The tender grass roots are easily damaged by heat and drought. The best time to lay sod is in late summer and early fall when temperatures are cooler but grass continues to grow. Add 2 inches of compost or manure, as well as any other amendments indicated by a soil test. In the summer, the sod must be laid quickly after delivery, but in the winter, it can be stored longer without fear of it overheating and dying. The heat we love so much just means that the grass needs a little more water. Before you lay sod: Check the temperature. Prepare your soil. In mild climates, you can lay sod almost year round as long as the ground isn't frozen or a frost isn't expected. Article from hometalk.com. Hardware doesn’t damage easily if it gets a bit hot but if it gets too hot, your system might shut down and eventually, your hardware might be damaged. If there is no potential for frost or freeze, water the ground and lay the dormant sod end to end. How Long Will Sod Last After It Is Rolled Up? Cooler spring temperatures help to prevent sod from drying out before it roots in, and fast root and leaf development occurs in summer. The ideal temperature range for laying sod is between 12 and 18 degrees Celsius. If you need to lay sod in a larger area, it’s more cost-effective to buy larger rolls. Overall, sod can be laid when neither the ground nor sod is frozen. If you’ve not done it before, here’s a video from our sister-company to remind you how it’s done. She's the creator of MarmaladeMom.org, dedicated to family fun and delicious food, and released a book titled "More Than Pot Roast: Fast, Fresh Slow Cooker Recipes.". Lay the next row of sod. Laying turf is a quick and easy way to achieve your ideal lawn. The dormant sod can be frozen but does need to be thawed prior to rolling it out. A sod cutter is recommended for quick removal of old sod and weeds. St. Augustine sod installation works best when the temperature is between 80 and 100 degrees. The ground should stay moist, not saturated, and this can be accomplished with winter precipitation. Jul 17, 2012 - Should I wait until fall for it to cool down to lay Zenith Zoysia sod? Use the sod calculator to help you estimate the number of square feet of sod you will need. Most people choose the fall or spring because the temperatures are more likely to be mild, between 55 and 65 degrees, and therefore ideal for laying sod. However, the article does go on to say that, being laid is critical because a hearty sod is more likely to handle our colder winters than others. will point you in the right direction. For more tips and information, contact Emerald Sod Farms today. Since grass is usually dormant in winter, extra care must be taken to ensure the sod takes root, and that the roots don't dry out during this slow growth period. Jul 17, 2012 - Should I wait until fall for it to cool down to lay Zenith Zoysia sod? Zoysiagrass (Zoysia angustifolia) grows in USDA zones 9 through 11 and can be planted in spring or summer. If you are working on selling your home, for example, having sod in place can help you sell it by improving the aesthetic and eliminating the appearance of mud. How Late in the Year Can You Put Sod Down? In general, though, the ideal time to lay sod is when daytime temperatures are cool -- between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Clemson Cooperative Extension: Lawn Establishment, University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Establishing a Lawn From Sod. Fertilize: Nutrients can escape from the soil during the warmer months of the year. It is also important to ensure that the temperatures are not too cold. For more tips and information, Add side navigation to your pages for more convenient website browsing. Overall, sod can be laid when neither the ground nor sod is frozen. If installed in the middle of winter in freezing temperatures, the sod might lay dormant on top of the soil and resume growing once weather warms in March. The speed of sound in room temperature air is 346 meters per second. Water thoroughly one or two days before the sod is delivered so that the top several inches of soil are wetted. Here’s how to get best results when laying turf in hot weather. Answered. As mentioned, you want to have the right type of sod and plan to sod on a day when temperatures are mild and the ground is not frozen. Need some more help or just have some questions. These include protecting the ground from erosion, using less water, and having the sod take root and grow as soon as spring hits. One of the things that homeowners appreciate (and makes homes much easier to sell) is a nice, green lawn. Is It Safe to Lay St. Augustine Sod in October? Initiating a sod lawn when the temperatures are pleasant--not too hot, and not too cold--is ideal for optimum growth. Once the area is cleared, lay down a bed of fresh black dirt so the sod can take root easily. Spring and early fall are ideal times for laying sod, when the weather is usually cool and rainy but not cold. The best time to plant St. Augustine sod is when the temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher during the