Whenever you have shaded areas in your lawn you have to sod, deciding on the correct variety of sod will help succeed. Shade-tolerant varieties that will thrive in less than four hours of bright sunlight daily include St. Augustine and zoysia. St. Augustine grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 8 through 10 and zoysia grows in hardiness zones 5 through 10. Verify the sod variety you choose is rated for shade before spending time and money on installation. The wrong selection of sod might result in poor growth and bud discoloration.
Till the place to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. This will loosen the soil to help with root institution of the new sod. Rake the soil to smooth the region, and remove any vegetative matter and stones.
Distribute a 1-2-1 lawn starting fertilizer evenly over the region with a broadcast spreader in the rate of 1/2 lbs for each 1000 square feet of distance. Work with a lawn roller filled with water over the region to pack the fertilizer into the soil and smooth the planting area.
Sprinkle the soil to moisten it to your thickness of 1/4 inch before placing the sod.
Unroll the sod, starting at the longest right area of the lawn. Stagger each roll to create a brickwork layout across the lawn. The short edges shouldn’t line up with additional. Push each sod strip close together so there are no gaps between the seams.
Inspect the sod installation place, and pack topsoil to any gaps or divots to create a smooth surface. The grass roots will spread and fill in the empty places.
Roll the newly laid sod with a lawn roller filled half-full of water to push the roots to the ground underneath and help with root institution.
Water the sod immediately after installation to saturate the roots system with approximately 1/2 inch of water. Set a tin can under a sprinkler to measure the total amount of water being applied to the ground. Apply 1/4 to 1/2 inches of water to the sod each day for the first month when there is no rainfall to promote root institution. Shaded places hold moisture in the ground longer and may need less frequent water programs after root establishment.