Here's how to take care of new sod

Your new lawn is in and it looks great! Follow these special guidelines to ensure that it gets established in your soil.

Keep the soil moist

Newly installed sod needs to be kept in moist soil. It does not yet have the deep roots established that allows it to survive without moisture.

• Check moisture level daily by folding back a piece of sod
• During hot weather, sod needs water daily
• Cool weather means less frequent watering.
• You can measure how much water you are applying by using a rain gauge or an empty soup can

Can you walk on new sod?

It's OK to use a new lawn lightly during the first few weeks; walking across it is ok, but wait a little while to play any sports or games. Also, its best to keep dogs off of new sod as their shallow roots are extra susceptible to urine spots.

Should I fertilize?

Do not fertilize on top of new sod, as the fertilizer can easily burn the immature root system. If you did not fertilize the soil prior to sod installation, wait 2 weeks and fertilize once the sod is established.