How To: Lay sod for a perfect lawn

The quickest way to get a gorgeous lawn is to lay sod, uniform patches of grass-covered soil held together by matted roots. It will go more smoothly if you know a few landscaping tricks. Learn how to lay sod for a perfect lawn with this how to video.

You Will Need
* A soil test
* A garden hoe
* A starter fertilizer
* A lawn spreader
* Sod
* A lawn roller
* A power tiller
* Topsoil
* A knife or hand cutter
* A can
* A string and stakes

Step 1: Prep the land
Till your soil with a garden hoe and remove sticks and stones. Consider a power garden tiller if you have a lot of land. Then, apply starter fertilizer with a lawn spreader.

Step 2: Test the soil
Test your soil to find out what nutrients it needs. Garden centers sell DIY kits, or you can arrange a test through your local Extension Service.

Step 3: Start on the straight and narrow
Put down the first row of sod along a straight line, like the edge of a driveway. If your yard is uneven all around, create a straight line by tying a string between 2 stakes.

Step 4: Stagger the strips
Stagger the rows of sod the way bricklayers arrange bricks. As you put down each roll, tuck the edges into the next one as tightly as possible without overlapping them. Spaces between sod strips can cause the edges to die, turning them brown.

Step 5: Keep it moist
Water once a day for 10 min for the next 3 weeks. After that, give it about an inch and a half of water over a week.

Step 6: Roll over them
Press the sod into the soil with a weighted lawn roller. This will help knit it into the soil.

Step 7: Start mowing
Wait until your new grass is about 5 in tall before mowing it for the first time; then keep it between 2-3 in.

Step 8: Pick the right time
Ask your local gardening center or check with the Cooperative Extension System, a national agricultural network. Find the nearest Extension office on the USDA web site.