Having sod installed is a way to quickly establish a lush, green lawn on your property. In Illinois, you'll want to install sod in either the fall or spring as these are the two seasons when it will have the best chances of growing successfully. Property owners in Illinois have cool-season grass, so fall is considered the best time to install sod since it provides the ideal temperatures for it to flourish. Spring is another good time because it’s still cool enough for grass to thrive here, but it does bring its own set of challenges that you should be aware of. Now, some people may try to install sod in summer, but the heat makes it difficult for new grass to survive, meaning this season is not a good time to establish a new lawn with sod.

Fall is the best time of year to install sod in Illinois.

Fall is the best time of year to install sod in Illinois. This is because the cooler weather and soil temperatures will help facilitate your sod’s growth and development. But you need to make sure that it’s installed early enough in the fall season, so it has time to establish deep roots in your soil. This is because your grass will need a well-established root zone so that it can endure the harsh winter as it falls into dormancy. With a good root system, your sod will be able to survive the winter, and when it emerges from its sleep, it’ll be ready to grow again once spring arrives!

Spring is the next best time to install sod in Illinois.

Element professionals installed sod for lawn in Moro, IL.

If you’re looking to install sod at a different point in the year, then spring is the next best time to do it in Illinois. Like fall, the weather and soil temperatures are cool enough for grass to thrive, and new sod will be able to create that deep connection in the soil. However, you need to make sure your sod will be fully established before summer arrives so that it can survive the hotter weather. Spring is also the time when weeds start emerging. This becomes a problem for newly installed sod because growing weeds will steal nutrients normally reserved for your new grass, so your sod will have to fight off those weeds, which could weaken it. However, your sod should be able to handle a minor weed infestation and still successfully establish itself in the spring.

Make sure that you are watering your newly installed sod regularly to ensure that it doesn't dry out!

Avoid installing sod in the summer in Illinois.

If you’re thinking about installing sod in the summer—don’t! Summer in Illinois is a challenging time for cool-season grass to grow because of the heat. Since the weather is so hot, new sod will be battling against the heat while trying to grow. It won’t have an established root zone yet, meaning there is a good chance that your sod could wither and die. Now, while it’s still possible for your sod to survive in summer with the proper care and attention, it's best to wait until things cool down in fall to install sod so that it has the highest chance of successfully growing.

Give us a call today to schedule our sod installation service!

Professional from Element installing sod for a client in Roxana, IL.

Whether you need your sod installed in fall or spring, we’ve got you covered! At Element Turf & Outdoor Solutions, LLC, we can instantly give you that lush, green lawn of your dreams. We’ll prepare your lawn for you by removing any remaining grass and debris before the installation so that your sod will have the best chance to establish itself on your property. We service properties in the Alton, IL area, including areas like Godfrey, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, and Maryville. Give us a call today at (618) 467-7047 to schedule our sod installation service!