Keeping your yard beautiful

We’re taking a deep dive into the specifics of growing and maintaining your lawn and landscaping. If you are interested in fertilizing your lawn, read more here.

New sod needs some extra care and attention to make sure you’re growing a beautiful lawn. It won’t take long for your new sod to become fully established and simple to maintain.

• Watering

Watering should be done daily for 10–14 days after new sod is laid. Only the upper 1–2 inches of soil need to be moistened until the turf is rooted and spreading. As the sod becomes more established, begin deeper, less frequent waterings to promote deeper rooting and a hardier turf. Never allow newly established turf to dry out!

• Mowing

Start mowing when the turf is 0.5 to 1.5 inches high. It’s important to begin mowing as soon as it is needed to promote lateral spreading and rooting. Allow your clippings to remain (mulching) for better results. Cut Bermudagrass higher in the fall to provide insulation for low temperatures. Mowing height is very important: cutting too low in the summer may cause the turf to thin; cutting too high may produce a stemmy turf.

• Fertilizing

A fertilizer was applied when your sod was installed. You should reapply every 45 days during growing season. Do not reapply fertilizer on your new sod until your yard has been mowed at least four or five times. If you’ve engaged a fertilizing and weed control company to take care of your yard, they will appropriately fertilize your lawn. Fertilizer should only be applied three to four weeks after planting with a nitrogen fertilizer to enhance establishment. Fertilize at a rate of approximately a half pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Fertilization improves grass density, color and recuperative potential. A healthy, properly fertilized, dense bermudagrass resists weed invasion and can better tolerate heat, cold, drought and wear.

• Weed control

If you find weeds in some of the small areas of your new lawn, pull those by hand. Herbicides should be avoided until you’ve mowed six times. Only when weeds threaten to choke out your grass coverage should herbicides be considered during establishment. The organic arsenicals (DSMA, MSMA, AMA) are reasonably safe on newly sodded, plugged or sprigged Bermuda grass for the control of emerged summer annual grassy weeds such as crabgrass and sandbur. Preliminary research indicates that Ronstar, a preemergent herbicide (crabgrass preventer) is safe on newly sodded, plugged or sprigged common-type Bermuda grasses. However, 2, 4-D and related compounds are not safe when applied at rates normally used on established Bermuda grass.

Sources:

Oklahoma State University Turfgrass Program

Marcum’s Nursery