People have multiple opinions about removing the old dead grass before sodding. A layer of old sod will prevent the new sod from developing roots. Happy to help. This is an educational Blog website to inform the customers of OrderSodNow.com of installations tips. ... Before laying the sod, rake as much of the dead grass as you can. Feel free to provide some more details in another comment and I hope I can help . Hopefully the fishmeal and black earth helps build up the topsoil layer. Through experience, it is not best to lay sod over existing grass. Sod grass requires soil contact in order to thrive. It may start out level, but as the old grass breaks down it will turn out very uneven. Additionally, the grade is extremely important; the water flow must be proper. Sod is an instant remedy for an old weedy yard or after construction has ruined what lawn there was. You can't simply lay sod on top of grass without doing proper preparation. When should I cut my new sod? When using any kind of pesticide, there is risk of contaminating your underlying soil. Unroll the sod next, from the other side of the lawn. Unlevel lawn: You want a firm, level surface to lay your new sod over. Can I just lay sod over the fill even though there is existing lawn underneath the fill? The reason for old grass being dead would be minimized for the new sod laid as the old soil may be compacted and/ or contain diseases or insects, which may impact the new sod as well. If I put down 6 inch’s of Targo — can I then install sod? In contrast if you choose to learn this you will find that the process delivers near instant results. By killing all such weeds before laying sod, you clear the way for the new grass to grow and develop into a … Continue with sodding unless the center of the lawn is met. Pat sod carefully into place, so there aren’t any air pockets between soil and sod. Can You Lay Sod Over Existing Grass? Begin by clearing your lawn from debris, twigs, rubbish, and rock etc. Well I rototilled my old “lawn” before reading this article… Since my time machine is being repaired what steps should I take to increase survival of the new sod. Work to smooth out any wrinkles in the sod. Trim the grass on your lawn if it’s too long. Do Not Lay Sod Over Old Turf. Depending on the severity of the slope, your sod could still be fine! What kind of oil for lawn mower should you buy? You do need to take out the old turf before you put in new sod. In cooler climates you can lay turf from spring until fall. This could be because only a small portion of your lawn is dead and therefore laying new turf would be unnecessary. You should go on to pull as many weeds as you can do manually. I don’t know how it survived or continues to survive after about a year and a half. If you’re in the market to lay new turf over a struggling lawn or playing field, you’ll need to prepare the ground first – exactly how you’d prepare it to allow the sod to make root-to-soil contact. This is a need for the sod’s layer to fit the fixed surface along with the flush. Your fresh sod will be unable to reach the soil to develop roots. I’m sorry but I’m not sure what Targo is, and I’d hate to give you inaccurate info. If you want the new sod to look its best and with no old weeds or old grass growing through it, till the ground and remove the old grass first. The start point of the row should again be accessed and start raking once again unless you see the soil measuring beneath the fixed surface level is of an inch again. Laying new sod can be a quicker way to renovate a lawn than planting new seed. This can be a problem if you are growing grass from seed over a previous weedy lawn, the old weeds will grow through as well. I wouldn’t want to make any improper recommendations here. Required fields are marked *. Once the object is removed the grass gets a slimy, sort of wet layer on top of it. I laid sod on a small sloped area next to my house. First thing you need to do is spray Roundup all over the whole area that you intend to lay grass on. From start to the end of the marked area in the lawn, just go by raking the soil in a straight line that you wish to sod. The heavy duty type of the tarmac rack’s tines should be positioned right next to the lawn’s fixed surface, such as the driveway, patio or the sidewalk. Finish laying the sod’s roll with alternate side approach. If you want the new sod to look its best and with no old weeds or old grass growing through it, till the ground and remove the old grass first. Once the sod dies, you will end up having to re-sod again and remove all of the lawn underneath as well. Regardless, I would not recommend following this method for the many reasons we listed in this article! We just worry about air pockets and soft rotten areas where your old lawn is decomposing. Remove all the weed from your garden either by hand or by using glyphosate. In this stage, it can’t repel weed invasion like a healthy, established … answers from Chicago on May 06, 2010 To really get sod to take, you need to place it on freshly turned soil. Read the instructions on the herbicide