If you just had sod installed on your property in Illinois, you're probably thrilled with the fact that you have a new lawn that provides instant beauty. However, while your new lawn will look great from day one, it still needs time to establish itself before you can use it like normal. When it comes to mowing your new sod for the first time, you should wait at least 2 weeks so that the sod can establish deep roots in the soil. When it's time to mow your sod for the first time, you'll want to cut back on watering just before the mow so that the soil can firm up and you want to make sure that you mow higher than you normally would so that you don't cause too much stress to the new sod.

Wait at least 2 weeks after installation before you mow your new sod.

Push mower in sod lawn in East Alton, IL.

While you might be eager to mow your sod soon after it's installed, you need to wait at least 2 weeks before doing so. That's because while your lawn will look great directly after it's installed, it still needs time to establish its roots down into the soil. Mowing your sod before its roots are established can cause stress and damage to your sod. How long it takes for your sod to establish deep roots will depend on certain factors like the weather. A good way to determine if your sod is ready to be mowed is to gently pull on the sod. If the sod holds firmly to the ground, it means that the roots are established and you can go ahead and mow your new sod for the first time.

Mow higher than normal during the first mow to reduce stressing your new sod.

After 2 weeks have passed and your new sod has established roots in your soil, it's finally time to mow your sod for the first time. However, you don't want to mow your lawn like you normally would because cutting too much of your sod at this point can stress it out, potentially causing damage to it. For the best results, you'll want to set your mower to the highest setting so you minimize the amount of stress your new sod will have to endure. To ensure you don't stress out your new sod too much, you should follow the 1/3 rule. This rule states that you should never cut more than 1/3 off the top of your grass blades during a single mow. If you stick to this rule, your sod should be able to successfully handle the first mow.

Make sure that the mower blades on your mower are sharp because dull blades can rip and tear your grass, which can damage your new sod!

Cut back on watering just before the first mow so your soil can firm up.

Hand watering newly installed sod in East Alton, IL.

While watering your new sod frequently is essential to ensuring that it grows successfully, you'll want to cut back on watering your sod in the days leading up to the first mow. This will allow the soil to firm up, so you can mow your lawn without damaging it. If your sod is too soft during the first mow, you could pull out the roots, causing significant damage to your sod. If you cut back on watering your sod in the days leading up to the mow and your sod is nice and firm, you should have no problems when mowing it.

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

If you're looking to get a beautiful new lawn from scratch, our sod installation service is just what you need! We offer this service to property owners in Alton, Godfrey, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, IL and throughout the surrounding areas. Give us a call today at (618) 467-7047 to schedule our sod installation service!