Sod Installation Tips - A Homeowner's Guide to Laying Sod

 1. Sod measurements - When starting your sod project you must take into account all landscape structures and flower beds. Then, using a measuring wheel or tape measure, accurately measure the area to be sodded. Add 5% to this number to allow for cutting around structures & beds. This number represents the square footage of sod you will need. If you are unsure most sod suppliers can help you if you provide them with an accurately marked drawing.

2. Soil Preparation - Preparing the base under your sod is crucial! As the grass grows the roots must be able to penetrate into the soil. Hard surfaces prevent the growth of grass. Make sure all rocks, old roots and grass are removed from the installation area. Topping this with three inches of topsoil creates a good base. This works well as the sod strips come with its own soil amendment.

3. Final grading - The base area must be leveled to insure sod will also be level. Using a proper grading rake will work best. For larger areas you may need to roll over the soil using sod roller. Rolling ensures that soil does not run or settle causing holes or gaps that will hinder sod growth. Sod preparation is everything when it comes to sod installation.

4. Purchasing sod - There are many sod suppliers to choose from (lawn and garden stores, sod growers and nurseries) but you should know what you are looking for. Sod strips should be dense and at least 2" long. Look for a uniform green color with a network of roots on the underside, with a moist soil base of at least 1". Sod strips should not tear or fall apart when handled. For large applications we recommend sod delivery to reduce handling.

5. Laying sod - Lay your first row of sod starting against edge of a flower bed, house, patio or any landscape border. The next row should overlap at the seam. Do not line up your seams! Stagger seams to avoid lines when sod grows in. Use a sod cutter (you can purchase one at most lawn and garden stores) to cut along all borders and around sprinkler heads. Keep all pieces on the side as you may need them to fill in as you work.

6. Watering - During the first two weeks you should water for 45 minutes. This heavy watering helps to push roots down into soil. Following this you will want to water 20 to 30 minutes a day, depending on heat conditions.

7. Maintenance - Everyone wants to know when it's good to do the first cut. Depending on the growth of the grass and if the roots started to grab will determine when you cut. Test the area by gently pulling back a piece of sod. If the sod has rooted you may do your first cut. Since your new lawn is in its infancy, it should be mowed at a slow pace for the first month.

Laying sod is actually something that I really enjoy. I know that most people hate it, but it's a lot of fun taking a bare, dead area, and transforming it into a lush thriving lawn. I ran a landscaping business for a few years in San Diego, and was mostly involved in lawn care. I know that laying sod can either be a very rewarding experience when done correctly, or it can be a huge waste of money. There are many steps in the process of laying sod, all of which will be covered below, and many tips and tricks which will help make the project a success. Each step in the sod laying project is absolutely essential, and you can't move on to the next step until the previous step is fully completed.

1. Take Out Everything Else. The first step in your sod laying project is to completely clear out all of the old material. That means old plants, roots, everything. The best way to do this is to first dig up the surface material with either a flat shovel or a piece of heavier machinery, and then to get the roots, you'll most likely have to use a rototiller. This particular machine can usually be rented for about $60 per day, depending on the vendor https://sodgreen.com/. And depending on the size of the rototiller, you can loosen up the top 3-6 inches of top soil where your new sod is going to be laid. After this step is finished, you might want to walk through the area and pull out any rocks golf ball sized or larger.

This is also the perfect time to install a sprinkler system. Because the ground is loose, you should be able to make trenches very easily and quickly. Pipes don't need to be buried deeper than 6 inches generally, and most of that will be loose from your rototiller. If you're installing sprinklers, how do you know how high to place the heads? I wouldn't do that part yet. I'd just install the pipes and put high risers out of the ground with caps on the end so no dirt gets into the system.

2. Leveling Your Soil. The next step in your sod laying involved getting your soil exactly how you want it. It's up to you to determine exactly what your soil needs. If your soil has lots of clay in it, you'll need gypsum to break it up. If you have poor soil, you might want to consider purchasing some topsoil to mix in or put on top of your existing soil. You'll also want to pound metal stakes into the ground in the corners of the lot and a few in the middle. Then you can run string around each of the stakes, pulling it tight, so that you can tell if your ground is level.

