6 Reasons Your New Sod Might Not Be Growing Roots
New sod usually fails to root for one of six reasons: poor soil preparation, too much or too little water, improper installation, too much foot traffic, pests and disease, or bad timing. Prepare the soil by digging it 4 to 6 inches deep, keeping pH between 6.0 and 7.5 and adding compost. Water deep…
Can Grass Clippings Grow New Grass?
No. Grass clippings are cut leaf blades, and they almost never contain seeds because well-maintained lawns are rarely mowed while the grass is flowering. Even when seed heads are present, spreading clippings does not lead to germination, since seeds need specific conditions such as soil contact and…
How to Overseed a Lawn
Overseeding means spreading grass seed over an existing lawn to fill bare spots and thin areas. Prepare first: mow short and rake up clippings, aerate to loosen the soil, dethatch thick patches with a metal rake, and add a thin layer of compost or topsoil. Then spread seed evenly with a seed spread…
How to Look After New Sod in the Fall
New sod laid in fall still needs steady care to root before winter. Keep it moist for the first two weeks, with up to 1.5 inches of water per week, watering before the day heats up and not in the evening. Start mowing once a lifted corner shows light resistance, usually after 2 to 3 weeks, and the …
When to Stop Watering Your Lawn for Winter?
Stop watering your lawn when the ground freezes. In USDA hardiness zones 6 and lower, that is usually by late November, or by the end of October in low-lying valleys and high-elevation areas; in zones 7 and above, you can keep watering until early December. Most turf grasses go dormant once daytime…
How to Aerate & Dethatch Your Lawn
Aerate when the soil is compacted and dethatch when thatch gets too thick. About ½ inch of thatch protects a lawn, but beyond ¾ inch it blocks water and nutrients and invites pests and disease. Aeration pulls plugs of soil so air, water and nutrients reach the roots; do it in early spring or fall f…
Can You Just Toss Grass Seed on Your Lawn?
You can, but tossing grass seed onto an existing lawn usually gives poor results. Seed needs direct contact with soil, and on an established lawn it often lands on thatch, dries out, gets eaten by birds, or loses out to existing grass for water, nutrients and sunlight. Overseeding works better beca…
Dead Sod or Dormant Sod
Dormant sod is alive but resting, while dead sod cannot be revived. Both look brown, so test further: dead grass pulls out with no resistance and has deteriorated, often mushy roots, while dormant grass resists a tug and its roots stay moist and green. A lawn that is brown all over is often dormant…
Master the Art of Mowing: Tips for a Lush Sod Lawn
Wait to mow new sod until the grass is at least 3 to 4 inches tall and the sod edges no longer feel loose, since mowing too early can uproot it. After that, cut only one-third of the grass length at a time, and mow to the right height for your grass: about 2 inches for Bermudagrass, 3 inches for Ke…
Zoysia or Bermuda – Which is the Right Grass for Your Lawn?
Neither grass is right for every lawn; the choice depends on climate, shade, foot traffic, maintenance and budget. Bermuda grows fast, tolerates drought, thrives in intense heat and full sun, handles heavy foot traffic, recovers quickly and is cheaper to establish, but it struggles in shade and nee…