Sod at Northeast Nursery

Grown in New England by one of the most established and respected sod farms in the country, our sod selection at Northeast Nursery is unmatched in quality and availability.

While New England weather does heavily impact production in the early spring, once the sod season starts we bring in  orders Monday through Saturday. We suggest that because sod is a perishable product, the job site should be ready to install immediately.

In the Summer and Fall, we require a 24 to 72 hour minimum notice for sod orders. If you need assistance please contact any of our staff experts for help.

Want to prepare your lawn or job site for sod? Continue reading for our best tips!

Sod Installation & Maintenance

Measuring and Ordering Sod

• For the area to be sodded, multiply the length times the width. This gives you your total square footage to order.

  • Suggestion: Add 5% to the total for irregular shapes.

• Take delivery on the day you plan to start laying your sod. Install day of delivery. Sod should not remain rolled for more than 1 day.

• It’s best to have all the preparatory work done prior to delivery day.
   

Preparing the Soil

• Rototill or spade the soil to a depth of 4".

• Remove sticks, stones, roots and other debris.

• Take soil test samples to find out nutrient and pH levels.

• In accordance with soil test, mix lime and starter fertilizer into the top 3-4” of soil.

• Smooth the soil by raking.

• Firm the soil by lightly rolling. Fill in any low spots.

• Water the prepared area to settle soil and provide moist base for the sod.

Laying Your Quality Sod

• Start at a straight line such as a driveway or walk.

• Lay out the sod as you would a rug or tiles.

• Make sure all joints are butted tightly together - without overlapping or spaces between strips of sod.

• Stagger the joints in each row like rows of bricks.

• Use a large sharp knife for shaping sod around trees, at flower beds or along borders.

• Completely soak the sod with at least 1" of water. Start watering 20 minutes after the first strip is laid.

• Roll the sod to smooth out small bumps and air pockets. This will assure good contact with the soil.

• After installation, sod must be watered immediately and thereafter at regular intervals as required.

Basic Watering/Mowing Calendar

Watering 

• To gauge watering, simply place an empty can about 6" away from sprinkler.

• When there is an inch of water in the can*, it is time to move the sprinkler to the next area.

• Reflected heat along buildings dries sod quickly; be sure to water such areas more often.

• Water often enough to keep sod moist but not wet.

*Please note that 1 inch is a general guideline. Some lawns may require more or less based on the soil conditions. Before setting up a watering routine, check to make sure that the sod and soil are saturated. After watering 1 inch, be sure to check underneath the sod, checking to ensure that the soil beneath is moist. If not, keep watering and checking to ensure that the sod and soil is moist. Once you know how long to water so that both sod and soil are saturdated, water for that amount of time.

Mowing Schedule

• Your new living carpet needs mowing 6-7 days after installation.

• Your basic mowing rule is never removing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade during a single mowing.

• Mow when grass height reaches 2 1/3"-3".

• Set your mower at a cutting height of 2"-2.5”.

• For best appearance, be sure to keep your mower blades sharp.

Traffic Caution

1. Use your new sodded lawn sparingly until good root establishment has taken place, 2-3 weeks.

2. Avoid concentrated play activities, dog traffic or similar rough usage until four weeks have passed.

3. There are no restrictions on visually enjoying your lawn.

Basic Maintenance

• Once the sod is established reduce frequency of watering. 1/2” of water two times per week OR 1” of water once per week.

• Established turf needs deep watering to develop a strong root system.

• To help maintain a healthy lawn, apply fertilizer, weed killers and insect controls as necessary. Please refer to our lawn care program.

For questions about your sod installation project or to place an order, please call our garden center at 978-535-6550.