How Long Does It Take Sod to Root? A Guide for Gardeners

Installing sod is a great way to get a new lawn quickly, but how long does it take sod to root? How do you make sure the roots take hold? Whether you’re planning on installing sod soon or are just curious, keep reading! In this post, we’ll look at the factors that influence rooting time and offer some tips for getting your sod off to a strong start.

We all know that sod is a great way to add instant green grass to your yard. But how long does it take for new sod to root? And what can you do to help speed up the process, so your lawn looks lush and beautiful as soon as possible?

There are two steps to the rooting process. First the new sod will grow shallow roots and then deeper root growth occurs. In general, shallow roots will take about two weeks to establish themselves, while deep root growth may take up to six weeks.

This post will go provide more detail about this rooting process and how to care for the sod during that time. The table of contents below shows topics are discussed. Click on the links to go to the section that interests you.

• Preparing Your Soil For Sodding
• Developing Shallow Roots (caring for the sod)
• Developing Deep Roots (caring for the sod)
• How Can I Make My Sod Root Faster?
• How Long Does It Take For Sod Lines To Go Away?
• When Can I Mow My Lawn After Sod Installation?
• How Often Should You Water Newly Laid Sod?
• How Can You Tell If Sod Is Rooted?

Preparing Your Soil

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Before you can install sod, your soil needs to be prepared. In fact, how long it takes sod to root is primarily influenced by how well you’ve prepared the soil. Start by removing any competing plants and weeds, then test the soil to determine if you need to add amendments. A soil test kit can tell you precisely what you need to add, if anything, to get your soil ready for sod.

Once you’ve done that, it is time to break up the soil. You want to rototill to a depth between 4 and 6 inches to loosen the ground and break up any clumps. Then, rake the soil to break down any remaining chunks and level it out.

If your soil is in poor condition, you may need to add more organic matter to help it retain moisture and nutrients.

You can do this by adding mulch, compost, or manure to the soil. Be sure to mix these in well before you start planting your sod.

If the soil is hot and dry, you will want to water the surface before installing the sod. The idea is to moisten the surface so avoid getting the earth too wet.

When Does Sod Start to Root?

Once the soil is ready, you can start installing your sod. But how long does it take for the sod to root? Let’s look at the process in more detail.

How Long Does It Take Sod to Grow Shallow Roots?

New sod will establish shallow roots in about two weeks. This is how long it takes for the roots to begin to spread out and anchor into the underlying soil.

During this time, you should water your lawn daily to make sure the roots stay moist and ensure good root growth. Those developing roots should never be allowed to dry, or you will lose your new grass.

For starters, the soil will be softer than usual. Foot traffic or even light lawn mowers can damage the fragile new grass and stress the plants. It’s also essential to keep everyone off the lawn at this stage.

How Long Does It Take Sod to Grow Deep Roots?

New sod can take four to six weeks to establish deeper roots. Obviously, this is dependent on several factors. Including how well the soil was prepared, how thick the sod is, and what kind of care it gets after installation. Interestingly, thin-cut sod, particularly sod with less soil, will root down faster than thick-cut sod. Interestingly, the roots of thick-cut sod tend to stay in the layer of transplanted soil rather than pushing down into the underlying soil. This causes a delay. When the grassroots are cut, the plants respond by growing new roots.

But in general, it will take about six weeks for the sod to get established and start to draw moisture and nutrients from deep within the soil. At this point you can start to mow the grass.

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How Can I Make My Sod Root Faster?

You can do three main things to encourage your sod to establish roots faster.

