Installing sod is a great way to get an instantly beautiful, green lawn on your property in Michigan. However, it's important to note that sod doesn't come with an established root system, so it will be fragile for some time after installation. It typically takes about 2 weeks for sod to develop shallow roots, and during this time, you should avoid walking on it or mowing it. After about 4-6 weeks, it should have grown a solid root system, and you can start using your lawn normally around this time. Additionally, proper watering is crucial for helping your sod develop roots and establish successfully in your soil.

It takes about 2 weeks for sod to develop shallow roots.

After your sod has been installed, it will instantly look beautiful and green, but it hasn't yet established roots in the soil. It'll take about 2 weeks for it to develop shallow roots. During this time, it's important to avoid walking on your sod or mowing it. That's because it will be very fragile, and any type of stress that is put on it can set it back in its journey to establish itself in your soil. So, you'll want to give it at least 2 weeks to develop shallow roots before you even think about walking on it or mowing it.

You can perform a tug test on your sod after about 2 weeks to see if it's ready for mowing.

After about 4-6 weeks, your sod should have established a solid root system.

Sod lawn in Macomb, MI, with water in back.

While it takes 2 weeks after installation for your sod to develop shallow roots, it'll be longer before it has a solid, stable foundation. You can expect it to grow a well-established root system after about 4-6 weeks. At this point, you can use your lawn normally, as it should be able to withstand foot traffic and mowing. Its ability to absorb vital nutrients and water from the soil will also improve, allowing it to expand its roots further down and promote new, healthy grass growth.

Proper watering is crucial for helping your sod develop roots and establish successfully in your soil.

Watering your sod is one of the most important things you can do to help it develop roots and establish successfully in your soil. You'll want to water your sod immediately after installation to keep it moist and start encouraging root growth. Then, light but frequent watering for the first two weeks will continue to promote its establishment. For weeks 3-4, you'll want to reduce how often you water but increase the amount per session; this deeper watering helps encourage the sod to expand its roots further into the soil. After about a month, you can return to your normal watering schedule. By ensuring it has enough hydration during the critical period following installation, you can set it up for success.

Call Us to Sign Up for Our Sod Installation Service Today

If you're looking to establish a new, beautiful lawn instantly, we are the company to call! At Big Lakes Lawncare, we offer a sod installation service that involves thorough preparation before carefully laying the pieces, ensuring everything lines up. Kentucky bluegrass is the most common type installed, as it'll give you green, durable grass in no time! We have been providing our services since 2014, so you can trust that we have the experience and knowledge to get the job done right.

Our sod installation service is available to residential and commercial properties, as well as HOAs, in Macomb, Shelby, Chesterfield, MI, and throughout the surrounding areas. Give us a call today at (586) 200-0855 to sign up.