day and at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Most people choose the fall or spring because the temperatures are more likely to be mild, between 55 and 65 degrees, and therefore ideal for laying sod. Timing is key when laying fresh sod in Atlanta. This is key to not having weeds growing up between your sod strips while the lawn is establishing. The type of sod being laid is critical because a hearty sod is more likely to handle our colder winters than others. Soak the soil to a depth of 8 inches a few days before planting, especially during hot weather. In spring, ensure that the ground isn’t frozen and that the temperatures are going to remain above freezing to ensure adequate time for your sod to take root. Lay sod strips with the ends butting up together, but not overlapping. 31581 E. 128th Ave. You will not have to water your sod as often, but when you do water it, water it for a longer period of time so that the water can reach down to the roots and last longer between watering. In Texas, that means laying this sod between the late spring and late summer months. This is why we always advise our customers to plan to have their sod delivered AFTER all of the land prep has been finished. It’s also recommended to add a layer of fertilizer. Fall is a great time to install because the of the cooler weather; the sod will be less likely to dry out. But there are other benefits to laying sod in the winter as well. Their biggest concern is with homeowners who just don’t know enough about sod to properly prepare the ground and sod during a dormant season. There’s no shortage of apps that can measure your system’s temperature however not many will alert you when your CPU is running too hot. Laying sod is unfortunately not the cheapest thing to do. Angie’s List states that sod can cost anywhere from around 30 to 45 cents per square foot. Organic Garden Supplies.. During the summer the temperature is hot and there’s too much sun exposure. If you try to establish Bermuda during its dormancy, the roots do not grow into the soil. We have a sod calculator so you can estimate the pricing for your installation. You'll need to be diligent in keeping it watered, and ideally water the soil before putting down your sod. Here in Colorado, however, we can achieve mild temperatures year-round, and the temperature isn’t the only factor to consider. Lay your first row of sod, usually along the longest side of the yard. In areas with cold winters, the prospect of freezing temperatures and hard-frozen soil means homeowners can't put down sod too late in the season. Is it too hot to lay sod? Cold-season grasses prefer cooler weather and your. Installing and caring for your sod doesn’t have to be hard, but doing it properly will protect your investment for years to come. When new sod is placed during winter, it gives your lawn ample time and good rain to grow and take root before the hot weather starts. Till the amendments into the soil to a depth of 4 inches. Broadly there are two kinds of grasses, warm-season and cold-season. If the ground freezes and is too hard, it will inhibit the sod from forming a root system, even with the addition of a nutrient rich soil. Spring is the second best time to lay sod and is the preferable time for warm season grasses such as centipede, zoysia, Bermuda, and St. Augustine that become dormant in the winter. If a frost hits, stay off the grass to prevent damage. Check the soil to determine what nutrients the ground needs to best support root growth. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to lay sod in the winter. If you are working on selling your home, for example, having sod in place can help you sell it by improving the aesthetic and eliminating the appearance of mud. doesn’t have to be hard, but doing it properly will protect your investment for years to come. High temperatures can easily burn your Sod and make it 3x more difficult for it to grow correctly. Cold-season grasses prefer cooler weather and your sod expert will point you in the right direction. Ideal Sod Laying Temperature. Laying Turf on a Hot Day. The Verdict on Sod . Here in Colorado, however, we can achieve mild temperatures year-round, and the temperature isn’t the only factor to consider. To keep things this way, we finance it through advertising and shopping links. While it may make sense to wait, sometimes you don’t have a choice. For that reason, contractors often lay sod in the winter so that, come spring, their houses are framed by green grass. If it’s too hot or too cold you can have a hard time getting sod to take root. Rake the area to smooth and level it. Should I wait until fall for it to cool down to lay Zenith Zoysia sod? Laying fescue in summer is more problematic, because as a cool weather grass it's susceptible to the heat. Just the Right Amount of Rain Whether you’re using sod to start a new lawn from scratch or improve an existing one, the grass requires a lot of watering in the beginning. In January alone, average highs range from about 54 degrees in Dallas to 64 in Houston. 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