laying sod
I am looking to lay sod over a small portion of my backyard, which I hope will work (and last) given that we get a lot of sun. I was wondering if anyone had a good recommendation for where to buy sod and have it delivered. Also, I keep reading about the need to use…
I am looking to lay sod over a small portion of my backyard, which I hope will work (and last) given that we get a lot of sun. I was wondering if anyone had a good recommendation for where to buy sod and have it delivered.
Also, I keep reading about the need to use a water roller to prevent bubbling and such. Problem is – I have no idea where to rent one of these things (I live in Park Slope). Anyone have any recoomendations on that or a suitable alternative method for smoothing it out? Like I said, it is a small area – about 100 square feet.
Thanks in advance
I used Fanelli’s in Staten Island for my sod recently. It was half the price of Home Depot. I hired a college kid off of Craig’s List. He had done some landscaping work in college but certainly wasn’t an expert. I rented a Uhaul Van and sent him out to pick up the sod (365 sq ft) since it was cheaper then delivery to Brooklyn (around $150). We watered basically every day for 3 weeks and mowed it then. I used these sites as references on care:
http://www.bachmans.com/tipsheets/lawn/NewSodCare.cfm
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/grownet/lawnmain/sod.html
Best of luck!
i got sod a few times from The Depot . . . trick is to get it from them on the day that it is delivered . . . which i recall was wednesday . . . don’t buy it if it has been there a few days . . . good luck
Thanks for the responses. We did seed awhile back and it did moderately well – but not terrific. I would like to give sod a shot but also, we had a lot of work done recently and thus only now have a chance to consider grass – and I think it’s too late in the season. I figure we could try the sod and if it doesn’t work, can either do seed in the fall or early next spring.
One follow up question, if we go with sod and end up with bare patches, is it kosher to try to fill in the gaps from seed?
For a small space can’t you seed it? I seeded a yard once as a total novice and had nice results and it grew quickly. It’s true though, water every day for new grass regardless of sod or seed.
Not sure I would recommend the big box chains for sod. It’s so important that it be fresh. Try Mill Basin/Dragonetti. Flattening the surface is key. Otherwise some of the grass roots may be exposed to air trapped between the sod and the earth and will die. But you can do this yourself by thoroughly digging over the area and then using wide boards (6″ x 2-3″ would be ideal) for tamping down. Infact digging over the soil is a good idea because it helps to amend the soil (with a mix of compost/manure/mulch) and then you can fertilize the top surface before you lay your sod.
sod is sold at Home Depot and Lowes. When I did my back yard I prepared the ground as level as I could and then just lay down to sod. The trick is watering every day. Not every other. Every day. Four years later my plot looks a bit lumpy, but I think that is because the underlying ground (which I had uncovered of concrete) wasn’t truly level and consistent in density. I cna’t imagine any company would think it worth its while to do this job for you – definitely a diy job.