product carefully. The survival of the sod depends on its ability to take root and acquire nutrients. Unfortunately, the answer is exactly the one you were probably hoping it wouldn’t be. You should never lay sod over weeds. In cooler areas seeds may be overtaken by weeds in the spring. It may not root well if you just lay it on existing grass. You need to tap down the spot where the fixed surface hooks up with the soil, by using a hand tamper. For a guide on how to properly install sod, check out our full 7-step guide. I was thinking of using a weed/grass killer first on a sparsely-filled lawn, wait until the vegetation dies/browns, then roto-tilling the area before I lay the sod down. His lawn is the thickest and greenest on the street. Hey Max, there’s a chance new lawn could be fine! Can You Lay Sod Over Weeds? For the remaining weeds in the lawn, you can look to treat it with the herbicide that contains all the active ingredients, dicamba, MCPP or glyphosate. Thanks, that’s what I thought, but I’ve been told it’s okay. Updated May 11, 2018. However, removing the old dead grass is always a better choice due to following reasons: Finally, the lawn roller should be made half empty from water and roll it row by row for the sake of releasing any trapped air underneath. If you’re resodding your entire lawn, this is less of a problem, although you’ll probably want to dig out around walkways and curbs to slope the sod … Would there be a chance this would be successful? Once the sod dies, you will end up having to re-sod again and remove all of the lawn underneath as well. Killing existing weeds prior to laying sod increases the chances of the grass establishing itself and growing healthy. Grass seed is much cheaper to buy than buying the equivalent amount of turf. It might look good for a couple of weeks with proper watering, but it cannot survive in these conditions! It is also essential that a fresh sod should be given proper nutrients to thrive and grow. How to Kill Weeds in the Lawn Without Killing Grass. Will everything still be fine? The yard should then be very thoroughly raked and look to collect any residue debris and chuck that in the bin. Raking good and leveling is important to keep from puddling up of water or to much run off.Now with … My old grass is pretty much all dead and I’m looking to add 3-4 inches of soil on top of the old lawn to achieve the grade I want. When installing sod, people tend to look for ways to simplify the process. It is often thought that laying new sod directly on top of existing grass is the way to go. Alternation should be done between the shorter and longer layers in order to make a brick pattern. New sod is fragile, because it has yet to form deep roots and combine with the soil. All seems with soil should be filled and then tamp it down. How do you lay sod over existing grass? The old sod will decompose and create harmful gases and air pockets that will wreak havoc on your new sod. A lot of work but that will give you the best most weed free lawn. Try using a roller on your new lawn after installation. Some lawncare experts shy away from applying sod over existing grass when they are concerned about the level of the sod in comparison with other surfaces. This doesn’t seem like a great growing environment and your sod will not be receiving all of the nutrients it needs. I want to kill off my Zoysia (which is infested with creeping grass’ and weeds). One of the main reasons is that if you put new sod on top of old vegetation, the new sod’s root system will never actually make contact with the soil. Wow Sandy! December 27, 2019 . No problem Mark! Experts will tell you it is best to remove old grass and weeds first and I agree. When you lay sod over weed, it may survive longer than expected and this can pose a problem. “All sod must make soil contact to root,” she points out. Can You Lay Sod Over Existing Grass? Through experience, it is not best to lay sod over existing grass. It might look good for a couple of weeks with proper watering, but it cannot survive in these conditions! You may consider adding a layer of topsoil on top of existing grass, or, better yet, remove old sod with a sod … Do your research and check out blogs run by sod companies or garden centres to ensure you are getting high quality information and tips. Garden weeds are unwanted annual or perennial plants that limit desirable plants from growing vigorously because of the strong competition they offer for soil moisture and nutrients. The yard should then be investigated for any probable holes or depressions and if there, then make sure to fill them with soil, using a scoop shovel. Home » home and garden » How to lay sod over existing lawn? How to Place Sod Over Existing Grass. Proper preparation to the soil and ground beneath the sod is crucial to the success of your lawn. Dead and therefore laying new sod worry about air pockets and soft rotten areas where your old lawn is thickest... Because it has yet to form deep roots and combine with the soil to settle down sod... 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