How to Lay a Rolled Turf Lawn

Site preparation is extremely important before laying down your rolled turf lawn. Gardeners should remove all weeds and other vegetation. Furthermore, the soil should be broken up with a tiller to help sod or rolled turf establish a strong root system. Proper installation of your new lawn is also critical to prevent shrinkage and fungal diseases from harming the grass. Install your rolled turf as soon as it is delivered to prevent the root systems from drying out.

Starter fertilizer
Rotary fertilizer spreader
Tiller
Garden hose
Lawn roller

Instructions

- 1
  Spread a starter fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium amount of 16-2-0 over the lawn area. Use 6 lbs. of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. Work the starter fertilizer into the first 2 to 4 inches of top soil. Starter fertilizer contributes extra phosphorus for healthy root development.
- 2
  Spray the lawn area and each piece of rolled turf lawn. Lay the sod, so that the sod pieces are horizontal and butt against each other. Work from the outside of the yard to the inside. Stagger the rows as if you are laying bricks.
- 3
  Cut sod for small areas with a masonry trowel. You can create seams by overlapping one piece of sod over another piece. Take your masonry trowel and cut through both pieces, so that they tightly butt up against each other.
- 4
  Fill a lawn roller halfway with water. Roll the lawn roller over the lawn area to achieve turf to soil contact.
- 5
  Water the sod, but avoid saturating the soil. Apply water every day for a week to ensure that the root systems do not dry out.

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