How to Care for New St. Augustine Sod (Week by Week)
How to water, mow, and feed new St. Augustine sod so it roots in fast: the first-day soak, the tug test, when to mow, and when it's safe to fertilize and use weed killers.
The short version
- Soak it the day it goes down, then keep it moist with light, frequent watering for the first couple of weeks.
- Use the tug test to know when it's rooted, usually about 2 to 3 weeks in warm weather.
- First mow only after it passes the tug test, at a high setting with a sharp blade.
- Wait to fertilize about a month, and hold off on weed killers until it's established.
Before the sod arrives
- Plan to lay it the day it's delivered. Sod heats up and dies quickly on the pallet.
- Prep the soil: remove old grass and weeds, loosen the top few inches, rake it level, and lightly water the soil before laying.
- Skip pre-emergent on that area beforehand. It can stop new roots from forming. See pre-emergent.
- Lay it tight, staggering seams like bricks with no gaps or overlaps, then roll or press it down for good soil contact.
The watering schedule
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Soak it until the soil underneath is wet several inches down. Lift a corner to check. |
| Weeks 1–2 | Keep the sod and the soil right under it moist. Light, frequent watering, often a couple of times a day in heat. Don't let it dry out in the afternoon sun. |
| Once it passes the tug test | Cut back to deeper watering 2–3 times a week, early morning, so roots grow down. |
| About 4–6 weeks | Treat it like an established lawn: about an inch a week including rain. See how to water St. Augustine. |
Too little water is the most common way new sod dies. Too much leaves it soggy and invites fungus, so once it's rooted, back off.
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The tug test
Grab a corner of a piece of sod and pull up gently. If it lifts easily, it hasn't rooted yet. If it resists, the roots have grabbed the soil. Test several spots, including shady areas and edges, which often root slower. In warm weather, St. Augustine usually passes in about 10 days to 3 weeks. In cooler weather it takes longer.
The first mow
- Wait until it passes the tug test and the surface is dry enough to walk on without leaving deep footprints.
- Sharpen the blade. A dull blade can tear and lift new sod. See how to sharpen a mower blade.
- Set the mower high, at 3½ to 4 inches for standard varieties, and never take more than a third of the blade.
- Use a light push mower for the first few mows if you can, and mow across the seams.
- Water afterward to help it recover.
When to fertilize and spray
- Fertilizer: wait about 30 days, and up to 60 to be safe. New roots burn easily, and sod farms usually fertilize before harvest.
- Weed killers for weeds you can see: wait until you've mowed at least two or three times, and check the label for its new-sod waiting period.
- Pre-emergent: wait until the sod is fully established, ideally a full growing season.
Best time to lay sod
Spring through mid-summer gives St. Augustine the most time to root before winter. Fall sod can work on the Gulf Coast, but it has less growing time left, so be extra careful with water and expect slower rooting. Picking a variety? See St. Augustine varieties compared.
Everything in my St. Augustine program
The fertilizers, weed killers, fungicides, and tools I actually use on my own lawn, with links to buy.