How Long Do You Have to Wait to Mow New Sod?

Sod is one way for property owners to have a lush green lawn right away without waiting for grass seed to germinate and grow. However, you need to take care of the sod and mow it at appropriate times.

Sod

• Sod comes rolled up in 18 inch wide pieces 6 feet long and 1 inch thick. Each piece of sod is unrolled onto prepared soil, free of weeds, rocks and debris. After planting the sod, the roots will need time to take hold before mowing.

Watering

• Sod is watered on a schedule for the first four weeks. During this time, the roots are growing and rooting into the ground below the sod. The sod must be dry for at least a day before it is mowed to prevent pulling the sod roots out of the ground below.

Mowing

• Mow sod about two to three weeks after planting and performing a watering schedule. The sod should be a height of 3 to 4 inches before you mow it. The first few times the sod is mowed, only 1/3 inch is taken off of the top. Mowing too short can cause the sod to burn out. To get the recommended 2-inch grass-blade height from a 4-inch-high grass-blade lawn, mow every two or three days while only removing 1/3 inch each time.