If you are a gardener or have a small lawn outside your home, you must grow grass there to make it look beautiful. Every gardener faces some problems while growing sod on their lawns with weeds coming up through new sod. Weeds often appear on the lawn alongside some healthy grass and plants.
Usually, weeds do not grow in high-quality or premium sod. That means you can grow fresh and healthy grass in your lawn free of weeds. Nonetheless, weeds can be annoying and a nuisance for gardeners, so they wonder how to get rid of them easily. This blog reveals multiple effective ways using which you can remove weeds from newly laid sod. Let’s get started!
Is It Normal to Have Weeds in Your New Sod?
No, it is not normal to see weeds in new sod. Because usually, weeds do not grow in new and fresh sod if it is high-quality grass. Reputable gardeners grow weed-free sod in their lawns to ensure healthy growth. Mostly, the weeds sprout from the seeds you add to your lawn as a sod seed. Weeds can also grow from another way, naturally from beneath the ground between sod.
Weeds can also grow from the seams between the pieces of the lawn sod. Many possibilities make the weeds sprout out in your lawn in new sod.
- It is uncommon for weeds to grow in the new high-quality sod.
- Mostly, the weeds sprout out from the already present seeds of your yard.
- High-quality and premium grass types grow without fear of weeds.
- Weeds mostly take over the struggling or weak sod.
- If you do not prepare your yard before installing the new sod, weeds will likely sprout through the sod.
If you want to eliminate the weeds from your lawn, then taking a few steps against them is important to stop their growth. Ensuring that your lawn is weed-free will help the lawn sod and plants grow without battling with grassy weeds and broadleaf.
Ways to Get Rid of the Weeds from New Sod
Weeds can destroy the appearance of your lawn, so it is important to get rid of them as early as possible. If you take a few steps before laying the new sod on your lawn, you will set your lawn weed-free. You can properly install sod, then after installation, frequently water it so that the roots grow quickly. Here are those steps:
1. Kill Weeds Before Installing the Sod
You should need to prepare the lawn in advance before laying the sod, such as applying pre-emergent herbicides. Consider using an effective pre-emergent herbicide from a popular brand and weed and feed new sod e.g., Roundup. If you do not have Roundup herbicide at home, using the organic weed killer will also help eliminate weeds.
Since you will be removing the existing grass to install the new one, apply the weed-killer freely to all lawn parts. The proper way to apply weed killer to your lawn is given below:
1. If there are some prominent weeds in your lawn, then spray post-emergent weed killer on them.
2. For the instant results, using Roundup weed-killer herbicide is the best option for your lawn.
3. But if you do not want to use any chemical herbicide then organic weed killers can help too.
4. Apply the weed killer within 14 days of installing the new sod on your lawn. Give some time to the weed killer to kill all the weeds, and then move on to the next step.
After all the process, you still have to wait for 14 days to observe the end of all weeds in your lawn. It will also ensure no lingering herbicide in the soil when you install the new sod. Moreover, it is essential to remove the previously laid so before installing the new one so that it may not harm your new sod.
2. Remove Old Grass and Weeds
Before installing the new sod on your lawn, removing previous plant materials is important. Even if you have removed the previous sod and weeds from your lawn, there is a thin layer of plant material left in the lawn that will harm your new sod. Make sure to get rid of this plat layer also. The new sod will not build or grow its roots until this layer is on the ground.
So, use the sod cutter and remove all the plant material layer from your lawn ground. However, if you do not have a sod cutter, rent it from someone to cut the weeds, grass, and plant material. If there is an old grass layer on the ground, the new sod will not spread or take root until that layer is present. Whether the grass is alive or dead, it harms the new sod.
3. Till the Soil
The next step before installation of new sod is to till the soil of your lawn. You can take the help of a rototiller for this purpose. If you have one at home, use it, but if you do not, rent it from any hardware store. To start the process first till the soil up to 6 inches deep. When you lose up the soil the roots of weeds start to break. After that, the roots of new sod prevent their growth again.
This process also softens the soil, hence the roots of new sod will spread quickly. Furthermore, loosening the soil will break up the roots of the weeds and old grass, resulting in fewer weeds in the lawn. This step needs careful execution because it sets up the base of your lawn for new sod and weed elimination.
4. Water, Wait, and Kill New Weeds
Sometimes during the tilling of lawns, the dormant seeds of weeds appear on the top surface of the soil. It can result in future weeds in your sod, which will frustrate you. To make the healthy growth of your new sod and prevent weeds, water your new sod 2-3 times a day. You have to continue watering it for the next 2-3 weeks.