But before you'll be able to see if your soil is level, you first have to make sure that the string itself is level using a special "string level". When you've pounded in your stakes and run string throughout them, take your string level and place it on your string and try and get it level. Once you've done that to all the string on your grid, you'll be able to see if your ground is level. As far as how to make a string grid, since the shape of every yard is different, you'll just have to decide where to run your string.

3. Soil Amendments. This step involves the final touches to your ground. In order to get your soil perfectly ready for sod, you'll have to add what's called soil amendments, which are basically just special fertilizers. You can buy them at Home Depot or most anyplace. Read the directions and apply them accordingly, mixing them into your your soil and watering when you're finished. Make sure you water your soil a few times. This will give it a chance to settle and for the amendments to work in.

This is the time that you'll also want to install your sprinkler heads. Now that your ground is level and ready for sod, you'll want to install your sprinklers so that the heads are 1/2 inch above the dirt. Sod is generally 1/2 inch thick, so if all of your sprinkler heads are sticking 1/2 inch above the ground, they should line up perfectly with the sod. In order to get them all to the height you want, unscrew your riser from the pipe and cut off as many sections as it takes to get the right height. Do that to all of your sprinklers. After this, you'll be ready to order your sod.

4. Laying Sod. Your sod will arrive in strips which are generally 2 feet wide and about 8 feet long. This varies depending on the supplier. Before you begin laying sod, make sure to moisten the ground and keep it that way. You don't want to have air pockets sitting between the roots of your sod and the ground or the roots will dry out and die. Don't drench the ground. Just keep it moist. When laying your sod, start in the furthest corner and go all the way across the back wall. If you have too much sod in a strip or if you have an odd shape that you need to cut around, grab a sharp knife or box cutter and trim the sod. Then, start again on the same side, only don't line the seams of your sod up in straight lines. The lines of the strips of sod shouldn't match up. This will help it grow in better and not have any discrepancies.

When you come to a sprinkler head, you'll need to use a sharp knife to cut a hole in the sod so that the sprinkler head can fit through. Keep going this way, making sure to keep the ground moist as you go along. It's important to lay your sod relatively quickly, especially on a hot dry day. It's also important to water the sod you've just placed as you go along. Every half an hour, spray the newly laid sod with a few second squirt of water.

5. Sod Roller. The final step of your sod laying experience is to use a sod roller. This step isn't completely necessary, but most people recommend it because it gets rid of any potential air pockets and makes sure there's good contact between the roots of your sod and the soil beneath. Most rollers are hollow plastic that you fill with water to make them heavy. They can usually be rented, probably from the same place you rented the rototiller from. Just make one pass on the sod. You don't want to overly walk on it or roll it. Just passing the roller over it once should suffice.

Now you have a nicely completed sod lawn! Make sure you water it at least once per day, depending on the weather conditions. The vendor who you buy the sod from will know specifically how often it needs to be watered. I hope your sod transforms your lawn and gives you a beautiful lawn.

General Information Pertaining to Organic Food Farming

Since organic food is usually more expensive than non-organic food, many people may hesitate to buy organic vegetables. Considering the good husbandry practices, crop rotations, use of organic feed for animals and preservation of natural habitats, it is understandable if organic food farming involves more cost compared to non-organic farming.

In the case of non-organic food, money is paid for the produce over the counter. You also spend money on taxes for agricultural subsidies and reduce the environmental pollution caused by intensive non-organic farming. Therefore, in the long term, more money might be spent for non-organic food rather than organic vegetables. However, what are the health benefits of eating organic vegetables?

Some research and studies indicate that organic vegetables has more minerals like potassium and iron compared to non-organic food. Since there is no usage of pesticides, this is understandable. In the case of non-organic farming, pesticides are normally used to produce larger vegetables.

