Laying Sod question

[EvilPOKES]

What would you recommended for prepping the area needed for sod?

A pipe burst over the winter and the plumbers, more or less, destroyed my yard so I am needing to fix it up before it goes on the market soon. I have a very large tree in the front that blocks three quarters of the yard for several hours in each area. The neighbors both have bermuda and it is easy to see where the shade is because that's where the bermuda stops. I have had fescue, but am most likely looking at Zoysia as most spots get enough sun for it, but just not enough for bermuda.

The areas that were messed up by the plumbers is pretty uneven and I was thinking of renting a tiller to help cultivate the areas and to help grade yard. I'll be adding soil for the uneven parts, etc.

Any of you guys have experience laying sod? Should I till the yard? I was think 2-4 inches deep before laying a smooth layer of top soil and some fertilizer pre-sod lay.

Ideas? Suggestions?

 

[hollywood]

sod definitely has to be put over tilled, raked soil or the roots will not make contact and grow into the yard below.

Also, whatever you do, get delivery and install it all on the same day.

 

[JimmyBob]

Originally posted by EvilPOKES:
What would you recommended for prepping the area needed for sod?

A pipe burst over the winter and the plumbers, more or less, destroyed my yard so I am needing to fix it up before it goes on the market soon. I have a very large tree in the front that blocks three quarters of the yard for several hours in each area. The neighbors both have bermuda and it is easy to see where the shade is because that's where the bermuda stops. I have had fescue, but am most likely looking at Zoysia as most spots get enough sun for it, but just not enough for bermuda.

The areas that were messed up by the plumbers is pretty uneven and I was thinking of renting a tiller to help cultivate the areas and to help grade yard. I'll be adding soil for the uneven parts, etc.

Any of you guys have experience laying sod? Should I till the yard? I was think 2-4 inches deep before laying a smooth layer of top soil and some fertilizer pre-sod lay.

Ideas? Suggestions?



I've pumped a couple of tri-delts, but never layed.........OOPS! Seriously, we had the front/part of backyard sodded with fescue. The sod company tilled the yard as you said, and I think they put a layer of sand as a base for the sod rather than top soil. The sod was then rolled with a heavy whatever. I'd recommend letting the experts do it.

 

[latimdj]

Laying sod is not mentally challenging if you do not mind the hard work and getting dirty. I raked the area that I needed to lay sod in the night before. Next Day, go get a pallet of sod and get to work. You want to make sure you stagger the rolls of sod as you lay them next to each other by half the length of the piece of sod so that you do not create a line. Make sure you fertilize the raked ground before you lay the sod, and then water every day for the first two weeks. Youtube was my friend on this one. If you want to tackle the job yourself, I recommend watching a couple of videos before you get started. Nothing wrong with paying for installation, if you don't mind spending the cash and you don't want to do the job.....

 

[geraldrooney]

Just call Green Acres Sod

http://www.greenacresodfarm.com/

 

[EvilPOKES]

Would you guys recommend rolling the yard post sod? I have seen mixed feelings all over the webs

 

[Pokes15]

Not if its Fescue.

 

[hollywood]

This comes from some experience as I used to help a buddy who owned a landscape company - but typically you need to roll it out to make sure the roots at the bottom of the sod make an air-tight seal at the bottom where it contacts the underlying soil. If the contact there is not complete, that area will soon brown and die. That's another reason why you need to get a good tilling going on before you even think about laying the sod as you will need the soil to be loose to accept the sod and as level and smooth as possible to ensure the best contact between the two layers.

 

[EvilPOKES]

I am going with Zoysia most likely. It's majority a "shaded for several hours" type area, but does get sun. Neighbors both have bermuda, but it stops exactly where the shadows are cast.

 

[GoPokes43]

Originally posted by latimdj:
Laying sod is not mentally challenging if you do not mind the hard work and getting dirty. I raked the area that I needed to lay sod in the night before. Next Day, go get a pallet of sod and get to work. You want to make sure you stagger the rolls of sod as you lay them next to each other by half the length of the piece of sod so that you do not create a line. Make sure you fertilize the raked ground before you lay the sod, and then water every day for the first two weeks. Youtube was my friend on this one. If you want to tackle the job yourself, I recommend watching a couple of videos before you get started. Nothing wrong with paying for installation, if you don't mind spending the cash and you don't want to do the job.....

This is the way I do it as well except no fertilizer beforehand. The sod company told me not to do that and not to put fertilizer on it for a couple of months (and only half dose after that for a period of time) because they frequently fertilize their growing sod and do not want to burn out the roots. So, maybe it depends on the sod company.

 

[latimdj]

I forgot to mention that I did roll the new sod after install..... Went to a rental place, got one, came home filled it up with water, and rolled it around on the sod.... piece of cake.....

 

[boxter]

This time of the year, I would seed the area with tall fescue or rye. I've never had much success with zoysia in much shade.

 

[TMill16]

Put 9 pallets of sod at a home by Coffee Creek.

Zoysia all over. Just in time for the rain.
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[EvilPOKES]

Originally posted by boxter:
This time of the year, I would seed the area with tall fescue or rye. I've never had much success with zoysia in much shade.

So far it doesn't look to bad. Starting to green out as it gets some sun, even the heavily filter shaded areas. Hopefully the bermuda i seeded in the outskirts of the yard take before time to sell..