How Soon Do I Mow New Sod?

Watering

• New sod needs at least 1 inch of water every day for the first seven days. If temperatures are higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you may need to water the sod once in the morning and again in the late afternoon. During the second week, the sod needs at least 1 inch of water each day, or every other day when temperatures are lower than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. During the third week, you can reduce watering to every other day.

Checking Roots

• Before you mow the sod in the third week, check to see that the roots are well-established. Find a corner piece of sod and gently pull up on an outside end. If the sod doesn't lift up, it is well-established and ready for cutting. Allow the sod to dry out so that when you walk on it, your feet don't sink into the grass. The sod will be ready to mow as long as it meets the height requirements.

Height of the Grass

• Grow new sod to at least 3 to 4 inches before mowing. If the grass blades are shorter, wait until the blades reach the correct height or you can stress the sod. When the blades of grass are longer, the root system is deeper in the ground, which is desirable before cutting the grass.

Mowing

• When the sod is ready to mow, use a lawn mower with sharp cutting blades so you don't rip the grass, which can cause stress and and open the lawn to disease. Only remove the top 1/3 inch of the grass blade with the mower. If you remove more than 1/3 inch, you will stress the sod. If you need to cut off more than 1/3 inch to keep the lawn at the recommended 2- to 3-inch height, mow 1/3 inch off the top one day and two or three days later, mow again.