I'm getting ready to put new sod down in the next couple weeks and I need to know what order to do some steps. Here is what I'm planning on doing:

1. Remove dead sod.
2. Till up existing soil.
3. Spread new topsoil/compost on top of existing soil.
4. Till again to mix up new and existing soil, and make sure grading is correct.
5. Put fertilizer and lime down (I had soil tested, and I need lime). Sould I add the fertilizer and lime before the tilling in step four?
6. Do I need to go over the tilled soil with a roller before putting sod down, or will that compact it too much?
7. Bring in the sod

Is this the correct order? Is there anything I missed.

1. There is no good reason to remove the dead sod, it can be tilled in to help provide some needed organic matter.
2. an unnecessary step.
3. you do not need "topsoil" which is 95 percent, the mineral portion of your soil, of what you already have and only 5 percent of what you really need, organic matter.
4. Get and till in some compost, leaf mold, some organic matter.
5. Never, ever spread lime and "fertilizer" at the same time. If a good, reliable soil test tells you that lime is needed add it before tilling so it is mixed into the soil.
6. Level, but do not roll your planting bed before putting the sod down. rolling can compact the soil enough so the sod roots cannot penetrate that bed.
7. Lay the sod.

Kimm's suggestions are right on. The only thing I would add, and sod laying companies do it all the time, is to roll after you have layed the sod. Do it when the soil is pretty much dry. If it's wet your feet and roller will sink in and make ruts.

Rolling after does 2 things; 1) It puts the sod in good contact with the soil. 2) It helps compact the fluffed soil to reduce time until you can walk on it. Since the soil will be tilled it will be loose. Rolling after the sod is laid will reduce that loose-ness the same as watering will over about a 2 week period. But it will not compact the soil to a point of reducing water and air percolation. Actually watering and rain will compact it more than a roller, particularly after tilling and sodding.

Here's a hint. After laying the sod, or have someone go around as you lay it, with some soil to fill the "cracks" between sods. It helps to keep the sod edges from drying out to fast and gives roots somewhere to spread into. I've laid sod before and regardless how tight I try to make it, gaps occur. Particularly when butting up ends.

EDIT: Don't forget to to keep the new sod moist to wet, but not soaked. And stay off it until when you step on it, you don't sink. When it firms up, it's ready. And please do not use peat moss. It's adds no nutrient value to the soil. Compost organics will keep the soil loose enough for water and air and adds excellent nutrient value. If you feel you must fertilize do so after the 3rd or 4th cutting (4-6 weeks) and do so lightly.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Now What,

Well, I called the Sod Farm where we are going to order the sod from, and the guy there said that NO tilling was needed. He said tilling the existing sod could bring weed seeds up, and he said its also not necessary to till the topsoil/compost into the existing soil.

He said just remove the existing sod, put down a few inches of topsoil/compost, smooth it out and bring in the sod. This goes against everything I've read that recommends tilling, but he insists its not necessary and he's with a large sod growing farm in my area.

I called back later to make sure I wasn't just talking to some guy there who answers phones, and when I asked to speak to someone who knew what I need to do to prepare for sod, I was put through to him...so he must be the "expert" there.

quote:

there is topsoil and there is topsoil...so make your choice with quality in mind.

How do I know if its quality topsoil?

The places I'm looking at online actually a mixture. For example, one place has a "blended soil" which is a mix of garden mulch, sand loam, top soil, and manure.

Sorry, I thought you wanted to till.

The fellow at the sod farm is right, you don't have to till. But, tilling is a better option for those wanting a better base, a thicker, deeper root mass. Sod guys know their stuff, but they (the ones I know) rely on chemical fertilizers and push the grass to grow. The best home lawn has a thick rich base.

After any landscape work weeds are bound to grow. Pluck em as they appear then they're not really a problem.

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Originally posted by dnamertz:
How do I know if its quality topsoil?

The places I'm looking at online actually a mixture. For example, one place has a "blended soil" which is a mix of garden mulch, sand loam, top soil, and manure.

On the bag the percentages of each ingredient should be listed. Mulch and composted manure should be near half. But check prices, it might be cheaper to buy soil and compost/manure separately.

quote:

Sorry, I thought you wanted to till.

The fellow at the sod farm is right, you don't have to till. But, tilling is a better option for those wanting a better base, a thicker, deeper root mass.

I don't want to till, but if it will give me a better lawn then I will. He made it sound like it was pointless.

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On the bag the percentages of each ingredient should be listed. Mulch and composted manure should be near half.

Is "mulch" something specific, or does it contain a variety of things?

Tilling might bring up some long dormant "weed" seeds, adn that is one of the reasons behind the No Till school of thought. Since you have laready killed to grass and any "weeds" growing there and since you want to add organic matter to that soil tilling in that now dead grass will do that.
As I stated earlier "topsoil" will be 95 percent of what you already have, the mineral portion of your soil and only 5 percent of what you need, organic matter. Spending money on "topsoil" is a waste because you can make your own "topsoil" by adding enough organic matter to what you have, for less money.
If you needed 5 yards of "topsoil" to cover this area 4 inches deep (the usual recommendation) and it costs $22.00 per yard, plus delivery and you could get compost, leaf mold, for the same price and would only need 1 yard of that to mix into the top 4 inches of what you have which is the better deal?

quote:

As I stated earlier "topsoil" will be 95 percent of what you already have, the mineral portion of your soil and only 5 percent of what you need, organic matter. Spending money on "topsoil" is a waste because you can make your own "topsoil" by adding enough organic matter to what you have, for less money.
If you needed 5 yards of "topsoil" to cover this area 4 inches deep (the usual recommendation) and it costs $22.00 per yard, plus delivery and you could get compost, leaf mold, for the same price and would only need 1 yard of that to mix into the top 4 inches of what you have which is the better deal?

I'm not sure if I trust the already existing soil. One of my neighbors reseeded his lawn two years ago and its now a lumpy mess (and he takes care of his yard) and another neighbor re-soded a couple years ago and its lumpy now too. My lawn is the same way, but we moved in 6 months ago and I don't know what care the previous owners gave to the lawn.

The more people I talk to, the more different answers I get. Some people are saying to only till before putting new soil on, others are saying only till after putting the new soil on to mix it in.

Another question I have is how many times per day do I need to water after laying the sod, how long each time (assuming its not raining)?

How often and how long depends on too many factors for anyone to give you more than a general rule of thumb of as necessary. Weather determines how often as well as how long, cool and wet weather mean you water less that hot, windy, dry weather. Water often enough, given your weather conditions, to get that grass established.
Lawns can become "lumpy" for many reasons that have little to do with initial preparation. Moles, gophers, voles and other wee critters tunneling can create lumps, freezing and thawing of the soil can create heaving that appears as lumpy, uneven turf, it may well have nothing to do with what you did.
Tilling is a very controversial subject, mostly misunderstood by everyone. As an initial preparation method for many things tilling can be good, depending on your soil, what you are getting ready to do as well as the results you want. If your soil is a dense clay, tilling and working in organic matter can make it easier for your new sod to root into that since often sod layed over a compacted clay soil never roots into the soil under it. However, tilling a sandy soil, except to mix in organic matter, is not something that is necessary since that soil seldom compacts so much that grasses cannot root in it.