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How to Plant Grass Squares

Grass is grown by two methods--planting seeds or laying sod. Grass seeds, albeit cheaper, take longer to sprout, establish themselves in the soil and grow, whereas sod is pre-grown grass that you lay over the planting area for an instant lawn. Sod is more expensive because you are paying for someone else’s effort involved in growing it. Sod is available in different grasses to suit individual needs and climatic conditions of the area. It is available in strips that can be cut to size to fit a particular area.

Measure the area where you want to plant grass squares. This can be the entire lawn, or certain sections of it where regular grass fails to grow, giving the lawn an overall unsightly appearance.

  • Grass is grown by two methods--planting seeds or laying sod.
  • Grass seeds, albeit cheaper, take longer to sprout, establish themselves in the soil and grow, whereas sod is pre-grown grass that you lay over the planting area for an instant lawn.

Remove all weeds, rocks and plant debris from the planting site, and collect them in a wheelbarrow to dispose off. Use a shovel to dig 4 inches of the soil to aerate it, and break large clods into smaller manageable pieces. Add a layer of organic matter, such as compost, to the soil, which will condition it and provide the sod essential nutrients it needs to thrive. Water the site, and till it so the conditioner goes deep down. Make sure the soil is moist.

Purchase sod from your local nursery or sod farm. Sod is available as rolled strips and will need to be laid immediately to prevent them from drying up. Place the sod in a shaded area if you have to wait a while, and mist the roots frequently to provide them necessary moisture.

  • Remove all weeds, rocks and plant debris from the planting site, and collect them in a wheelbarrow to dispose off.
  • Place the sod in a shaded area if you have to wait a while, and mist the roots frequently to provide them necessary moisture.

Use a shovel or a simple utility knife to break the sod strips into 1 or 2-foot squares. Carefully place a square over the planting site, pressing it down gently to ensure good roots-to-soil contact. Lay another square flush against the previous one, making sure the edges meet, and there are no gaps between seams. Continue laying grass squares this way until your entire area is covered.

Tamp down the planting area gently to remove any air bubbles and establish good contact between the roots and the soil, so the sod can establish itself more quickly.

Water the area with a garden hose at medium setting. Water it daily for the first two weeks, tapering it off to once every three to four days for another three weeks. Water deeply so the roots dig themselves into the soil. Cut down on watering on rainy days.

  • Use a shovel or a simple utility knife to break the sod strips into 1 or 2-foot squares.
  • Tamp down the planting area gently to remove any air bubbles and establish good contact between the roots and the soil, so the sod can establish itself more quickly.

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