Nevertheless, pesticides are chemicals, which are prone to cause notable health side effects, especially in the long end. Young children may have a harder time since they are more vulnerable to diseases and the like. Another common aspect among non-organic food is the usage of preservatives and artificial sweeteners. This stuff also can cause problems to one's health especially after some time.

In the case of organic vegetables, pesticides, preservatives and other chemical compounds are not used. In organic farming, there is more focus towards using natural methods and practices to promote good growth of vegetables and fruits. Therefore, organic fruits and vegetables does seem like a better choice in terms of health and well-being in comparison to non-organic food.

Another important point is the use of antibiotics in non-organic livestock. To prevent disease and promote growth of livestock, animals are injected with certain antibiotics. Hence, animals might seem much fatter compared to organic animals. Considering the effects of antibiotics on people's health, countries like UK discourage the usage of antibiotics in animals for promoting growth.

However, this does not stop non-organic farmers to use antibiotics. Antibiotics are strictly used for treating illnesses in organic farming. Since organic farming practices good husbandry and appropriate stocking levels, it is possible to prevent diseases without the usage of antibiotics. Residues of antibiotics in animals can be transferred to the people who eat non--organic meat.

Since antibiotics can cause some health side effects as well, it is possible for these people to experience health problems at a later stage.

Build your own vegetable farm not only will save your time and money to travel to market for grocery, but in the same time the health benefits you gain from organic vegetables are numerous. Home grown vegetables are more fresh and rich in nutrients than those that come from large farms that use pesticides and other chemicals to maintain the crop. Freshly grown vegetables are also preservative free, unlike canned vegetables from the grocery store. Try organic food farming now with just a few simple steps and start getting all the freshness and nutrients from organic vegetables.

In the case of non-organic livestock farming, it is normal for antibiotics to be used for preventing diseases and promoting the growth of livestock, unlike organic food farming.

Generally, animals are bigger due to the regular injection of antibiotics. Although certain nations like UK discourage farmers from injecting antibiotics in animals for growth promotion but the practice is very much common in such places. Organic farming uses antibiotics for treating animal illnesses only. It promotes good husbandry and animal stocking levels as a means of preventing possible animal diseases.

With regular antibiotic injection for animals, there is a high possibility of a high residue of antibiotics in non-organic animal meat. This residue would be transferred to the person who consumes the meat. As you may know, antibiotics have strong side effects in terms of health. In other words, people who consume non-organic meat may suffer from serious illnesses at a much later stage in their lives.

Apart from this, certain bacteria and germs in animals could develop full immunity towards the aforementioned antibiotics. Therefore, if a person suffers due to any of this bacteria or germs, it would not be possible to use certain antibiotics for curing the disease or illness. Other than that, some research and studies show good evidence that organic food contains more Vitamin C, minerals and polyphenols in comparison to non-organic food.

Due to the lack of pesticides and other chemicals usage, it is very much understandable. In the case of non-organic farming, it is usual for non-organic farmers to use pesticides for keeping away insects and other pests. However, pesticides are chemical based compounds, which can cause health side effects.

Due to their vulnerability in physical terms, children may suffer more health problems compared to adults. Apart from pesticides, artificial preservatives and sweeteners are normally used for non-organic food farming as well. This type of additives give side effects to health, more so as time goes on.

However, organic food farming focuses on natural growth and does not use chemical additives. In other words, organic food is a better choice for health compared to non-organic food, especially for young growing children https://www.agrifarming.in/. Although there have been some studies and research of the benefits of organic food but more intensive research and concrete proof is needed.

With such evidence, perhaps, more people may opt for a healthier choice and help to save the environment at the same time.

Build your own vegetable farm not only will save your time and money to travel to market for grocery, but in the same time the health benefits you gain from organic vegetables are numerous. Home grown vegetables are more fresh and rich in nutrients than those that come from large farms that use pesticides and other chemicals to maintain the crop. Freshly grown vegetables are also preservative free, unlike canned vegetables from the grocery store. Try it now with just a few simple steps and start getting all the freshness and nutrients from organic food farming.