Take Proper Care of Your Lawn

Lawn care is a process that requires patience and dedication. To properly care for your lawn let our team at Schenk Sod provide you with advice on watering and mowing, and show you the right fertilization schedule.

Watering Newly Sodded Lawn

Proper watering is crucial to your lawn care process. Sod requires water to compensate for its short roots while new, longer roots are growing. Water cools the turf, allowing it to grow. Hot sod will go dormant and won't grow roots. Dormant sod will turn bluish or tan, but it usually takes several weeks of neglect and hot weather before it dies.

• Water the newly laid sod as soon as it is rolled out, not after you finish the job.
• Soak the sod the first time you water it, and check under the sod to ensure the water has penetrated at least one inch below the surface.
• Give the sod approximately an inch of water the next morning. Don't wait until the afternoon heat sets in.
• Give the sod another inch of water in the early evening.
• In very high temperatures, cool the leaf tissue by watering for approximately 20 minutes.
• You will need to water the sod daily until it is firmly rooted (10-14 days).
• Watch the color of the sod. Green is good; blue-green indicates a water-heat problem in 12-24 hours; yellow-tan means the sod is stressed and will likely go dormant.

Mowing Levels

Higher mowing heights reduce stress on your grass and promote photosynthesis. In summer months, we recommend mowing the grass to four inches, or to the highest setting on your mower, to keep the sod healthy and protect the roots. In the late fall and early spring, mowing heights can be reduced to three inches.

Fertilization Schedule

• March 1: Apply a weed and feed fertilizer to deter or eliminate any broadleaf weed germination.
• Mid-April: Apply crabgrass preventer with a fertilizer containing high nitrogen. Use something similar to 25-10-10.
• Late-May/Early-June: Apply grub control to the sod (very important).
• Mid-September: Apply fall fertilize with broadleaf control. We recommend one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet, and one pound of phosphorus and potassium mix.
• Mid-October: Use a 12-12-12 at one pound per 1000 square feet of actual nitrogen-phosphorus and potassium to promote a hardy root system for the winter.