skip to main content

Soil, Compost & Mulch Garden Clinic Lawn Care

New Sod, Green Top/Brown Under.

2 years ago

A company installed new sod for us about a month ago. We just did our first cut. It almost seems like the grass is rotting? What is causing the brown stuff? Too much water? Little water? It's a big yard and we want to make sure nothing happens to the sod. Spent a lot of money to have new sod installed.

Location is Ontario, Canada.

Some people are suggesting it's from too much water and some other ones are saying it's due to little water so I'm confused. It can't be little water because the sprinkler is on twice a day and we also got rain for few days. Weather is also cool ranging from 20C to 10C (day/night)

More pictures here https://imgur.com/a/ULAkGVP

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
find a corner.. and try to pull it back ... does it resist.. has it rooted in ...

if you want to talk about watering.. how about we start with you telling us how you are watering .. why do you think it needs water twice a day.. in mid october.. as far north as you are??? .. how hot are the days.. how cold are the nights???

im not sure it needs water twice a day.. a month after install ... when temps have probably barely got into the 70s ...and nights are probably cold ...

what is you base soil type.. does it drain ...

what does your installer have to say bout it ...

all plants .. can lose leaves to yellow or browning .. especially when scalped from the earth.. transported for miles.. and then unrolled and transplanted in a new location ... one would think your installer may have noted that ... so you wouldnt be freaking out ....

how about a pic or two.. in this post.. of the overall yard ...

ken
Amir F
Original Author
2 years ago
Corners are not 100% rooted yet. It’s resisting but with force i can pull it back.

We installed a sprinkler system so that’s how we are watering. The company that installed

the sod suggested watering twice a day. At 7 pm and 5 am and the sprinkler is automatically set to that.

Days are mostly 60F-71F and 50-59F at night. We haven’t got much sun the past few days though.

I’m not too sure about base soil. The company removed the weeds and added top soil before installing the sod. I have a feeling the drainage is not great because water seems to stay on top of sod if it rains too much and after sprinkler is turned off.

Installer thinks the grass is healthy but i think it’s not. When we had the sod installed there was no browning for two weeks. This started happening recently.

We did our first cut after a month and by then the sod was very tall maybe that’s the reason for this? Maybe I should have mowed earlier? I also suspect we are watering too much? But again another user in another website suggested this might be due to not enough watering so i’m confused.

Got in touch with a lawn care company and they are suggesting Granular Compost and a fertilizer before winter?
Related Discussions
New Sod Lawn half brown after 4 days
Q
Comments (4)
Since zygolia is not a word in the English language, and since RTF is associated with fescue, I'm going to assume this is fescue because you have too much shade for anything else except St Augustine - and this isn't that. Apparently your sprinkler puts out way more water than your sod installer was expecting. The idea of watering new sod is to just keep it moist, not to make it soggy. Try running the sprinklers for 3 minutes, 2x per day for a couple days to let the soil dry out some. It should be moist but not soggy. I'm guessing the wall with the fireplace on it faces west. That would account for the dead looking grass up against the hot wall. Where do you live in California? Please be specific - SoCal is not nearly specific enough.
...See More
Advice, please - new sod is brown
Q
Comments (23)
Yeah, get him involved and don't let him tell you it's supposed to look like that. But DO NOT let it slip that you've been conferring with anyone (this board) or following anyone else's advice. It will negate your warranty and that's just what he needs. Also, don't be passive with him, be stern and demanding and tell him what you told us about it not looking great from the start like the other one did. If he's especially difficult, threaten to call one of those news investigation teams (if you have them down there). While the rolls were waiting for him to prepare the soil, they should have been sprinkled to stay moist or the sod heats up, and that's not good. In the meanwhile, stick with the irrigation schedule. Tex is trying to stress that you need to know what type of grass you have. Different ones are maintained differently. You can't know and we can't help with routines like mowing heights, fertilization, etc., and we can't help with problems either. For example, imagine going to a nursery for a lawn product. You wouldn't know what to purchase because you don't know what you're buying for. Don't forget to ask.
...See More
New Sod - 1rst Mowing, Turned Brown
Q
Comments (2)
Do you have a pic? That might help. What I've noticed, if you let grass grow too long and then cut it, you get brown spots. You might need to keep up with more frequent watering. It takes time for the sod to grow deep roots to be able to handle infrequent watering. Also, was the soil properly prepared before they laid the sod?
...See More
Sod--Green on top, brown underneath
Q
Comments (22)
I think both the Organinc and synthetic approaches work, it is pretty much a choice you have to make...personal preference. You can even adopt some sort of a hybrid approach. So from my experience... I'm no tree hugger, but I like what the organic fertilizers have done to my yard. Prior to me using organics in 2006, I had a lawn, not a great one, but that was more due to lack of knowledge, not using synthetics. I will say that since using soybean meal and Milorganite, the earthworm population has gone out of control. Birds are nesting all over, my trees and shrubs have gotten a boost, and my lawn really looks fantastic. It seems the overall enviromental quality of my property has been much higher and keeps getting better. Could this overall improvement be just from just using organic fertilizers for 3 years now? Well, the earthworms I know like it, and maybe there is a chain reaction, but I have no evidence to support this. However there is no evidence that there is not a relation to this either. So it works for me and I am happy with it. Bottom line, going the organic route is not a quick fix, it takes time to build the health of your soil up. That is the whole basis for organics, building the health of the soil. You also can use organics all season, it does not matter what the temps are. Applying Milorganite in May, June, July, August, September, and October seems to work fine. You can apply 1/2 applications every 2-3 weeks to keep the micro herd at its peak all summer, the choice is yours. Just remember, the more you apply, the more you will mow. Synthetics react much more quickly for getting the nutrients directly to the plant itself. They good to use in May, June (maybe), September, October, November. I don't use them anymore so I'm not the one to give good advice on this, but they will make the grass green quickly. Will they directly promote micro organism and earthworm population? I don't think they do. So will there be a significant enviomental improvement on your property? I don't know, but I would guess no. I don't want to turn this into a flaming post, so I'll just leave you with my experience and thoughts. You'll have to research and make your own choice for the long term.
...See More
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years ago
It may vary by location and type of sod but generally the twice daily watering can be cut back after two weeks for cool season grasses. If still hot and dry, once a day (early morning) for another couple of weeks, gradually weaning it off to 1 inch per week applied all at once. And taking rainfall into consideration.

