Caring for New Sod in the Fall

If you put new sod down in your yard in the fall, you should be prepared to take good care of it immediately to make sure it survives the winter and thrives in the spring. Once you lay your sod near Sunnyvale down, you can take a series of steps to help it grow strong. Here is what you should be prepared to do.

Rake the Leaves in Your Yard
As leaves break down, they can actually help your sod by providing it with nutrients. However, too many leaves on your sod can cause problems because they will reduce the amount of air and light that the sod receives. Gently rake the leaves off of your sod once surrounding trees begin to send them down on to your lawn.

Mow Your Sod and Gradually Lower the Blade
By the time the winter comes, you want your sod to be about one and half inches tall. You shouldn’t bring the sod down to that height immediately, though. Instead, gradually lower the blade on your mower every time you use it until it leaves the sod at the desired height just before the start of the winter.

Apply Fertilizer
After your sod has been down for six weeks, put down a winterizing fertilizer and water it regularly to ensure that the fertilizer makes its way down to the soil. This should be done around the month of November as the fertilizer will keep your grass fed throughout the colder months.

Monitor the Moisture of Your Sod’s Soil
Some types of grass will go dormant in the fall and won’t need moisture. However, if your topsoil dries out before this takes place, your sod will be negatively impacted by it. For this reason, you should use a moisture monitor to check the moisture of your soil in the fall. The soil should be damp up to about five inches. Continue to water it until the winter sets in, and you will have strong, healthy grass once the spring starts.