Protect your new sod

Water 15 minutes per zone, twice per day, twice per week
Fertilizing 5 times throughout season with a granular fertilizer, applied every 4 weeks

If your new sod isn’t looking very good. Here are some tips.

If you have Kentucky blue grass and you can act now with:

1) Watering 15 minutes per zone, twice per day, twice per week.
2) Fertilizing 5 times throughout season with a granular fertilizer, applied every 4 weeks.

By following the above techniques you will create an environment more conducive for growing Kentucky Bluegrass. The underground route system will spread to parts of your lawn and slowly fill in.

What About Power Raking?

All sod, including varieties of Kentucky Bluegrass and Freedom Fescue, are planted on a thatch bed. This is to ensure the protection of the seed from animals, and allows the sod cutter to easily pull up 2X5 sheets of grass, and a few other reasons. Every grass variety needs at least 1/2 inch layer of thatch. Anything less or more will create variability in growing conditions. Any variability outside of what is considered normal conditions will lead to a weaker grass plant. When new sod had been installed no power rake is needed at least a couple years. And it would not hurt your lawn to wait a little longer unless you are running sports field or golf course at your location.