Given all that, I do believe the browning may be due to waiting too long to mow. That should be done in the 10-14 day period after the sod is laid.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years ago
It’s resisting but with force i can pull it back.

==>> when you found resistance.. you should have stopped.. because its rooting in ... you should not have tried to find how rooted.. by forcing it ...

as to the soil... i wanted to know if you had bad clay.. and water was pooling under the sod and not properly draining away .. i suppose if you had splashed thru standing water., while mowing .... you would have noticed the lack of drainage.. and that might have been a problem ... its a variable.. i now dismiss ...

second pic.. lay down a plate or something.. and make sure the sprinkler is hitting that area ... lay some down in other areas to compare ...

you are similar to my MI ... unless you are in drought.. lawn sprinkling should be done for the year .. in fact.. i see the lawn guys dragging there compressors around to blow out everyones system for ground freeze winter.. dont forget about that in your area ...

this time of year.. in our zone .. there just isnt the prolonged day heat.. and hot nights.. to suck moisture out of the soil ... and if ma nature grants you just a little rain.. you probably dont need to be watering much at all ...

and the only reason you still are.. is the install ...

and frankly.. it looks great.. and you just need to sit on your back porch with an adult beverage .... and enjoy it ... and if warm enough.. take off your shoes and go frolic in your new lawn ... thats the best part of a lawn ... and spend some time dreaming about the garden beds you didnt design in.. and how much lawn you will someday tear out for such.. lol ...

ken

ps: im sure the soil that came attached to the sod has enough nutrients in it.. to get you thru spring.. i wouldnt waste money on fall application ... and personally.. i wouldnt bother with weed and feed in spring ... [fert yes.. not weed kill product...] as there wont be any weed seed accumulated in the lawn to sprout.. and no bare soil to sprout in ...
dchall_san_antonio
2 years ago
To me it looks like too much water.

Related Stories

KITCHEN DESIGN Seeing Green: Some Kitchens Ditch White for Mother Nature’s Neutral

By Erin Carlyle

It’s typically the primary color in gardens. Now green is having a moment in the kitchen

HOLIDAYS 15 Spectacular Christmas Palettes Beyond Red and Green

By Amber Hopman

Instead of dragging out holiday decorations in the same old expected colors this year, dare to consider these gorgeous alternatives

COLOR Color of the Week: 10 Tangy Ways with Citrus Green

By Jennifer Ott Design

Add some zest to your home with a little — or a lot of — lively lime

WHITE KITCHENS White Cabinets Remain at the Top of Kitchen Wish Lists

By Erin Carlyle

Find out the most popular countertop, flooring, cabinet, backsplash and paint picks among homeowners who are renovating

GREEN BUILDING Considering Concrete Floors? 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask

By Melanie Loftus

Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth

GREEN BUILDING 6 Green-Roof Myths, Busted

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Leaky, costly, a pain to maintain ... nope, nope and nope. Get the truth about living roofs and see examples from simple to elaborate

LIFE The Top 5 Ways to Save Water at Home

Get on the fast track to preserving a valuable resource and saving money too with these smart, effective strategies

KITCHEN OF THE WEEK Kitchen of the Week: Goodbye, Honey Oak — Hello, Minty Green

By Mitchell Parker

After more than 30 years, the Kloesels revamped their space to reflect their rural country town and Victorian-style home

DECORATING GUIDES Taste a Rainbow: 11 Top Home Decorating Colors and How to Use Them

By Vanessa Brunner

Prime yourself for spring painting season with our color-happy guide to working with popular shades around the home

MOST POPULAR A Professional Organizer Shares Her Top 6 Storage Products

By Tailorly, Professional Home Organizing

Drawer dividers and undersink trash cans are among a pro’s go-tos for getting organized in the kitchen and elsewhere

Sponsored

More Discussions

planting along side with decomposting kitchen scraps

9

Using Pebbles as a Mulch in Succulent Garden

1

Pine Bark - Break Down

1

Least bad weeds for compost

9

Need advice - got into some ‘DIRT’

13