Sod Installation
Wilmington Landscapes can help you have the lawn you love
sod installation
Sod install can be a great way to improve your existing lawn. It can be challenging, but rewarding when completed.
Wilmington landscapes has a simple but effective process for this
Schedule a meeting with client to hear their concerns and better understand their vision for their space
At the meeting, conduct a site and soil evaluation
Spray existing and unwanted grass/weeds with herbicide. This may take one, two, or maybe even three applications. We’ll also mark irrigation heads at this time to avoid damage and complete a soil sample
Sod cut area a 1/2”-1” depth, allow material a few days to dry out, return, and rake up dead material and haul away
Add topsoil and till to depth of 4-6”. Grade and rake level to desired slope
Lay sod, which also includes cutting sod around trees, flower beds, sidewalks, lights poles, mailboxes, etc.
Adjust or relocate sprinkler heads according to ensure proper coverage. Roll sod and roll sod again
faq
What grass varieties are available?
Zoysia, Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Centipede
What is a site and soil evaluation?
An SSE is our process of inspecting various aspects of a site related to having sod installed.
Accessibility - we’ll have machinery and material on site. What machinery we are allowed to uses and how we move the material is a big part when factoring our time and labor costs . Fences, gate widths, pools, sheds, etc.
Grade - do you have a slope in the backyard or does your front yard lead up hill. This relates to how much soil you’ll need and how the final prep leveling will need to be.
Drainage - do you have drainage issues such as standing water and/or wash outs. This also helps determine how much topsoil is needed. If you have severe wash outs, a French drain may need to be added and best to do that before your sod is installed.
We’ll measure the area to be sodded which of course tells us how much sod you’ll need.
Why is your labor more than other contractors?
Wilmington Landscapes understands that the money you’re investing in your lawn is significant. We’ve heard too many nightmare stories of homeowners spending thousands of dollars for a green lawn only to have nothing to show for it 2 to 3 years later. This could result from several factors. It’s also why we take the time to do the hard work required in the preparation of the soil the best way it should be done. Some lawn/landscape companies will spray your lawn with herbicide, wait for the grass/weeds to die, and then lay your new sod on top. They do not remove the old grass/weeds nor will they cultivate the soil for new sod. Tilling and prepping the soil the correct way gives the sod the best chance of staying healthy.
When to have your sod installed?
Wilmington Landscapes installs sod about 9 months out of the year. The best time for your sod to be installed is the spring or fall. We can install your sod during the summer months, however, it comes at a risk. The high summer temperatures can cause severe stress for newly cut and laid sod. If not monitored and watered sufficiently, the sod will turn brown or even die. Wilmington Landscapes prefers to install during the fall season.
Why do you roll the sod after it’s laid?
We roll the sod with a weighted roller for several reasons. The biggest benefit is to ensure that the sod has firm contact with the soil. It ensures that the roots have access to water and moisture. It also removes any air pockets under the sod. And lastly, it is one last attempt in getting the lawn as even and leveled as possible.
How much should I water my sod?
Typically, new sod should be watered 15-25 minutes, 2-4 times a day for the first 7-10 days. Your first watering should be extensive so that your sod is saturated. This makes the sod heavy and helps the sod lay firm and flat against the soil. Remember, good sod to soil contact is critical while keeping sod consistently moist during this period. 2-3” of soil beneath the sod should be wet.
During the second and third week you can reduce your watering to 1-2 times a day for 15-20 minutes. If the weather is dry and sunny with high temperatures, increase watering. If you receive an adequate amount of rain, you can reduce watering but should not turn off your sprinkler system. It may rain one day, but be 97F degrees the next. Forgetting a turned off sprinkler system can be very harmful to your newly invested lawn.
By the fourth week, you can reduce your watering to once a day to every other day at 10-15 minutes. Avoid going more than four days without watering. Continue to monitor weather and adjust accordingly.
When do I water my sod?
In order to have the healthiest grass and to waste the least amount of water, water your sod in the early mornings or afternoon and into the late evenings. In the first two weeks, you may need to make special arrangements for your sod to ensure that it is watered appropriately. Those early and mid-afternoon waterings keep the soil and sod moist between the morning and evening watering. Don’t skip the afternoon watering.
Do you offer a warranty?
Wilmington Landscapes does not offer a warranty with our sod installation. We do work with our sod suppliers closely and if your sod arrives in an unacceptable condition, we will contact the supplier before installing and discuss having it replaced.
Wilmington Landscapes provides a 30 day post-install monitoring of newly installed sod as part of our installation process. What exactly does that mean?
7-10 day post-install we inspect to make sure turf is still healthy
14-20 day post-install we inspect again to make sure turf is growing healthy
35-40 day post-install we inspect for a final time unless there are signs of stress or disease
During our monitoring, we are checking again for proper water coverage, diseases, insects, and nutrient deficiencies. Upon inspections, if any fertilizer, pest treatments, or irrigation changes are needed we will inform the homeowner and address those concerns.
Sod Availability?
Wilmington Landscapes works with four local sod/turf farmers to ensure that we get the best-looking sod at the most affordable price for our customers. When we order your sod, we’ll order it and coordinate it with the completion of our prep work. Having your sod on site for 2-4 days waiting to be laid is not acceptable. There may be a few days between the completion of our prep work and the sod being delivered.
Unfortunately, in some extreme situations homeowners have had to wait up to four weeks (after prep work completed) to get sod delivered. This could be caused by one or all of the following: weather, volume of business, or quality control. The sod farmers want to provide the best product they can. If they discover a disease, they have to treat the sod before it spreads and wait for that sod to become healthy again before they can cut. Additionally, the volume of business may have slowed everything down and therefore a two- week waiting list is created. This is common in the spring season. Weather plays the biggest role, from the soil temperature to rainfall. If the soil temperature is slow to climb in the spring, the sod is then slow to wake up from dormancy or the sod field hasn’t thickened up enough to cut. So, they must wait, sometimes for weeks. Rainfall, when the sod farms (located 30-50 miles away from us) receive rain. They cannot cut their sod. If they do, equipment gets stuck and sod gets damaged. Therefore, they must wait for fields to dry before they can enter with equipment and cut again. Expect this in the spring!