New Sod Care Guide for Georgia

Watering Schedule for New Sod

New sod needs heavy watering for the first 2 weeks — enough to keep the soil beneath the sod consistently moist. Water twice daily for the first week (early morning and mid-afternoon) and once daily for week two. After that, transition to every other day for 2 weeks, then to the normal deep-and-infrequent schedule. The goal is root establishment. You want roots growing down into the soil, not sitting in a permanently soggy layer.

• Week 1: water twice daily, 15 to 20 minutes per zone.
• Week 2: water once daily in the morning.
• Weeks 3 to 4: water every other day.
• After week 4: transition to normal schedule (2 to 3 times per week).

First Mowing

Do not mow new sod until it has rooted — usually 2 to 3 weeks after installation. Test by gently tugging on the sod in several spots. If it resists pulling, roots are establishing. For the first mow, set your mower to the highest setting for your grass type and remove no more than one-third of the blade height. Use a sharp blade to avoid tearing young grass.

When to Start Fertilizing

Wait 4 to 6 weeks before applying fertilizer to new sod. The sod farm already fertilized it before harvest. Early fertilizer application pushes top growth before roots are established, weakening the plant. When you do start, use a starter fertilizer with higher phosphorus (the middle number) to encourage root development rather than heavy nitrogen for blade growth.

• No fertilizer for the first 4 to 6 weeks.
• Use a starter fertilizer with higher phosphorus first.
• Switch to a balanced program after the sod is fully established (8 to 10 weeks).

Common New Sod Mistakes

The two biggest mistakes are underwatering in the first week and walking on the sod before it roots. New sod pieces will shrink and separate at the seams if they dry out — those gaps are nearly impossible to close later. Keep foot traffic off new sod for at least 2 weeks. Avoid parking on it, and keep pets off the area during establishment.