So, you need to kill the emerging weeds with the help of any effective weed killer such as Roundup. After that, when the weeds start sprouting in a lawn, you can use any weed killer to kill the weeds from your lawn. Roundup is the best option for killing weeds. You can also avoid weed germination by regularly watering the lawn 2 to 3 times a day.
When you spray any weed killer, the next step is to wait for at least 14 days. Because after that period, weeds die out completely. You can do it during the preparation to lay new sod on the lawn. As a result, it will not only kill the present weeds but also prevent weeds germination in the new sod.
5. Set Your Sod Up
Now, when you already kill all the previously grown weeds, now check whether the lawn is ready for the new sod or not. If there is not enough soil in the lawn, then add up more soil including the topsoil and compost for nutrient-enriched lawn soil. In addition, level the soil for a smooth finish. The next step should be providing fertilizer to the lawn, for this you can use any lawn grass fertilizer or a starter fertilizer. It does not have many chemicals in it so it’s good for the new sod.
This lawn fertilization will not only help the new sod to set in but also prevent the growth of new weeds. However, first read all the instructions on the fertilizer bag and then apply in the right amounts as mentioned. This step will enhance the growth of new sod and soon you will witness vibrant grass on your lawn. After a few days of installation, you will see fresh, thick, and lush grass.
6. Keep the Sod Moist
After installing the new sod on the fertilized ground of your lawn, the next most important step is to keep your lawn sod moist. If your sod has become dry, it will start forming cracks and shrink in between the individual pieces of sod. These gaps help weeds start growing in the empty spaces or cracks.
So, the only option to prevent this problem is to water your new sod lawn:
1. When you installed the new sod, now water the lawn in a good amount.
2. Keep this watering routine for at least 14 days from the installation. However, remember to water it only in the morning and late afternoon.
3. Make sure to water for 10 minutes daily.
4. After 2 weeks, water your new sod lawn in the morning for 20 minutes.
5. When the 2 weeks passed, now reduce the watering frequency. It will help if you water the lawn 2 times a week.
Just make sure that the newly laid sod remains moist, so water your lawn accordingly. If you follow the watering schedule mentioned in this step, your grass will not dry out. Proper watering will encourage the strong and healthy growth of the new sod and its roots. This step is essential to stop the growth of weeds.
7. Avoid Herbicides for the First Month
If you see some weeds growing in your new sod lawn, never use the weed-killer herbicide to kill them immediately. New sod is always sensitive in the first month, so using the weed and feeding new sod pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides will harm the growth of the sod. So, to avoid any harm to the newly grown grass, manually remove the weeds by hand pulling them.
Removing the weeds by hand will protect new grass from the chemicals of herbicides and protect the grass during an early stage of growth. So, remove the weeds by hand at the early stage of grass growth. You can spray weed killers or herbicides on the lawn after up to one month of sod installation.
However, make sure that you are using a safe and effective herbicide which do not bring potential harm to the new sod. Consult with any professional or expert to know which weed killer suits your lawn. Keep in mind that you have to choose the suitable and best weed-killer herbicide to kill the weeds.
Consider using a herbicide specifically made for the grass type of your lawn. Always read the instruction labels carefully to use the selective herbicide which does not harm the new sod of lawns.
Conclusion
If you are a gardener, then weeds must be frightening you in your new lawn sod. Many gardeners face this problem but do not know how to eliminate those weeds without harming the sod. Reading the article must have given you 7 easy steps to help you eliminate the weeds from your new sod and ensure its healthy and efficient growth. Make sure to follow the steps carefully if you want success getting rid of weed in new sod.
FAQs
1. How Do You Manage Newly Laid Sod?
You can manage your newly laid sod and prevent weeds by watering it regularly. Start watering your sod early morning after sunrise and give proper time to the sod to allow the roots to soak up all the moisture from the soil. Never water your newly sodded lawn in the evening or around sundown. When the sun is down, the roots absorb the water slowly, leading the sod to overwater.
2. How Can You Stop New Weeds from Growing?
It is not difficult to get rid of weeds from your new sod. You only have to follow a few steps to make your lawn healthy and fresh. These steps include cultivate with caution, applying pre-emergent in lawn, mulching the beds and planting a cover etc.
3. Which Are the Best Fertilizers to Use on the New Sod?
A phosphorus-rich fertilizer is best to apply on the newly laid sod. However, its usage depends on the type of soil and climate.