Worried About Your Sod? 4 Potential Problems To Watch For

It's time to landscape your new home. If sod is part of your landscaping plans, you'll want to make sure you know how to care for it before it's placed in your yard. Once sod has established roots, it will be durable and hearty. However, while the roots are developing, you'll need to take special care of the sod. By knowing what to look for, you'll be able to keep your sod healthy. Here are four things you should watch out for while the roots are forming for your new sod.

Slow Rooting

The root system for your new sod will begin to grow as soon as it's placed in your yard. However, you won't notice the growth for several days. In most cases, the root system will begin to establish itself after about two weeks. To help facilitate the establishment of a healthy root system, you should make sure you're providing deeper, less frequent watering. If you're not sure how deep the water is getting, wait until you're done watering and then stick your finger deep into the sod. You should be able to feel moisture all the way to the base of the sod.

Bluish-Grey Spots

If your sod develops bluish-grey spots or your footprints linger long after you've left the area, your sod may be trying to tell you that it needs more water. Add a few minutes to your watering schedule for a few days. If you're using automatic sprinklers, watch your yard for one full sprinkler cycle. This will allow you to identify any areas that are not receiving proper coverage from the sprinklers. If you notice areas that are being missed, adjust your sprinklers until your entire yard is receiving full coverage.

Mushroom Sprouts

After your sod is planted, you might notice mushrooms popping up. The mushrooms actually show that your lawn is getting plenty of water. Once the root system is established and you're able to cut back on your watering, the mushrooms should wither up and die. If the mushrooms become a problem, your sod may be getting too wet. Try trimming a few minutes off your watering schedule each day.

Brownish Edges

If you start to notice brownish edges around your sod, or it looks like the spaces between the pieces of sod are getting bigger – meaning your sod is shrinking – you may have a problem with water saturation. Try switching to a garden hose for those areas until the problem is resolved. Hand watering will allow you to ensure that those problem areas are receiving the water they need, without overwatering the areas that don't need it.

Understanding potential problems can help you ensure that your sod will grow in healthy and develop a hearty root system. Use the information provided here to help you identify potential problems. Click here for info on sod delivery.