# Impact of Heavy Rain in Middle of Soil Prep for New Sod



## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

Hello,

I am new to this forum and have joined to hopefully step up my lawn game. I'm always envious of well manicured lawns. I have a situation regarding a part of my back yard that I am about to re-sod with St. Augustine. About 8-900 sq.ft.

I have already done an initial tilling (by hand with a shovel). I've also had about 5 cubic yards of compost delivered to my house, still yet to be put down, tilled in with a rototiller and leveled. I covered it last night as we got some rain and I was trying to avoid making it super heavy. Originally I was going lay sod this coming Saturday, but now we are supposed to have storms all weekend. The sod farm has delayed delivery until next week because of the rain we had last night.

The rain has left me with some questions on the correct order of operations, so that my soil is in optimal condition when I sod.

Should I leave the compost covered and spread it after it rains and after the ground dries out? Then rototill, level and lay sod?
OR
Should I lay compost, rototill and level tomorrow, prior to the rain? That way it will be well mixed before it rains. Then lay sod the following weekend.
OR
Should I lay compost on top, and not mix or level, waiting for it to rain? Then after it rains and dries out, rototill, level and lay sod?
OR
Is there a better option?

Thank you in advance. If any further information is needed, please let me know.

-Jonathan
_Location: Central Texas
Front Yard: Zoysia (2,000 sq.ft)
Back Yard: St. Augustine (800 sq.ft.)_


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## grassland (Mar 7, 2019)

You could wait to put the compost down just before laying sod. I don't know how heavy the rain is going to be, but you will probably have to even out the soil after it rains either way (not a big deal). If you have depressions and mounds in your yard now, you can rake just the dirt level and allow the rain to further level it. Then, you can come back and add more soil and compost to make it truely even.

But, there is nothing wrong with tilling it, mixing in the compost, and leveling it now. Just know that (depending on how much rain you get) you are going to have to rake it again to make it even. The plus side of this is the rain water will show you where water puddles form or runs off. If I am sodding a large area, I usually like rain to soak it and show me where I need to move soil. I also saturate the soil or run the sprinklers if the dirt is dry. Leveled dry dirt can be misleading before it gets wet and compacts down. The only thing I would say is if you are going to till, doing it before it rains might be the best option because of all the loose dirt.

Either option will work. I wouldn't put down the compost and leave it until after the rain. The compost will shift and pool, which might cause different growth and color in spots. In my opinion, if you are adding anything other plain dirt, it needs to be spread evenly across the area. So best bet for that is to either mix in the compost now with the tilled dirt and level it out or wait to spread the compost after it rains before you lay the sod. Otherwise, the compost is going to seeking the lowest areas and pool there.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I would not have tilled. But since you have, I see the rain as beneficial in getting out air pockets and having it settle down.

When the compost decomposes unevenly you will get high and low spots in your lawn.


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## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

Thank you Grassland and SCGrassMan. I accidentally responded to the wrong thread in my follow-up. I ended up spreading the compost out and evening a bit. We ended up getting very heavy rain. I have several days until my sod arrives, so I am going to rototill and level once the soil dries out a little bit. Hopefully this will even out the compost.

Since I neglected to get a soil test done prior to this, and my sod is already ordered, what would you recommend that I still put down a starter fertilizer and some lime? Or get my soil tested and then fertilize several weeks after laying the sod?

Thank You,
-Jonathan


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## drewwitt (Jun 25, 2018)

Soil tests are good, but I like to wait a season after sodding. It's not the end of the world and I feel that it helps to get things established and settled before I get a soil reading. Ph is probably the biggest thing to look for.

I'm in south Texas and really like the lesco starter fert that my Home Depot sells. It's marketed for Texas lawns and the heat. I think it's a 15-5-10 with iron.

I like Milo but wouldn't depend on it for the beginning. It's too slow and won't give your grass the jump it needs off the bat. In May? Yes.


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## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

The Lesco fertilizer seems like a good option, even though I do have some Milo laying around. What is the best method of adding Lesco when sodding? Use a spreader on top of the soil? Till it in a few inches with the compost (since I already need to till a little)? Water in the sod after its been put down?

I just want to make sure I am using it optimally. Thank you again!


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## grassland (Mar 7, 2019)

In my opinion, you don't have to fert brand new sod right away. It has already been feed, loved, and babied at the turf farm. The most important thing it needs is water. Don't forget that you already added compost to the soil, so the soil has rich injection of nutrients. And because you added compost, you don't need to put down milo. Others may disagree with me, but with compost and water, the sod will grow nicely.

There's all sorts of information on how phosphorus helps turf establish roots, but the most important thing is water. I don't believe in putting fert down immediately or even before laying sod. Those roots need time to punch through that layer of cut dirt and work down into the soil. Just water, water, water. Once the sod is tacked down and there are enough roots connecting with the soil, then your can fert. Maybe in 2-4 weeks. I would put down a starter fertilizer like @drewwit recommended using a broadcast spreader.

