Quick Lawn Repairs Using Turfgrass Sod

(HIT) - A patch of dead grass, even a small one, in an otherwise acceptable lawn can be an eyesore and a source of constant aggravation for a homeowner, unless you know how to repair the lawn properly. Fortunately, lawn repairs made with turfgrass sod are quick, easy to do and are virtually foolproof.

Follow these simple steps from the non-profit Turf Resource Center to quickly repair your lawn using turfgrass sod:

Step 1. Identify what caused the old grass in your lawn to die, and repair that problem first. A dead patch of grass might be caused by too much traffic on the area, root-eating insects, disease or something that spilled. repair the source of your lawn problem, or you'll just be re-doing the next steps in your lawn repair over and over. The Turf Resource Center has information on its website at http://www.lawninstitute.com that can help you identify the source of your lawn problem.

Step 2. Outline the lawn repair area with boards, string or even chalk or paint to create straight sides encompassing the dead area. Till, spade or otherwise loosen the soil under the lawn repair area you've marked off, then rake the lawn repair area smooth while you remove roots, clods, rocks and other debris. Nice straight sides will make it easier to fit the new sod grass repair patches in place without a lot of trimming, gaps or holes.

Step 3. Purchase enough fresh turfgrass sod from a turfgrass sod farm, home center or garden center to finish the lawn repair by measuring the four sides of the lawn repair area and converting this to square feet or square yards. (Example: 3 feet wide by 4 feet long equals 12 square feet. Dividing the 12 square feet by 9 converts the area into 1.3 square yards).

Step 4. Within hours after buying the sod, begin installing it onto the lawn repair area by placing the first piece along the longest straight line available. All subsequent pieces of sod should be laid tightly against the first piece, without stretching or overlapping.

Step 5. Ensure the new sod has good contact with the soil underneath by either using a half-filled lawn roller, or just place boards on the new sod and walk on the boards a few times.

Step 6. Water the new lawn repair area until the soil under the new sod is wet, but not saturated. Depending on how sunny the location is, the amount of wind or other drying conditions, you may have to water the lawn repair area more than once a day for the first week. You can check to see how well the sod is rooting by lightly tugging on a convenient corner of a sod piece. Also, if the soil beneath the sod is not wet, you need to apply more water.

Step 7. Restrict traffic on the lawn repair area for at least two weeks to give the grass a chance to grow roots and the soil to settle.

Step 8. Mow the lawn repair area about two weeks after patching, or whenever the sod is tightly rooted. If possible, try to run your mower diagonally across the sod seams. This will reduce rutting and the chance of your mower lifting a corner of sod from the new patch.

Step 9. Enjoy your newly repaired lawn, without further worries about that patched area!

These simple steps will create a mature and complete lawn patch almost immediately, unlike attempts at lawn repair with grass seed that most often take months and several re-workings to achieve acceptable result.

For free information on turfgrass lawns and sodding, choices about establishing lawns and the environmental benefits lawns provide, contact the Lawn Institute at 847/649-5555 or visit www.lawninstitute.com.