# Month old sod turning brown



## Yardley (Oct 10, 2011)

Hi All, I had sod installed a month ago and I am seeing a lot of brown. I will post some pictures below for reference. Before installing the sod, the ground was tilled and started fertilizer was applied, most of the roots grew in by the second week and the sod looked great for the first two to three weeks but now its not looking so great and I am wondering what to do. 

I should mention that I have done a few things that might have not been healthy. After about two weeks I started to walk on it often to finish working/planting on the rest of the yard. I also had to walk on it to dig and install mesh around the perimeter because I had skunks digging under the neighbors' fence and tearing up the sod. I have also been using an older reel mover which is kind of dull to mow the lawn, reason being I borrowed it for the time being. 

The pictures where it is browning, is the shortest I have mowed to date. I have been lowering the setting on the reel mower gradually, I didn't cut the grass at all for the first two to two and a half weeks. I also have a problem with squirrels, they have been digging into the ground non stop, I have holes every single morning. 

Any suggestions? It has been raining a lot here in NJ so I wasn't watering the lawn as much the first few weeks. I have never felt the dirt completely dry when touching it so I don't think its under watered. 

This was taken right after installation: 









This was about a week ago:









About a week ago: 









Now:


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Sod needs to be watered heavily for aprox 6 weeks, twice or three times a day, so that it will take root. It does not look bad to me, but probably could use some water, if you have not done so lately.


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## cibula11 (Jan 6, 2007)

Water.....yes....just like greg said at least a couple times a day...once in the morning before the sun gets hot and once in the evening while the sun is going down. I wouldn't mow for a a bit and let it take root. Mowing can be stressful on turf has it's not only trying to take root, but you're cutting it as well.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

NEVER water your lawn towards evening,it causes it to stay wet overnight and that invites bug's you don't want to nest in it and cause you problems,also don't cut it low,and never take off more than 1/3 of the length.


First two pics it looks good,next two not so good.


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## Yardley (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks for the replies guys. Canarywood1, yeah I've read to never water it later in the day, I haven't for the most part. I know that when the skunks were tearing up the sod I would always see worms and grubs beneath, but thats normal right?

The reason I cut it short is that when its longer and I walk on it it feels so fragile and the grass looks squished wherever I walk on it. (not the soil just the grass) I tried to find out what kind of grass I have but the place I bought the sod from was no help. After looking around whenever I go out, I noticed that I don't have the nice really thick looking kind of grass that I was hoping to get. 

Could I apply seeds at this point to get some more growth?


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Yardley said:


> Thanks for the replies guys. Canarywood1, yeah I've read to never water it later in the day, I haven't for the most part. I know that when the skunks were tearing up the sod I would always see worms and grubs beneath, but thats normal right?
> 
> The reason I cut it short is that when its longer and I walk on it it feels so fragile and the grass looks squished wherever I walk on it. (not the soil just the grass) I tried to find out what kind of grass I have but the place I bought the sod from was no help. After looking around whenever I go out, I noticed that I don't have the nice really thick looking kind of grass that I was hoping to get.
> 
> Could I apply seeds at this point to get some more growth?


 
That browning is a clue that something is wrong,more than likely some bug having a feast,get over to HD or Lowes and get something to treat it,and no you don't want to over seed it just get it healthy again,and next year things will look better.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Canarywood1 said:


> NEVER water your lawn towards evening,it causes it to stay wet overnight and that invites bug's you don't want to nest in it and cause you problems,also don't cut it low,and never take off more than 1/3 of the length.
> 
> First two pics it looks good,next two not so good.


Actually that is false. You just do mot want to over water, and if you do water during the day, as long as you give it a good hard soaking, it will be fine.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

gregzoll said:


> Actually that is false. You just do mot want to over water, and if you do water during the day, as long as you give it a good hard soaking, it will be fine.


 

I beg to differ,it should never be done,see link.


http://www.spring-green.com/lawn-watering-tips.aspx


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Hundreds if not thousands of personal & business lawns are warered at night, and they are okay. As long as you tend and care for the sod properly, there is nothing to worry.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Did you water the sod as you were laying it or did you wait until you were all done? Was it fresh to start with? Did you roll it to make sure it made strong contact with the soil?


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## Yardley (Oct 10, 2011)

Any suggestions on what I should do to stop it from getting worse? Some people on other forums are saying it looks like I have a fungus problem. I don't know where to go from here.


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## Yardley (Oct 10, 2011)

Just want to mention that I just went outside and touched the ground in a few places and it feels moist, not super moist but not dry. I haven't watered it today at all since it rained last night.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

First thing you should do is dig up a corner and see if it has rooted at all into the soil. If it is growing only in its own 2" you may be overwatering it. 

If you did not roll it when you laid it down it might be a good idea to try. Use a landscape roller no more than half full. 

You did prep the soil properly before laying the sod right?


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## Yardley (Oct 10, 2011)

sdsester said:


> First thing you should do is dig up a corner and see if it has rooted at all into the soil. If it is growing only in its own 2" you may be overwatering it.
> 
> If you did not roll it when you laid it down it might be a good idea to try. Use a landscape roller no more than half full.
> 
> You did prep the soil properly before laying the sod right?


Yeah the soil was tilled and fertilized. The sod is rooted, I can't lift any of it if I pull on it.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

The only other thing I can think of, is cutting out those areas, and patching with sod scraps. Check with the company you got the sod from and tell them what is going on. They may just have a crew come by after they are done with a job and drop a roll or two of what they had left, as long as it is green and still good by that time. Take a chance and like I stated before, call the place you got the original pallet from and see what they say.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Yardley said:


> Any suggestions on what I should do to stop it from getting worse? Some people on other forums are saying it looks like I have a fungus problem. I don't know where to go from here.


 
There's a good chance of that also, like i said earlier get over to HD and get something to treat it,or it will only get worse.


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