Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Care for Newly Laid Bahia Sod
How to Care for Newly Laid Bahia Sod. Bahia grass, known botanically as Paspalum notatum, is a warm-season perennial turf grass that is prized for its tolerance for shade and drought. Sod is a quick way to turn a barren home landscape into a thick, luscious Bahia lawn. Providing newly laid Bahia sod with the proper care is simple and helps to...
Bahia grass, known botanically as Paspalum notatum, is a warm-season perennial turf grass that is prized for its tolerance for shade and drought. Sod is a quick way to turn a barren home landscape into a thick, luscious Bahia lawn. Providing newly laid Bahia sod with the proper care is simple and helps to ensure the long-term health and success of your lawn.
Things You'll Need
Garden hose or sprinkler system
Lawnmower
16-4-8 fertilizer
Keep the soil consistently moist while the Bahia sod works to establish a strong root system. Water the sod for 10 minutes, three times a day, for the first seven to 10 days after laying it.
Check the root development of the Bahia sod 10 days after planting. Tug gently on a sod piece at the edge of your lawn -- if it resists being lifted, the sod is rooting favorably. Reduce the frequency of watering to just once a day for the rest of the growing season. Provide at least 3/4 inch of supplemental irrigation each time you water.
Keep foot traffic to a minimum for the first two to three weeks after laying Bahia sod so that it has a chance to become established before sustaining damage.
Wait to mow your Bahia sod until it presents new top growth. Mow Bahia grass to a height of 2 to 3 inches, removing no more than 1/3 of the blade each time you mow.
Fertilize Bahia sod twice each growing season with a 16-4-8 fertilizer to promote healthy root growth. Fertilize once in early October and once in mid-November, but wait at least four weeks before fertilizing the Bahia lawn for the first time.
Tips & Warnings
Although Bahia is considered a drought-tolerant turf grass, it requires frequent irrigation during the first growing season to become established.
