rolls. You must not let that happen. It won't expand again. After 10-14 days, gently pull up on a piece of sod. If it does not come up easily, it is rooting in, and you can start to back off watering. Then the lawn will start to firm up. The best time of the day to water is early morning or evening. On very hot, dry days, it may need to be watered twice a day.

We recommend a low nitrogen fertilizer, 10-10-10 or milorganite, two to four times a year, which should be adequate. Mowing can be done two to three weeks after installation. Set your mower to high for the first few cuttings. Do not thatch or apply Weed & Feed for at least one year because the lawn will be too tender. Thatching can be done every one to three years as needed.