Planting Sod - Is There Still Time??

Q: Is it too late to install new sod?

A: Depending on what part of the country you are in, the answer may be no. Recently harvested sod can be installed on prepared soil anytime before the ground freezes. Even though the grass may be dormant or semi-dormant, you would still need to keep the top 6-8 inches of soil moist but not overly saturated for two to three weeks. At this time of year, you might need to water only every three to four days. If the ground freezes before new roots penetrate the soil, they will resume growing next spring.

New sod can be installed anytime after soils warm up in the spring. The recommended time is in mid-August, when plant-stressing summer heat is mostly behind us and more abundant rainfall make new sod easier to maintain. Also there will be enough time for roots to fully knit sod to soil.