How to Lay Sod?
In agricultural terms sod is referred to a small piece of grass and the part of soil underneath, which is held together by the roots. To make it a little easier for you let me explain it in simpler words. The grass which is already planted is called sod. You can also call it turf for your better understanding. Sod is mainly used for lawns, golf courses, and sports stadiums almost all around the world. You can also use sod to repair the damaged parts of your lawn. You can either lay the sod yourself or take help from a gardener. It's totally up to you. Here are a few easy steps and tips which will help you in planting sod and grass.
---Steps which will help you lay the sod---
There are eight basic steps required to plant and lay the sod which is listed below:
---Test your soil---
If you want your turf to grow perfectly, you need to provide a perfect growing environment for it first. It usually thrives in the aerated and acidic soil. All you need to do is collect some soil samples from the area where you'll be sodding. Also get yourself a testing kit. After you are done with this place the samples in a testing bag. After two weeks you will get the results.
---Take accurate measurements of the area where you will be sodding---
Measuring the area correctly is critical. Obviously, you don't want to pay for more sod than you need.
---Dig some organic matter---
This step is a little technical yet simple. Dig the soil 6-8 inches deep and remove all the rocks debris. Add almost 2-3 inches of organic matter. The organic matter is added for soil aeration and water retention mainly.
---Rake soil level---
A rake is a tool which is used by the gardeners to scrape together the soil. Raking evens the surface and at the same time also creates loose soil particles.
---Unroll the turf---
The fifth step is quite simple, but it needs to be done carefully and precisely. Start by laying the turf along the straight edge; this can be a fence or a driveway, and carefully unroll the sod. Keep in mind that does not step on it while sodding.
---Lay turf in rows and create tight seams---
Sods should always be laid in rows. Stagger the joints carefully like in a wall of brick. The second thing that should be kept in mind is that you should create tight seams.
--Place small pieces and cut the curves---
To fill in, the gaps place small pieces of sods in between the large patches. After that lay out the curve with the hose and with the lawn edger slice it neatly.
--Roll and water the sod---
Push the lawn roller firmly against the soil. When the sod and the soil are tightly pressed against each other the roots knit more quickly. After that, all you need to is water the soil regularly.
Isn't the process of laying sod easy? It seemed hard to me as well in the beginning. But it wasn't. Whenever you think you need to lay sod just read out these steps I'm sure sodding will become ten times easier for you.