Can you sod in the summer

Although certain varieties of grass perform best at slightly different temperatures. Of all times of year, summer is the worst time to lay sod. New sod requires frequent watering, and installing sod during heat and drought increases the chance a heatwave will dry out and kill your new sod. Freezing temperatures will not kill sod. Unlike new grass seedlings, which may be killed by frost , sod is mature grass and can survive frost and freezes. Sod may go dormant in cold temperatures, especially if you are installing warm-season grass in winter.

This brown coloration does not signify that the grass is dead. Dormant sod will green up in spring. The best time of year to lay sod depends on the grass variety. Cool-season grasses experience their best root growth in fall, as temperatures start to cool down.

Meanwhile, warm-season grasses experience most of their root growth in early spring. The beautiful thick grass seen on golf courses or baseball fields is usually Bermuda grass.

Bermuda loves the sun, heat and plenty of water. You may think it has died when it turns an unattractive yellow in the winter, but it will come back the next spring.

Bermuda sod can usually be purchased year-round in Georgia. Once established, water Bermuda one to two inches per week. Bermuda is known to creep over driveways and need to be trimmed. If you have clay or sandy soils, you might want to try Centipede sod. It should be fertilized sparingly, as it is very sensitive to fertilizer.

It will die if mowed too short. It should be watered at least 6 inches deep to get it established, and watered heavily enough that it will not die during hot weather, as it is not drought tolerant. Like Fescue, Zoysia does well in full sun, but can tolerate a little shade, and like Bermuda, Zoysia sod will turn brown in cool weather.

But when it comes out of dormancy in the spring, it creates a beautiful, smooth green lawn. With the hot days in Georgia, if you water the sod early in the morning, you will achieve the most success. Sod dries out quickly, which can cause the roots to die before they become established. Planting on a cool day helps, but you also must provide plenty of water. Soak the soil to a depth of 8 inches a few days before planting, especially during hot weather.

Once you've laid the sod, soak the soil again so that it's moist at 4 inches beneath the surface. Water lightly several times each day over the next two weeks so that the soil remains moist to a depth of 4 inches. In cool weather, you need to water less frequently. Warm weather necessitates more frequent watering. Julie Christensen is a food writer, caterer, and mom-chef. She's the creator of MarmaladeMom. Using a lawn roller can help your lawn take root.

You can also cut back on watering sessions in the days leading up to a mow, but remember to keep your yard moist to enable strong root growth. Call us at or click below. Contact Us Pay Online. How much should I water new sod? How long should I water new sod? Should I fertilize new sod?

Use a Lawn Roller Using a lawn roller can help your lawn take root. Posted by Jesse Wisley at AM. Address Zip What are you interested in? Please answer the simple math question below to submit the form.