(985) 662-6306

landscape@yearroundservices.net

Find us in Google Maps

A Lot of Ground to Cover

by | Feb 14, 2022 | Sod Installation | 0 comments

sod installation
Spring is near, even in the South, and you might be wondering what to do about your lawn. You have a lot of shady areas, a lot of sunny areas, and some mixed-up and dizzy areas. Each of those might take a different kind of grass, based on the amount of sun needed or available. You would still like to have a beautiful emerald carpet to enjoy when you look out your windows. You dream of walking through grass, the tender stalks tickling your toes, instead of mud squishing up between them. Until now, you’ve tried to do most of the landscaping by yourself or with the help of family members. Maybe an occasional teenager, hauling a lawnmower around, looking to make some extra money mowing lawns. But it’s not enough, not the right choice, for you and your yard. So contact Year Round for help, and they will not only be glad to talk with you, but they’ll also come and inspect your yard, beddings, lawns, and other plantings, to make sure they are suitable for your climate, soil type, and part of the country.

Professionals Are Here!

Your landscape advisors and possible landscape care team have been to your yard. They arrived at the agreed-upon time and went right to work inspecting your landscape and coming up with solutions. They’ll take a day or two to discuss possibilities among themselves and develop plans for you to choose from.  The day has arrived! They first suggest techniques for allowing your lawn to grow from seed to the lush carpet you want. That could take days, weeks, and depends entirely on the weather. You don’t feel very hopeful, but you’ve already made up your mind to leave the job of caring for the yard to them; they are very professional.

Sod? Like the Golf Course?

The next thing they suggest is sod, for the whole lawn, which will give you your beautiful green carpet of grass very soon. They show you pictures, and it’s not at all what you imagined. That sounds like a fantastic idea! Laying sod is a delicate operation. It has to be well-timed and go off without a hitch. 
  1. The area to be sodded has to be measured accurately.
  2. An irrigation system is installed, and timers set. What a great thing! (No more rushing out in the middle of the night to shut off the hose with its little sprayer.)
  3. Water is tested. Various options for making it ideal for the yard are discussed. The final decision is to match the sod with the type of water rather than the other way around. Filters and conditioners for water systems can get expensive in the long run.
  4. The ground is prepared.
  5. All old grass will have to be removed.
  6. Soil has to be prepared to receive and nurture the sod.
  7. Sod has to be chosen. Type of grass, color, climate, soil type, water chemistry – all are considered.
  8. Sod is cut for the first day of installation.
  9. Sod is installed. Sometimes, it can all be done in one day.
  10. Sod is cut for the next day.
  11. Sod is installed.
As soon as your landscape team says it’s time, kick off those shoes and get the grass between your toes! Sod installation can be very delicate. The sod has to be used very quickly once it’s cut. Most installations happen within a day of the cutting to get the best-finished lawn. Large installations can stretch out over a few days.  The soil has to be prepared for the roots to take hold of the new lawn. Topsoil will need to be brought to the right stage of readiness in water, fertilization, good bacteria from compost or other organic nutrients, and texture that’s best for the sod.

Beautiful!

Your lawn is a sight to behold. It’s the beautiful emerald carpet you have imagined for a long time. Your landscapers did a fantastic job prepping the area to be sodded and installing the irrigation system, matching the areas to the water spray, and scheduling it into the timers.  Once the work was started on laying the sod, it was done in only a few days. They explained the process of choosing a sod farm based on your desires and needs. The type of sod was carefully chosen – sod that could handle some foot traffic regularly, the deep green color you chose, the type of soil and water available. All of it will have some part in the health of your lawn.

Extras

The beddings were reshaped before the sodding to compliment the house and the shape of the yard. Flowers have been chosen for each one but not planted yet. This first concentration of effort is on the lawn. Little flags between the sod and the sides of the elevated beddings mark where footpaths will be installed. You’ve thought about that for several years, and now it’s about to become a reality.  You opted not to sod a large area in the back of the house since you have been thinking about an outdoor living area. Instead, you want to include a grill and cooling appliance and a table with comfortable chairs. Other small seating areas are scattered for conversation, reading, and comfortable visiting. Each suggested improvement was right in line with your thinking, and the first item, a big fire pit with seating around it, will be installed soon.  When the backyard is done, any area that’s not hardscape or planted with preferred plants will be sodded if nothing is planned. The kids will also each get a patch of land to plant, design, install, and enjoy their fantasy for a garden. Your Year Round landscaping team has been a real bright spot since this project started. Even though it’s been months, the sod already installed is still green and seems to be growing. It’s even been mowed several times, a good sign.  Your shoes are left behind as you head out to your lawn, toes ready for some grass action. Lovely!