St. Augustine grass is a popular choice for homeowners in warm, humid regions due to its dense, carpet-like appearance and deep emerald color. This warm-season perennial establishes well in bright sun, creating a durable turf highly valued for residential lawns. Achieving a lush, uniform lawn depends on the quality of the initial installation process. Proper preparation and immediate aftercare ensure the sod pieces successfully knit their root systems into the existing soil structure, guaranteeing long-term health.
Preparing the Site for Installation
Before laying sod, the existing area must be completely cleared of all previous vegetation, including weeds and old grass. This removal ensures no competing roots remain to fight the St. Augustine for water and nutrients. Homeowners typically use a non-selective herbicide followed by tilling, or they can use a sod cutter to lift the existing layer away.
Once the area is cleared, soil testing is beneficial to determine the pH and nutrient composition, though this requires several weeks for lab results. If testing is not feasible, incorporating organic material like compost improves soil structure and water retention for the coarse St. Augustine root system. For heavy clay soils, incorporating sand can improve subsurface drainage, reducing the risk of root rot.
Proper grading is necessary to ensure rain and irrigation water move away from structures like foundations and patios. The soil should be gently sloped, dropping about two to three inches for every ten feet of horizontal distance. This subtle slope prevents standing water, which can lead to fungal diseases in the dense turf.
The ground is then raked smooth to remove any rocks, clods, or debris larger than a golf ball, leaving a fine, firm surface. Just before the sod pieces are delivered, the prepared soil should be lightly moistened. This moisture helps prevent the roots from drying out and encourages immediate contact with the underlying substrate.
Laying the Sod Rolls
Once the sod rolls arrive, installation must begin immediately, ideally within eight hours, as St. Augustine sod can quickly dry out and deteriorate when stacked. The first row should be laid along a straight boundary, such as a sidewalk, driveway, or patio edge. This row guides the orientation of the entire lawn area.
Each piece of sod must be laid tightly against the previous one, ensuring that no gaps remain between the edges or ends. Gaps allow the underlying soil to dry out and invite weed seeds to germinate, creating visible lines in the finished lawn. Care must be taken not to overlap the edges, which prevents proper rooting and creates an uneven surface.
Staggering the seams of the sod pieces, similar to how bricks are laid in a wall, is important. This technique prevents water runoff from channeling down continuous lines, which can cause erosion and prevent uniform root growth across the area. Starting each new row with a half-piece ensures the necessary offset is maintained throughout the installation.
When approaching curves, trees, or garden beds, the pieces are carefully cut to fit the contours using a sharp utility knife or a flat spade. These small pieces cut from the rolls should be placed in the interior of the lawn area, avoiding the edges where they are more likely to dry out and fail to establish. Cutting from the underside of the roll often yields a cleaner, more accurate edge.
After the entire area is covered, the newly laid sod must be rolled using a water-filled lawn roller. This action presses the sod against the prepared soil surface, eliminating trapped air pockets and ensuring comprehensive root-to-soil contact. This immediate contact is necessary for the rapid transfer of moisture from the ground to the turf.
Immediate Establishment and Care
The moment the sod is rolled, it requires irrigation to saturate the turf and the top four to six inches of the underlying soil. This initial soaking provides the moisture reservoir needed to sustain the sod through the first few hours of shock. The water should be applied until the entire sod piece is visibly wet and the ground beneath is moist.
For the first seven to ten days, the focus shifts to maintaining continuous moisture in the top inch of the sod layer. This usually means applying short, frequent bursts of water two to three times per day, especially during the hottest parts of the day. The goal is to prevent the newly cut roots from desiccating before they can begin to grow.
After the first week, when the sod begins to show resistance when gently lifted, the watering frequency should be reduced while the duration is increased. This encourages the roots to grow deeper in search of moisture. During this entire establishment phase, all foot traffic must be avoided to prevent compaction and disruption of the root systems.
The first mowing should only occur once the new roots have firmly anchored the sod to the ground, typically around two to three weeks after installation. The turf should be cut at a high setting, generally three to four inches, and no more than one-third of the blade height should be removed in a single cutting session.