I agree not to worry about the soil test, especially since you put down compost. The thing you need to worry about is fungus/brown leaf spot. That can destroy or seriously stunt your sod quickly. With summer around the corner with all the heat and humidity, in addition to the water you are going to putting down, brown leaf spot will probably kick in at some point. Whenever I put new sod down, I usually thrown down a granular fungicide within 10 days of laying the sod. With that, I've never had an issue with my St Aug. I just use stuff from Home depot or Lowes...something easy to keep the disease at bay.


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## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

grassland said:


> In my opinion, you don't have to fert brand new sod right away. It has already been feed, loved, and babied at the turf farm. The most important thing it needs is water. Don't forget that you already added compost to the soil, so the soil has rich injection of nutrients. And because you added compost, you don't need to put down milo. Others may disagree with me, but with compost and water, the sod will grow nicely.
> 
> There's all sorts of information on how phosphorus helps turf establish roots, but the most important thing is water. I don't believe in putting fert down immediately or even before laying sod. Those roots need time to punch through that layer of cut dirt and work down into the soil. Just water, water, water. Once the sod is tacked down and there are enough roots connecting with the soil, then your can fert. Maybe in 2-4 weeks. I would put down a starter fertilizer like @drewwit recommended using a broadcast spreader.
> 
> I agree not to worry about the soil test, especially since you put down compost. The thing you need to worry about is fungus/brown leaf spot. That can destroy or seriously stunt your sod quickly. With summer around the corner with all the heat and humidity, in addition to the water you are going to putting down, brown leaf spot will probably kick in at some point. Whenever I put new sod down, I usually thrown down a granular fungicide within 10 days of laying the sod. With that, I've never had an issue with my St Aug. I just use stuff from Home depot or Lowes...something easy to keep the disease at bay.


Excellent summary! Thank you.

Last Friday I laid down the sod and DID NOT add fertilizer. I read that during the heavy watering phase, a lot of the fertilizer gets washed away. My goal is to fertilize around 3-4 weeks from that point. I feel like I may have over watered the first few days. I hope that does not cause me any issues.

Regarding the granular fungicide, I hadn't though of that. That's a good idea. Its been 4 days, so I'll go pick up some and add it in the next few days.


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## grassland (Mar 7, 2019)

Sounds good! No need to worry about over-watering during the first few days. You need to keep the soil underneath nice and wet. You probably gave it exactly what it needs. When I put down pieces of sod, I water twice a day for a week, then once a day for a week, then once weekly as apart of regular lawn irrigation, unless it is showing signs of stress. If you sodded your entire lawn, that much water can be expensive, so you can get away with watering 3 times a week (again only for entire lawns). If its small enough to hand water with a hose, I stick with first routine.

You are correct that all the watering will wash away the fertilizer. Good move to fert after about a month.


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## drewwitt (Jun 25, 2018)

grassland said:


> The thing you need to worry about is fungus/brown leaf spot. That can destroy or seriously stunt your sod quickly. With summer around the corner with all the heat and humidity, in addition to the water you are going to putting down, brown leaf spot will probably kick in at some point.


THIS!!!!!

Getting a bottle of propiconazole from do your own or Scott's disease ex would be a small expense but huge life saver!

Disease comes into play when you have 1) zoysia, 2) season transition, 3) humidity, or 4) lots of water. You will have all four. I'd bet on it like I'd bet on the Dallas Cowboys not winning a Super Bowl with Jerry Jones as the GM. I'm not bitter.


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## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

drewwitt said:


> grassland said:
> 
> 
> > The thing you need to worry about is fungus/brown leaf spot. That can destroy or seriously stunt your sod quickly. With summer around the corner with all the heat and humidity, in addition to the water you are going to putting down, brown leaf spot will probably kick in at some point.
> ...


The new sod that I put down is St. Augustine. My Zoysia is in my front yard, which I am actually trying to rehab right now. Its starting to look better, especially after the rain over the past few weeks.

Can I use propiconazole for both types of sod, or do they each have different needs?

On a side note, as a Buffalo Bills fan, I look forward to watching us destroy the Cowboys on Thanksgiving day this year.


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## drewwitt (Jun 25, 2018)

Here's the label: https://www.domyown.com/msds/Propiconazole_14_3_Label1.pdf

I quickly scanned it but didn't see any warnings for certain turfs. I would assume it's okay for Saint Aug.


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## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

drewwitt said:


> Here's the label: https://www.domyown.com/msds/Propiconazole_14_3_Label1.pdf
> 
> I quickly scanned it but didn't see any warnings for certain turfs. I would assume it's okay for Saint Aug.


