DUDA SOD recommends that you consider obtaining professional assistance for your sod installation and establishment. This will best ensure the long term health and viability of your sod investment. Sod is a living, perishable amenity to your home and deserves expert care.
Use an herbicide with the active ingredient, “Glyphosate” in order to neutralize existing turf, ornamental plants and weeds within the desired area to be installed. Always follow the label instructions of the product applied. Wait two weeks to ensure all undesirable plants have been completely extinguished. If any areas remain green after two weeks, an additional spot application is recommended.
When installing new sod, it is critical to have a soil to soil interface between the prepared yard surface and the bottom of the sod. Never install new sod on top of old. Extinguished ornamental plants and weeds may be easily removed by hand or with a shovel. Existing turf, even if neutralized with herbicide, will require a sod cutter and/or soil tiller to remove effectively. Ideally, the soil in your yard should be tilled at a 4” to 6” depth before the installation. You may want to consider hiring a contractor for this step.
Professional installers typically shape and grade yards with heavy equipment. You can achieve a final grade with a hard rake, lawn rake, and shovel. The objective is to level and fan out high spots and imperfections in the yard before the installation. Start by using a hard rake to pull excess soil away from sidewalks, driveways, pool decks, and other hardscape edges. Remove 1” of soil at these edges so that the soil on the sod pieces can be seated below the hardscape in the yard. Rake excess soil from hardscape edges and distribute uniformly. Consider how the newly installed sod will be seated next to flower beds and trees and grade accordingly. Use a shovel as needed. Once the yard is shaped and graded with a hard rake, use a lawn rake to smooth out any remaining imperfections.
Ensure that your irrigation system provides effective coverage and all sprinkler heads are in working order before the installation.