From first watering to first mow, we have you covered
The first 3-4 weeks after laying new sod are usually the most critical. Without regular watering, and taking steps to improve your soil biology, your new new sod can quickly succumb to drought, disease, pests and other environmental stressors.
What is Concierge Sod Care?
Once the soil prep and sod installation are complete, we’ll develop a customized sod care regimen to help your new lawn reach it’s full potential. This includes the following:
Custom Irrigation & Watering Schedule
We start with shorter, more frequent waterings and gradually transition to longer duration, less frequent intervals. This method is crucial for the new sod to establish robust root systems. For new South Florida lawns, initial watering typically involves 10-15 minutes per zone, 4-5 times a day for the first week (could be more or less depending on temperature, rainfall, etc.). Over the next few weeks, we slowly taper the watering down, eventually reducing to once a day. Once the sod is fully established, you’re ready to return to a normal weekly watering regimen. This variable watering can be difficult to achieve with most residential sprinkler systems, and that’s why we provide your very own custom irrigation setup, to help take the guesswork out of watering and caring for you new sod.
Preventative Pest & Disease Control
South Florida lawns are susceptible to various pests, including chinch bugs, grubs, sod webworms, army worms, fire ants, and mole crickets. Our preventative pest control services target these species to protect your newly sodded lawn. For example, chinch bugs can cause significant damage to St. Augustine grass, a popular choice in South Florida, by feeding on its sap and causing extensive brown patches.
Micronutrient Supplementation & Fertilization
To maintain the health and vigor of your sod, we provide essential micronutrients such as iron, sulfur, and manganese. These are critical for preventing common nutrient deficiencies in South Florida’s sandy soils. Additionally, we stimulate root growth with a proprietary blend of seaweed extract, B vitamins, boron, molybdenum, copper, zinc, and fulvic, humic, and amino acids. This combination promotes strong, healthy roots, enhances stress tolerance, and improves overall plant health.
Our scientific approach ensures that your new sod remains lush, green, and healthy, despite the unique challenges posed by South Florida’s climate and soil conditions.
How often should new sod be watered?
Week 1:
Frequency: Water 6 times per day, every 2.5 hours starting around 7am, with the last cycle ending around 8pm.
Duration: Each session should last about 5-10 minutes for spray heads or 10-15 minutes for rotary sprinklers.
Goal: To keep the top few inches of soil consistently moist, promoting initial root establishment.
Weeks 2-3:
Frequency: Water 3-4 times per day, every 4-5 hours starting around 7am, with the last cycle ending around 8pm.
Duration: Each session should last about 15-20 minutes for spray heads or 25-30 minutes for rotary sprinklers.
Goal: To continue supporting root growth while starting to reduce moisture levels.
Week 4:
Frequency: Water twice per day, once in the morning around 7am, and once in the early evening.
Duration: Increase watering duration to about 30-35 minutes for spray heads or 45-50 minutes for rotary sprinklers.
Goal: To encourage deeper root growth and adapt the sod to less frequent watering.
1-3 Months:
Frequency: Water once per day (depending on rainfall).
Duration: Each session should last about 40-45 minutes for spray heads or 55-60 minutes for rotary sprinklers.
Goal: To maintain deep root growth and overall lawn health.
A few things worth mentioning:
- Early morning watering is usually best. Watering in the middle of the day leads to a lot of evaporation, especially during the scorching summer months. Watering in the evening results in moisture sitting on the lawn for too long, which can promote fungal growth. However, being that we’re trying to get new sod to establish, we’re going to water outside of the ideal window, and that’s why we use preventative fungicides.
- Adjust watering based on weather patterns. Adjust the watering schedule based on rainfall and temperature. During hot, dry periods, you may need to water more frequently. Whereas a week of torrential downpours might mean you can significantly cut back on watering.
- Check soil moisture regularly. Consistently monitor soil moisture to ensure it remains adequately moist but not oversaturated. Use a soil probe or a screwdriver to check the depth of moisture penetration. Ideally, the soil should be moist down to a depth of 6-8 inches. This tells us that water is reaching the root zone, promoting deeper root growth and overall lawn health. Adjust your watering schedule based on these checks to maintain optimal moisture levels for your new sod.
Do you offer organic lawn treatment options?
If your family or pets will be spending a lot of time on the new lawn, call 561-941-GROW, and ask us about our organic lawn treatment plans.