Excellent. It looks like the best deal is for the Quali-Pro brand for 1 gallon on Amazon for $93.53. (0.73/oz). It is 0.5 oz per 1 gallon for 1000 sqft, so I'd have to do the math on how many gallons per 1k sqft I would need to determine how much I would need for an application. Plus go through process of mixing.

The Scott's Disease Ex is $19 for a 10 lb bag on Amazon. This treats up to 5000 sqft, which would be good for 1 application for me.

Ultimately, is Propiconazole 14.3 that much better than a pre-mix? And worth the effort of mixing? Ultimately I don't mind, but if it is marginally better, I'm not sure it is worth the effort.


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Just curious what are you using to mow your st Augustine?

I know you are new to the forum. it hasn't been said but I am going to say it. 
You didn't know and ignorance is bliss but I have to say 2 things were done that should traditionally be avoided when trying to renovate and lay sod. 
This is just so that others reading the thread can be informed.

1) You should at all cost try to avoid tilling the soil. This goes against intuition because farmers do it all the time. However tilling the soil introduces air pockets and uneven layers into the ground. There is no way to control how deep you till the soil. Some layers may be 5 inches deep. Other 8-10 inches deep. You won't see results right away because tilling does make it easy to make everything soft and easy to level. However settling will occur. It might not be this season but next season. When the soil starts to settle it will settle uneven. The 8 inches of tilling may settle into a valley and the 5 inches of tilling may not settle any. Resulting in bumps and grooves. 
Harley Rakes are what is recommended because it produces a consistent depth when disturbing the soil.

2) Compost is usually not recommend. Again it goes against intuition because farmers use it all the time.
Why?
It is very difficult unless you purchase very high end compost to Not have compost at various stages of decomposition. So everything is smooth now but 2 months from now in the heat of decomposition you will have areas the breakdown quickly resulting in a valley and area with a lot of wood scraps may break down more slowly resulting in a hill. Again over time this can lead to an uneven bumpy lawn. 
Also was the compost pile smoking or hot before you added it to you yard? If so then it hadn't finished decomposing. Thus it could produce heat an actually kill the sod. Wood chips have actually been known to set houses on fire because they get so hot during decomposition ( depending on how much and how deep layer of compost was used) Lastly when wood scraps decompose it can use up nitrogen from the surrounding area robbing your grass of nitrogen.

With all this said you have St Augustine Grass so you are not going to mow it very low like you can do with Bermuda. This unevenness may not be seen with tall cut grass. 
However it may eventually become a very unpleasant mowing experience. (especially if you have a riding mower)

Solutions?
Use a sod roller to roll your sod to help it settle from tilling. 
Start topdressing your lawn with sand and only fine sand ( not fill dirt)
Wait for decomposition to occur

This is just a long explanation of what @SCGrassMan mentioned above

I didn't want to write this post but I am a straight shooters and I would want someone to tell me. I would not want you to be surprised either.

Every yard is different hopefully you will prove me wrong


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## Mack Wonder (Apr 4, 2019)

Tellycoleman said:


> Just curious what are you using to mow your st Augustine?
> 
> I know you are new to the forum. it hasn't been said but I am going to say it.
> You didn't know and ignorance is bliss but I have to say 2 things were done that should traditionally be avoided when trying to renovate and lay sod.
> ...


Thank you for the straight to the point input! I always find that to be the best advice.

Fortunately, through this process I have learned a lot of things, and those lessons ring true with exactly what you are saying.

1. I need a better mower. I've had it for a very long time and it certainly doesn't cut high enough for St. Augustine. This is on my near-future to-do list.

2. Tilling. I didn't learn that I should not until after I had already done it. But I am sort of glad that I did. I was able to get a lot of rock out of the soil. Our area is very rocky. I was also able to clear a lot of miscellaneous crap that had been buried in the lawn by previous owners. Since I can't unring this bell, I will just have to see what happens and adjust accordingly.

3. Compost. I actually did purchase somewhat high-end compost. Super even consistency (small) with no big chunks at all. And it wasn't hot at all. I've gotten mulch from the city before for my flowerbeds/bushes, and that was hot and steamy. This was not even remotely comparable. Ultimately I am comfortable with my decision to use compost. With the ground being very rocky with not so great soil.

4. Regarding a roller, I actually did roll the soil prior to and immediately after laying the sod. This was as a result of my trying to fix my tilling error. If I start to notice lumpiness moving forward, I may roll again.

5. Top-dressing with sand. Also on my list.

Thanks again!


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Awesome dude. So Are you ready to make you own YouTube grass videos? I would love to see you chronicle your experiences. Lol lol 
Seems like your on the right tract with you lawn. I won't even begin to tell you the mistakes I made. Ohhh jesus


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