How to know:
When choosing sod for your project, it’s always good to do a little due-diligence on the health of the sod before you have it installed. Here are a few tips to help you identify if your sod is healthy and ready to be installed!
Healthy Sod will be dirt side out
On the rolls of Sod, check and see if the dirt side of the sod is rolled on the outside. The grass should be rolled inside of the roll in order to help protect it until the sod is ready to be installed. Pro Tip: Do not purchase sod if the grass is rolled to the outside. This is a pretty good indicator that the sod has not been stored/taken care of properly.
Healthy Sod will be at least 1 inch thick
Take a ruled and measure the thickness of the sod. Matured and healthy pieces of sod should be at least 1 inch thick to have the established root system needed to ensure the integrity of the installation. Take a look at the dirt side of the sod to see whether it has visible and interlocking roots.
Healthy sod will have a consistent green color
Visually inspect the grass side of the sod. What you are looking for is that the sod has bright green blades that are uniform in color. Different sod types will varying degrees of “greenness”. The lengths of the blades should be relatively consistent as well. You should pass on sod that has yellow (depending on the season and grass type).
Healthy Sod will be free of weeds and insects
You obviously want to make sure that the sod you select is free of weeds or insects. Sod that has weeds growing among the blades can spread the weeds throughout your yard. Insects can damage your sod before it has a chance to take root, and can be troublesome to remove later. It’s of course better to start with a clean canvas!
Healthy sod will be moist
Check for moisture in the sod. Run your hand along the bottom of the sod to see whether the soil is moist. If it is moist, it likely means the sod has been taken care of and watered frequently. Dried-out sod is less likely to take root in your yard and endanger the project!
Healthy Sod will have tough grass blades
Tug gently on the blades of grass to see whether they come away from the dirt layer of the sod. Grass that pulls from the dirt easily doesn’t have an established root system. Select pieces of sod that have tightly grown grass that doesn’t separate from the soil.
