Sod & Lawn Questions, Answered

Sod can go down any time the ground isn't frozen and the farms are cutting, roughly spring through late fall in southern Ontario. Spring and early fall are ideal because cooler temperatures and regular rain help new roots establish. Summer installs work well too; they just need more watering. Even late in the season, sod laid a few weeks before the ground freezes has time to start rooting before winter.

Over prepared soil, yes. That's exactly how sod should be laid. Over old grass, no. Turf left underneath rots, settles unevenly and stops the new roots from reaching real soil. It also leaves a spongy layer that dries out fast in summer, so the new lawn browns even when you're watering. Bare dirt that hasn't been prepared isn't much better: if it's compacted clay or builder fill, the roots stay shallow. We always remove the old lawn and prepare the soil first; see lawn replacement.

Good soil, at the right grade. We clear debris, loosen compacted ground, check that the slope runs water away from the house (grade correction is quoted separately), add screened topsoil where it's thin and rake the surface firm and level. The sod is only as good as that bed.

Keep foot traffic to watering only for the first couple of weeks. Once the roots have knitted in, usually after two to three weeks in normal weather, light use is fine. Try gently lifting a corner: if it resists, it's rooting. Hold off on heavy play, parties and dogs racing laps for about a month.

Water the same day it's laid, then every day for the first week or two, enough to soak through the sod into the soil below. Lift a corner to check: the soil underneath should be damp, not just the grass. Over the next couple of weeks, water less often but more deeply, so the roots chase the moisture down, and then move to normal lawn watering. Early morning is best, because less is lost to evaporation and the grass dries off during the day. In hot, windy weather, edges and areas next to driveways and walkways dry out first, so give them extra. We leave a written schedule with every installation.

New roots usually start growing into the soil within one to two weeks, and the lawn is well established after about four to six weeks, depending on weather and watering. Your first mow is usually due within two to three weeks: set the mower high, make sure the blade is sharp, and mow when the lawn is dry enough that the wheels don't leave ruts. Taking off no more than a third of the blade at a time keeps the young lawn from stressing while it's still rooting.

Sod gives you a finished-looking lawn as soon as it's laid, resists weeds and erosion, and is usable within weeks, at a higher up-front cost. Seed is cheaper but slow: it takes a season or more to fill in, weeds compete with it, and it has narrow planting windows (late summer and early fall are best). For a bare yard or a lawn you need soon, sod wins. For a lawn that's thin but healthy, overseeding may be enough.

Fresh-cut Kentucky Bluegrass from locally grown, premium Ontario sod farms. It's the standard lawn grass in southern Ontario: thick, soft underfoot and hardy through our winters. We time deliveries so it's laid within 24–48 hours of cutting.