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impaula1950

new sod dry patches

impaula1950
10 years ago

I had new sod put in about 7 weeks ago. It appeared to be doing well. Then about a week ago dry patches started appearing. The water just rolls right off these areas. I decided to push a screw driver into the patches to see if the water would absorb. Those areas seem to move a bit. The people (friends) who put the sod in did not use a roller after installation so now I think there is no direct contact between the earth and the sod. So my questions are: can it be saved? If I do some hand aerating on the dry patches would it help in absorbing the water? My lawn care guy said it will eventually come back. I just want to help it along. Thanks. My zone is 10.

Comments (7)

  • dchall_san_antonio
    10 years ago

    Zones don't mean anything unless you are selecting plants for winter survival. You're past that stage.

    Where do you live?
    What kind of grass is this sod?
    How did you water it after the sod went down? (duration and frequency)

  • impaula1950
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I live in San Diego (La Mesa area-between the coast and inland). It is tall fescue, and I watered it faithfully 3 times a day for 2 weeks. Twice a day for one. Now I am doing every other day in the a.m. I now noticed MOTHS. Is it me or lawn vampires? Thanks

  • dchall_san_antonio
    10 years ago

    Don't worry about the moths.

    And thank you for specifying La Mesa and not just San Diego. La Mesa is starting to get higher in altitude where the sea breeze air is dryer and temps are warmer, much warmer, than downtown San Diego. Once you make the big curve up the canyon toward El Cajon, you are officially out of the sea breeze influence (in my book). You still should have some.

    With that in mind, I would suggest cutting out the dead areas and replacing them. Did you use Marathon sod? Marathon comes in three varieties, so be sure you use the same one you used before.

    As you back off on watering frequency, are you watering longer? Actually I don't know how long you were watering before. The high frequency - short duration (10 to 15 minutes) watering should be only to get the sod established and knit into the underlying soil. Then you can back off on frequency and go up on duration. Ideally, and you live in Ideal-land, you should be watering no more than once per week but watering a full inch at a time. Measure an inch with cat food or tuna cans. This would be fore established grass. Yours is just getting established so you need it a little more frequently for now. By Thanksgiving you should be fully backed off and watering once every 3 to 4 weeks. Continue that all winter and come back to 3 weeks, then 2 weeks, and finally 1 week as the temps move up.

  • impaula1950
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    My new sod is now about 3 months old and full of dry patches. The water runs right off the dry areas. When it was layed (by friends) they did not use a roller so I am guessing those areas did not adhere to underlying soil. My lawn guy did some fertilizer and it didn't help. So now he is going to aerate the sod. I can reach down and just barely run my fingers through the areas and the dry stuff comes right up. I know I watered correctly when it was first put down. I am now watering everyday for long durations. I live in San Diego, Ca. The La Mesa area. It has been in the 80s & 90s. Also I have these random wisps of long grass blades scattered through out my "lawn". When my yard is mowed you can still see them. My new sod is Tall Fescue. Thanks for any feed back.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    10 years ago

    It sort of sounds like you ignored what I wrote back on Aug 11. By now you should have new sod in the previously dead areas, and it should be knit to the soil.

  • impaula1950
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    My lawn guy said it would come back and it looked like it was, but it started getting hotter(the last few weeks). He said not to pull up the dry areas. My sister is insistent that I didn't/don't water enough. We don't have sprinkler system so it was all hand watered. I know I watered correctly. Does the fact that the dry area and some grassy areas just pull out easily mean anything? What about aerating so the water is absorbed in to the soil?

  • dchall_san_antonio
    10 years ago

    Does the fact that the dry area and some grassy areas just pull out easily mean anything?

    It probably means you're watering too much. But what difference does it make what I say? You're not reading the replies anyway.