1. Lay your sod as soon as it is delivered. Sod can last on the pallet for up to 24 hours, but it is not recommended you leave it that long. Once the exposed roots dry out, the sod will die and not recover. The less stress the sod experiences, the faster it will recover and grow.
2. Lightly roll the sod after installation to eliminate any air pockets between the sod and the underlying soil. The roots over air pockets can dry out, which will kill the grass. Be careful not to use a heavy roller as you don’t want to compact the soil and cause drainage problems. A roller filled with water is best here as you can control the weight and amount of compression.
3. Decrease the frequency of watering after the first two weeks. This will encourage the grass to put down deeper roots. A general rule of thumb is to water deeply and infrequently. The idea is to water to the depth of the root system and then let the lawn dry out between waterings. Scientists learned that moisture stress causes the creation of a plant hormone called abscisic acid (ABA). This hormone slows shoot growth. This means that food and energy are sent to the roots, resulting in a deeper, more extensive root system. You can find a copy of this study here.

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When Is The Best Time to Install Sod?

While sod can be installed nearly any time of the year, certain seasons are easier on the grass and your water bill. Install sod during the late summer to early fall if you’re planting cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses are less demanding and can be installed throughout the year. Remember that if you install new sod during mid-summer, you will likely have to water it extensively.

How Long Does It Take For Sod Lines To Go Away?

Sod is usually laid using a brickwork pattern. If it is done well, you should not see any gaps or ridges from overlaps. However, you will notice the seams between the individual sod pieces when first laid. These will slowly disappear as the sod becomes established and begins growing. The roots need to develop and spread out before the visible seams disappear. This can take between four and six weeks. Installing the sod rolls correctly and providing the proper aftercare will speed up the process.

When Can I Mow My Lawn After Sod Installation?

Use a lightweight push mower for the first few weeks. It is recommended to wait at least two weeks after installation before mowing. This gives the grass time to become established and root into place.

No more than one-third of the grass blade should be removed at any time. If the lawn becomes too long before first mowing, raise the mower’s height and then slowly lower it over a few weeks.

Mow at the recommended height for your grass type. Once the roots are well established, you will not have to water as much, and the soil will firm up. At that point, you can start to use heavier or riding mowers.

How Often Should You Water Newly Laid Sod?

Newly laid sod will require more water than mature grass at first because the new roots have not had time to grow deep into the soil. Watering grass is a fine art.

• Too little water will cause the roots to dry out and die.
• Too much water will drown them and make the grass susceptible to disease.

The sod should be watered immediately following installation. You need to provide enough water to wet the underlying soil. An easy mistake is to stop watering when the surface is wet. Before you stop, you need to check that the water has soaked into the ground below. Use a soil moisture meter and push it through the grass to ensure that the water has penetrated below the sod.

Do not allow the new sod to dry until it has rooted to the underlying soil, which, as we have seen, takes about two weeks. After that, you can decrease the watering and allow the new sod to experience mild moisture stress, as detailed above. This will encourage deeper roots to form.

How Can You Tell If sod Is Rooted?

The best way to determine if the sod has rooted is to gently lift a corner of one piece. If you cannot pull it back, the sod has started to root. You will not encounter any resistance if the sod is not rooted into the underlying soil.

Conclusion

Sod is an excellent option for homeowners who want to create new lawns quickly. Laying sod can be expensive, so you want to provide the best care possible. Hopefully, this guide helped you understand how long it takes sod to root (approximately 6 weeks). We also offered some insight into the two-step process of forming a root system. Shallow roots grow first, and then deeper ones are established. Proper post-installation care is critical to success, so we have touched on that as well. Hopefully, the information will help you make more informed decisions about caring for your new sod and what kind of soil preparation is necessary for success.

Footnotes and Sources

I work in an academic library, so I can access many scientific journals and books. When I write a post, I look at the scientific studies and books and use the information I discover. This post resulted from about 2 hours of research. Here are my sources.

• Davies, W. J., and J. Zhang. 1991. Root signals and the regulation of growth and development of plants in drying soil. Annu.Rev.Plant Physiol. PlantMol.Biol.42:55–76
• Christians, N. E., Patton, A. J., & Law, Q. D. (2016). Fundamentals of turfgrass management. John Wiley & Sons.