If possible, it is a good idea to water your lawn every other day (on average). The best time to do this is in the early morning. This allows the water to seep into the soil before the sun is strong and the water evaporates. Here is some information that will help you keep your lawn healthy.
Except when laying sod and for the first two weeks, it is not recommended to water in the middle of the day when the sun is very strong. Drops of water that fall on the lawn act like tiny magnifying glasses and can cause lawn burns.
Watering at night can cause fungus growth (due to lack of sunlight and evaporation). These disappear when you moderate night watering.
It is better to mow your lawn in small cuts than to wait until it is very long. When you remove only one-third of the height of the grass, you won't see many piles of grass cut, and it's even better not to pick it up because it feeds your lawn.
Spreading a good fertilizer in early summer and every five or six weeks will give the lawn more strength and color. Fertilizer is available at all nurseries. More to come!
Measuring the Land
With a tape measure, go around the field and calculate the areas to be grassed. It is very important to physically measure the land rather than relying on the Certificate of Location because the certificate does not usually include the portion of your land that belongs to the city.
Once you have all the square footage, you must add it all up. This will give you the quantity you need to order (in square feet). Our rolls are ten square feet so you only have to divide by 10 to know how many rolls you need.
Tip 1: It is normal to order 3 to 5% more in case of small miscalculations.
Preparing the Site
Rocks and debris must be removed and also preferably work the soil to a depth of 2 or 3 inches. This will help the roots penetrate more easily into the soil.
When this is done, spread good topsoil (3 to 4 inches) to ensure good nutrition for your new lawn. When spreading the soil, be careful not to slope the soil towards the house or you may end up with water...
It is also important to check if the land has shallows (small miniature lakes about 2 feet in diameter or more) and if the water drains well after a rain. If there is no good rain, you can do these tests a few days before installation by watering your lot abundantly.
Tip 2: Some cities and towns require that the slope of the lot be in a certain direction, such as behind the house. It's best to be informed beforehand.
Installing sod
Just before installing your lawn, it is a good idea to spread a rooting fertilizer on the ground. Rooting fertilizer is a fertilizer specially formulated to help young grass shoots get through the transplant process better from sod farm to your home.
Tip 3: Make sure you have enough equipment to water your lawn before you start!
Once you've done that, you're ready to spread the sod. The sod can be rolled in any direction, however, there are ways to do a better job.
1: Avoid starting the rolls in the same place and unroll in rows like bricks on a house.
2: Unrolling the rolls along the length of the field can be faster.
3: It is a good idea to unroll two or three rows of peat moss around the house and around the contour of the lot (this minimizes the number of joints in areas that are often less watered or are more likely to dry). You can do the same thing around trees, sidewalks, etc.
4: At some point, you will need to cut peat mosses to fill areas that are smaller than the rolls. You can cut the rolls with any sharp tool such as a good shovel or a solid knife.
Tip 4: Don't wait until you've completed the job before watering, especially if it's hot. Once unrolled, the grass will already start to dry. When it is hot, it is very important that it is watered for the first hour. So, as soon as enough sod is laid, this section must be installed and watered. Also, if some of the watered sections seem dry, you must come back and water the dry sections again.
Watering the lawn
The first few days are the most important when it comes to watering, and it should be repeated that the first few hours are even more important. If the lawn is not watered on time on the first day, the grass may dry out and turn yellow in the following days. Even with abundant rain or water, it may remain yellow and regain color only in two or three weeks if it is not dead.
Once the first day has passed successfully, the lawn should be watered every day for at least the first week in all areas and for about one hour each.
Tip 5: Water for about an hour because surface watering is not what the lawn needs - rather, deep watering will soak the roots and make the soil softer, making it easier for the roots to sink into the ground during the first few days.
During the second week, if the turf has set well and is a nice color (preferably green), you can skip one day and water every other day.
After the first two weeks, you can proceed with regular watering depending on the location and temperature of the area, and also on the person's taste.
With a good watering system, such as an automatic sub-soil system, you can achieve a beautiful lawn that will pass more easily through a prolonged period of drought.
Tip 6: Over time, the lawn produces more and more roots and needs more water. With an automatic system, and not exceeding the rules of the municipality.