You just laid new sod in your old, dry lawn, and now it’s full of fresh, clean, and green grass inviting for a thriving walk. But wait, don’t be deceived by the appealing invitation. While your sod may look ready to welcome any traffic, it certainly isn’t. You have to wait for a while until the new sod establishes itself fully into the ground.
How can you know if you should walk on the sod or not? There are many ways, but if you want professional help, Guerrero Landscapes are here to help. We are the experts in sod installation in Dallas and nearby areas and have answers to all the questions you may have concerning the installation of new sod in your garden.
For the healthy and strong growth of newly laid sod, keep yourself off of it. But how long? The answer to this is explained in this blog post. Keep reading!
Is It Ok To Walk On New Sod?
You can begin your normal activities on new sod like walking (with shoes on) and gentle play after 14 days. However, avoid any heavy activity like running and sprinting or playing with your pets. This gives the sod enough time to establish a deep and strong root system.
Walking too soon damages tender and thus comprises healthy growth of young fragile roots. Pet owners should keep their pets away for at least 2 weeks.
How Long Should You Keep Dogs off New Sod?
As said earlier, keep your pets away from newly installed sod. New grass hasn’t got a chance to develop its roots, meaning it’s more vulnerable to being destroyed by dog’s urine. You can give your grass a better chance to grow by keeping dogs away for at least 2 months.
After 2 weeks, you can resume normal activities, but avoid acts that can damage the soil like digging. Once the lawn is established after months, it is more resistant to wearing and tearing.
What Do You Need To Do Directly After Installation?
Sod care starts the day it is installed. And if neglected, you may end up ruining your lawn despite putting effort and money into it.
For the First 2 Weeks
Although the grass may look flawless and green, it is quite weak and needs to develop a complete root system. The general rule says: “Stay off the sod until first mowing”, which is probably 14 days after installation. This prevents adding extra stressors to the young roots while they develop fully. Try to keep the lawn moist to further help sod take root.
You can mow the lawn for the first time on the 14th day. Don’t cut off more than ⅓ of the blades. After successful mowing, you can begin using your lawn again.
For the 3-4 Weeks
After 3 weeks (or probably a month) to install, make a few changes to lawn watering habits. This time, water is less frequent but deeper than the first month of installation. You can water the lawn for a longer duration to ensure it is saturated with water. This watering schedule helps roots develop more quickly and deeply.
Steps To Take After New Sod Installation
Although sod installation is the easiest and fastest way to get a beautiful green lawn, it needs a little help from you to establish fully, especially after the first few days of installation.
Unless you consult landscaping professionals like Guerrero Landscapes, you will solely be responsible for the health and care of your lawn. Once you have laid the square pieces of fresh sod on the ground, use the following steps to help it establish itself quickly.
Water Immediately
Within 30 minutes after being laid, soak each square of sod thoroughly in water. If you plan to install sod on a larger area, plan it in stages to have enough time to water previous parts before moving on to the next ones.
Water freshly laid sod so deep that it becomes softer to touch and wet up to 4-6 inches (including height). Apply at least 1 inch of water daily for the first 1-2 weeks. If the conditions in your area are hot and dry, split the watering plan into two or three sessions.
Caution: Avoid too much water as it can lead to rot and diseases.
Check the Soil
You may want to leave the sod unattended until it roots, but you can gently lift the corner to check the soil and develop roots. You can analyze if the soil is wet or muddy, dry or crumbly, or just ideal for root development.
If there is no visible growth, your sod is probably failing. If it is hard to lift the corners, congrats, roots have already taken hold.
Mow When Necessary
Mow the sod when it reaches appropriate cutting heights. In general, sods don’t grow quickly until the roots take minerals and nutrients for proper growth. However, some may have a faster growth before full rooting and you may need to trim them before expected.
Avoid Chemical Treatments
The main purpose you shouldn’t be doing any activities on the new sod is its safe and healthy growth. You have to avoid certain things until it grows fully. The same applies to chemical treatments as well.
Applying fertilizers or pesticides may damage or kill the root system (due to direct exposure). If you notice troublesome weeds, gently pull them by hand without damaging new sod.
Avoid Traffic
Give your sod enough time to establish strong roots so that it can withstand drought and heat. Avoid driving or parking during this period. If you must walk on grass, avoid it if it’s wet or after the recent water cycle as wet soil is more prone to compaction than dry one. After 14 days, the sod will be strong enough to put lightweight traffic on.
Don’t Walk on it
Until the sod roots well, Keep your children, pets, and yourself off of it. Walking on new grass disrupts the bonding between soil and roots, which further leads to fungus and soil failure. To prevent such incidents, avoid walking until first mowing. The grass will be healthier and stronger at that time and will not be stressed out by walking.
Call Us To Schedule Your Sod Installation Today!
In a nutshell, stay away from your newly installed sod for at least 2 weeks to provide ample time for root development. After 2 weeks, you can resume normal activities and can increase traffic to the lawn as time passes. Above all, the key to the right sod installation is the right installers.
Guerrero Landscaping is a dedicated team of professionals to provide the best sod installation services in Dallas and nearby areas. We work on the principle, “Serve Your Customers First.” We have been serving Texas, Frisco, North Dallas, Plano, and Garland since 2003. Call our experts at (469) 398-9896 or get a free quote.
