Tips For Prepping Your Yard For Sod Installation
Deerfield Beach is not exactly the most popular holiday destination in Florida. However, do not be fooled by this opinion. It is home to many family-friendly spots that are to die for! It may actually be a great place to consider visiting this spring. You can be sure all your days will be full of fun. Woofing Waters Dog Park and Marina is perfect if you have a dog. Also, your kids will absolutely love the Splash Adventure. All these are at Quiet Waters Park. Don’t blame yourself if you are tempted to relocate to Deerfield Beach.
If you live in or are moving into town, you can create your own fun space right at home by transforming your yard’s appearance through sod installation. It’s also possible to give your existing yard a complete makeover. Whatever your circumstance, sod installation is what you need. However, it’s important to note that this is a delicate process. It involves transferring grass from one location to the other. If the process is not done well, you may be greatly disappointed. This post will help you know how to prep your yard for sod installation.
Get Rid of Previous Vegetation
Have you acquired a new home and aren’t too happy with the lawn? Was there was some turf growing there? Well, all previous growth needs to go before you lay the sod. Here’s how to get rid of it:
You can remove smaller areas of sod manually by using a square edge shovel or a Kick Sod cutter.
If you plan to remove a large area of sod, a motorized sod cutter is the best machine for the job. It is a fast and efficient way to remove grass and weeds. It is designed to remove strips of grass from a lawn with the roots and most of the soil attached. If you rent a sod cutter, be sure to get specific instructions for the model you’re renting.
Set the depth of the cutting blade on the sod cutter following the manufacturer’s instructions. Start the cutter. To operate the machine walk behind it, making sure to cut right up against the previous strip so that you won’t miss any grass.
Continue cutting strips until all of the grass in the garden is loose. Once you have removed the existing lawn, you are ready to prepare your soil for installation. Read more at Korby Sod…
You may want to consider natural herbicides if what you’re dealing with is scattered patches of vegetation.
Get Rid of Weeds
It is in your sod’s best interest to eliminate weeds from your yard early enough. If they are left to survive, they’ll compete with the freshly planted grass for nutrients. Here are some ways to kill weeds effectively.
If you want to avoid using chemicals to help with weed control on your existing lawn before sodding, use a solution of horticultural vinegar mixed with a small amount of dish soap. This will also kill weeds and old grass but won’t cause long-term damage that will negatively affect your new sod. You can even buy commercial vinegar-based weed killers for this purpose.
Whether you choose Glyphosate or vinegar-based weed killers, use a pump or backpack sprayer to spray the lawn. Then, wait a week to allow the weed killer to fully kill any and all weeds.
Re-Treat Lawn as Necessary
After your initial round of weed killer, you may still see some new weed growth. This is because emergent weed killers do not kill seeds. If, after 2 weeks following your initial weed-killer treatment you still see weeds in your lawn, do a repeat treatment to kill these weeds. Read more at Pepper’s Home and Garden…
The fragile nature of new sod demands that you eliminate weeds. This will guarantee your sod will thrive.
Complete the Soil Prep
Once you’ve dealt with the previous turf, vegetation and weeds, it’s critical to take care of the soil. What is its texture? Are there other materials that are likely to harm your new sod? They need to be removed.
Clear the site of all building materials (wood, cement, bricks, etc.), as well as any buried stumps, rocks, stones or other debris that is larger than 2-3 inches in diameter.
Rough grade the entire area to eliminate any drainage problems on the property. This would include sloping the grade away from building foundations, eliminating or reducing severe slopes and filling low-lying areas. A tractor-mounted blade and/or box are most often used for rough grading, but if the area is smaller, it can be done with hand tools. The rough grading will probably uncover more debris that should be removed and not buried.
Initial tilling, to a depth of at least 2 inches, should be completed prior to adding any topsoil or soil amendments. This will control most annual weeds, alleviate subsoil compaction and permit a bonding of the topsoil to the subsoil and improve root penetration and water movement. Read more at AAA Turf…
Once you’ve done all this, your yard should be looking neat and lovely. It will also be important to check your soil’s pH and see if it needs a pre-fertilizer. Now your yard is ready to receive the new sod.
Need professional assistance for your sod installation process? EPS Landscaping and Tree Service is here to transform your yard. We’ll be more than glad to do what we do best in your yard. Call us today!