Folks in the UK may not be well-known for making lawn care a priority — especially when compared to Americans, who have made lawn care a $75 billion industry.
We may not spend as much as Americans on keeping our lawns lush and green, but that doesn’t mean we don’t care about the appearance of our yards!
If you’re interested in improving the way your yard looks, laying sod is a great starting point.
Never laid sod before? Not sure what you should be looking for when shopping for it?
Listed below are some tips that will help you make sure you’re choosing quality sod for your yard.
Benefits of Laying Sod in Your Yard
First of all, let’s go over some of the reasons why you might want to make installing sod in your yard a priority. There are a lot of benefits that come with laying sod, including the following:
- Make your lawn look instantly more attractive
- Save money by eliminating the need to pay for extra weed control and fertilization (as you have to do when you plant grass seed)
- Get a healthier, denser lawn more quickly
- Avoid weeds
- Avoid soil erosion
Laying sod also helps to enhance curb appeal and add value to your home. The fact that they don’t have to lay sod themselves is a major selling point to potential buyers.
Choosing Quality Sod
The process of choosing sod for your yard isn’t terribly complicated. You will have to do some research, though, to make sure you’re getting sod that will work well in your yard and yield the best results.
Here are some tips to keep in mind to make sure you’re choosing quality sod:
Make Sure its Rolled inside
Start by checking to make sure the sod is rolled inside. This means that the grassy side of the sod is facing in, not out.
If the sod is rolled outside, it will be more vulnerable to the elements. Sod rolled inside will keep the grass protected until it’s ready to be planted.
Any good seller, such as Sod Depot, will make sure that all of the sod is rolled inside.
Measure the Thickness
Next, be sure to measure the sod’s thickness. Ideally, it should be at least one inch thick. This is a sign that the sod has an established root system.
While you’re checking the thickness, be sure to flip to sod over, too, and take a look at the dirt side. Look for sod that has thick, visible, and interlocking roots.
These roots should run along the underside of the sod — make sure they cover the entire underside, too.
Inspect the Grass Side
After this, take a closer look at the grass side. The grass side should be bright green. The blades should be uniform in colour, too, and should all be about two inches long. If the sod is yellow or brown, skip it and go with something else that will be more likely to survive and take root.
Check for Insects and Weeds
Make sure the sod is free from weeds and insects, too. Insects will damage the sod before it even has an opportunity to take root in your yard.
If there are weeds in the sod before you even lay it down, those weeds are likely to spread to your entire yard — definitely not ideal, especially since one of the benefits of sod is that weeds typically don’t grow in it.
Check for Moisture
Your sod should be moist. If it’s moist, this is a sign that it has been watered on a regular basis. If the sod is dried out, it’s unlikely to take root when you lay it down.
Make Sure the Grass Stays in Place
Finally, pull on a few of the blades of grass. If the grass pulls away from the dirt easily, this is a sign that there’s no established root system. The grass should be tight and difficult to pull out.
Other Things to Consider
In addition to these tips for choosing quality sod, you’ll also need to take some other things into account when choosing sod for your yard.
Even if you buy the highest quality sod possible, you’re unlikely to see good results if you haven’t taken the time to make sure your yard can support the sod.
Don’t forget to factor in these other considerations to make sure you don’t end up with a disastrous DIY home improvement project:
Consider Your Soil
Be sure to think about the state of your soil before you try to lay down sod. Have a soil test performed to make sure it has a base that is well-aerated.
The soil should also have a pH that falls between 6.0 and 7.5. This will increase the likelihood that your sod will take root.
Think About the Shade
You’ll also need to make sure your yard gets an adequate amount of shade.
Certain types of sod do better in full shade, while others do better with more sunlight.
Take a look at your yard to see if any grass or weeds are growing in certain shady patches. This will help you determine whether you should choose a more shade-tolerant type of sod.
Make Sure You Can Water Your Lawn
Finally, make sure it’s easy for you to water your lawn. Watering your lawn can be a bit of a pain, and sod requires a lot of water to take root and grow. You may want to consider investing in a sprinkler system to make sure your sod gets adequate water.
Need More Yard Care Advice?
As you can see, there are lots of benefits that come with laying down sod in your yard.
Now that you know how to choose quality sod and how to lay it properly, you can rest easy knowing that your yard will look lush and picture-perfect as soon as possible.
Do you want to learn more about caring for your yard properly? Are you interested in learning landscaping tips and tricks?
If so, check out some of the yard care articles on our site today. This article on landscaping ideas for your yard and garden is a good starting point.
