Establishing a lawn from sod

If you are thinking of sodding your lawn or need to fill in bare spots injured by last winter’s cold temperatures, here are some steps to help get started.

Warm-season grasses popular in Arkansas, are Bermuda grass, zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass and centipede grass, and are usually established from sprigs, plugs or sod. While all four are grown in central Arkansas, not all are suited for all lawn situations. For example, Bermuda grass is very drought tolerant, thus requiring less watering during dry times, but it must have full sun and cannot grow in the shaded areas of our lawns. While St. Augustine grass is the most shade tolerant of the four, it can be injured by several hours of low temperatures during our unpredictable Arkansas winters. Choosing the correct sod for your lawn can be a difficult task, so spend the time and effort to get the correct sod for your situation. We have a helpful fact sheet, FSA 2112 Choosing a Grass for Arkansas Lawns, at our website http://www. uaex.edu.

You may lay sod successfully year-round, but sodding in spring or early summer while grasses are actively growing allows rapid rooting. Giving warm-season grasses time to develop an extensive root system before cold weather arrives enhances their ability to resist winter injury. Planting during May and June coincides with the time when the chances of rainfall are greatest, thus reducing dependence on irrigation. Due to construction deadlines, it is sometimes necessary to lay sod during winter months when warm-season grasses are dormant. Dormant sodding can be successful, but is more risky than sodding in the spring and early summer due to increased risk of winter injury.

Prior to planting, water to moisten the soil. It is important to schedule this watering in advance to avoid a muddy site when sod installation begins. Do not lay sod on dry soil. Even if sod is watered immediately after being laid on dry soil, root growth will be retarded. Lay sod soon after it is delivered. The longer the sod sits on the pallet, the more it will deteriorate. This is especially important when dormant sodding. Laying dormant sod quickly after delivery will help protect the sod from freeze injury because of the latent heat in the soil.

As soon as the sod is installed and rolled, begin to water the lawn thoroughly. Moisten the soil to a depth of 6 inches. Irrigate daily until the sod becomes well rooted, usually about 10 days. After the sod is established, decrease the frequency and increase the amount of water per application. Most grasses are fairly well rooted within 10 to 14 days, if watered properly. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to keep people off the lawn for three to four weeks until the grass has become well anchored.

After the sod is well rooted, cut with a sharp mower to avoid tearing and pulling the grass. Start off at a slightly higher mowing height than what is ultimately desired. Despite all efforts to create a smooth surface with good site preparation and planting, some undulations will still remain. Mowing slightly higher initially will prevent scalping of the newly sodded lawn.

Apply fertilizer four weeks after installation. One pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is a good target rate. Delay nitrogen fertilizer applications until April or May (after full green-up) if sod is installed in the off-season while dormant.

Our website has more information on this subject and more, or contact our office at 236 Woodbine at 501-623-6841.

4-H

There are 4-H clubs for Garland County youth 5 to 19 years old. For information, call the Extension Office at 623-6841 or email Linda Bates at lbates@uaex.edu.

EHC

Interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? For information, call 6236841.

Master Gardeners

If interested in becoming a Master Gardener and would like information, the public is welcome to attend their meetings at 1 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at Lake Valley Community Church; call the Extension office; or email abates@uaex.edu.