Caring For Your New Sod

Sod After Care

01) FOOT TRAFFIC

Stay off new sod until it has rooted, roughly 3-4 weeks, minimal to no traffic. (Including pets).

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02) WATERING SCHEDULE

DAY 1 – 10:

Keep sod and soil moist all throughout the day. Suggested-Water 1x per day for the first 7-10 days about 15-20 minutes each zone. We have taken care of your first watering upon install. Firstly, for summer months, you may need to increase your watering schedule, either by duration or to twice a day watering, to ensure the soil is always staying wet to the depth of an inch & moist to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Next, make sure you keep a close eye on your sod during the first 7-10 days of install. Furthermore, if an area starts to turn brown, dry or hay like, it’s most likely not getting enough water. Last, brown grass does not mean the grass is dead, it only
indicates that the leaves have died. If you catch this early enough and adjust the amount of water to that area, you’ll likely see new green leaves emerge in seven to ten days. Venyscapes will NOT warranty the install for lack of proper care after installation is complete.

DAY 10 – 21:

Water the sod at least every other day for about 20-30 minutes. By watering for longer periods of time, you are encouraging the roots to grow deeper into the soil. Again, if temperatures are above 65° F and sunny, you may need to increase your watering schedule, either by duration or to daily watering. Please make sure you are watering adequately. You can do so by pulling back the corner of the sod in several different places throughout the lawn to make sure the soil underneath is staying moist. It should be difficult to pull the sod up at this point – do NOT force it up. You do not want to uproot your new sod, just give it a gentle tug. If the sod does easily pull up and/or you do not see small, white roots emerging from the backs of the sod, you will want to continue to water every single day, as instructed for days 1-10.

• Suggested Watering times: Between 6am -10 am. and never at night, watering at night keeps lawns wet overnight, which can make the grass susceptible to disease. A wet lawn at night is the perfect condition for fungus to grow. Try cutting back the frequency of irrigations just before the first mow to firm up the soil. There is no city limit for manual hand watering – For lawns with no sprinkler system we recommend an impact sprinkler.

DAY 21:

At this point, your lawn should be well rooted and can handle normal wear & tear. You should be watering the lawn approximately twice a week, making sure to apply at least 1” of water per watering, depending on temperatures & variety. You can use a pie tin or similar container to measure your irrigation by placing it in a flat area close to one of your sprinklers.

03) MOWING



First mow can be approximately 21-25 days after installation except in winter, which will require a longer time before the first mow. Mowing at a high setting is least stressful to the new sod-Never mow off more than one third of the grass blade.
MOW HEIGHTS: Bermuda .75” / 2.5” Zoysia 1.5” / 2 “ Tall Fescue 2.5”/ 3” Centipede 2” / 2.5”

04) Pets

Dog urine can & will cause injury and death to grass. It creates unsightly brown or yellow spots in the process. The lawn burn is caused by the high concentration of nitrogen and salts in dog urine. Nitrogen is good for grass but when dog urine is deposited in one small spot the amount is excessive, causing injury or death to the turf. Salts and other compounds found in dog urine may also contribute to grass damage. Highly acidic or alkaline urine may alter the pH of the soil, adversely affecting the grass in the areas of the yard where your dog urinates.

THREE TO FOUR WEEKS AFTER INSTALLATION

• Re-adjust your watering times- Reduce frequency of watering gradually after each mowing, 2x per week, 15
  minutes each zone. Hot summer months might require more watering.
• Deeper, less frequent soakings- will help roots grow down deeper and establish more quickly into the soil. Pull or tug on turf to check rooting.
• Fertilize your new sod lawn at one month after installation to continue encouraging rooting and establishment.
  We can provide you with a quote for a fertilization treatment.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

• Sod not rooting – Most sod varieties will begin to root within 10 to 14 days. Check the watering schedule and
  adjust to deeper, less frequent soaking. Excessive shade will slow down rooting.
• Mushrooms? – Temporary nuisance, usually growing in compost mixed into the soil at preparation. As watering
  get deeper and less often, mushrooms usually dry up and wither away.
• Edges turning brown and/or gaps between rolls? – Sod is shrinking or has pulled up at the corners. Due to
  lack of water. Increase minutes per watering and frequency to minimize gaps. Also, hand watering sod will help
  shrink gaps. Press down edges with your feet after watering.

Sod Installation Warranty:

SOD warranty duration will start on the day of Installation

• Venyscapes will NOT warranty a sod installation that has no irrigation/sprinkler
  system. Venyscapes will NOT warranty the install due to lack of proper care after installation is complete. This
  includes but not limited to improper watering, drought, flood, vandalism, pets, any lawn bugs or pest, lawn
  fungus, lawn disease, improper adjustments of irrigation timer, or other acts of god, or any destructive result not
  directly related to Venyscapes installation.

• Due to the perishable nature and strict watering needs our warranty is limited. Warranty Period is for 30 days, At
  which point the sod should be well rooted and established. Within the first 30 days of installation, Customer
  might notice some discoloration of your new grass. This may be alarming but is normal at the beginning stages
  of establishment. New sod should pop back to its original green color within 1-2 weeks of suitable watering.

• There is a chance a few pieces might not make it during the establishment period and that’s just
  mother nature. These pieces are covered in our limited warranty up to 06 pieces of sod per pallet installed.
  Customer must notify the contractor via email and submit pictures of the troubled areas to
  Carlos@venyscapes.com within 30 Days of installation.

Qualifying For Warranty

• To qualify for our one-time replacement, all thefollowing must be true:
  • Proper watering must be applied to the sod – See above and attached “Sod Aftercare”
  • Sod was not trampled on or traffic of any kind (Animals, Pedestrians, and Automobiles etc.)
  • Sod was not burned by chemical, pesticide, fertilizer, or reflected sunlight from a home foundation or concrete.
  • Pets were not allowed to soil on the lawn.
  • No acts of God – Excessive flooding, fallen trees, wind etc.

• Once Customer contacts Venyscapes, we will assess the situation in person. Venyscapes will
  ask Customer to implement recommended corrective measures to alleviate the problem. We must
  assess the situation before you will qualify for replacement sod. If after these steps have been taken, the
  problem persists, contractor will schedule a time for replacement pieces.
• Work authorization: By approving the estimate via the jobber system, and or signed estimate, the “Customer”
  and “Contractor” hereby agrees that all prices, specifications, warranties, and terms are satisfactory,
  understood, and hereby accepted.

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