Laying Bermudagrass Sod

Q. When it comes to freshly laid hybrid Bermuda, does it make sense to water 

two or three times on hot days, in that the roots presumably having grown 

into the soil, thus you need to keep tin amount of soil moist, coming from 

the sod farm.

Commercially sod can be laid in large rolls, similar to carpet rolls.

A. Some of the hybrid bermudagrasses make the best lawns in the world. But they need more maintenance than fescue. They can handle alot of abuse during establishment. You should get it established in two to three months during the summer. It just needs water and nitrogen fertilizer applied regularly.

Freshly laid bermudagrass needs watering only once a day. But when you water it, water it thoroughly. Bermudagrass is warm season, subtropical, while fescue is temperate and a totally different "animal". Make sure enough water is applied to wet the soil 8 to 10 inches and apply nitrogen once a month. Don’t apply the water lightly and wet only the sod.

Not true of tall fescue sod. I would not lay tall fescue sod in this heat. Bermuda, yes.

Hopefully you put down a high phosphorus fertilizer before laying the sod. If you did not, then apply one now. Use 16-20-0 at a rate of 2 to 3 lbs of fertilizer per 1000 square feet and water it in immediately and thoroughly. At this rate it won't burn during the heat. Otherwise apply 21-0-0 at 3 lbs per 1000 every 4 to 6 weeks during establishment. Be ready to mow this sod twice a week with this watering and fertilizing regime. Depending on the Bermuda used, you can use a rotary mower on many of them. Otherwise it should be a reel-type mower.

Once established in about three months then cut back to normal fertilizer applications of three to four times per growing season.