The short answer
In warm weather, new St. Augustine or Bahia sod starts rooting into the soil within about 10 to 14 days and is established in 3 to 4 weeks. UF/IFAS puts full establishment at three to four weeks after sodding. In the cooler months, plan on 4 to 6 weeks. Zoysia can take a little longer to knit together than St. Augustine.
The tug test
Grab the corner of a piece of sod and pull up gently. If it lifts like a loose rug, the roots have not reached the soil yet. If it holds, the roots have pegged down. UF/IFAS says to start mowing once the grass no longer lifts when you pull at the edges.
Week by week
| Days | What is happening | Watering |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | New roots start growing into the soil | Short cycles of 5 to 10 minutes, two or three times a day, so the soil under the sod never dries out |
| 11 to 20 | Edges start to hold when tugged | Once a day, about a quarter inch |
| 21 to 30 | Established in warm weather; first mow | Once a day, about half an inch |
| 31 to 60 | Roots go deeper | Three days a week on your odd or even address days |
| After 60 | Established lawn | The county’s one-day-a-week schedule |
Hernando County allows new sod to be watered any day for the first 30 days, before 8 am or after 6 pm. The full rules are in Hernando County watering days and rules.
What slows rooting down
- The soil under the sod drying out, even for one hot afternoon.
- Too much water: soggy, yellowing sod roots poorly and invites fungus.
- Sod laid on hard, unprepared ground.
- Foot traffic, kids, and dogs on it in the first few weeks.
- Deep shade for a sun grass like Floratam.
- Cool weather, and mowing before it passes the tug test.
The first mow
Mow once the sod passes the tug test, usually 2 to 3 weeks in summer. Use a sharp blade, mow when the grass is dry, and keep it high: 3.5 to 4 inches for St. Augustine, 3 to 4 inches for Bahia, and around 2 inches for zoysia. Never take off more than a third of the blade at once.
Signs something is wrong
Gaps opening between pieces and edges turning brown mean the sod is drying out. Yellow, mushy sod or mushrooms mean too much water. Sod that still lifts easily after 3 weeks in summer has not rooted: check that the sprinklers reach every corner, and that the ground underneath was loosened before it went down.
New sod, done right
Supreme Landscape lays St. Augustine, Bahia, and zoysia sod across Spring Hill and Hernando County, and every job comes with a written watering plan for the first 60 days. Not sure which grass fits? See St. Augustine vs Bahia vs zoysia. Call or text 727-809-8150 for a free quote.
Sources: UF/IFAS Extension: Establishing Your Florida Lawn; Hernando County Utilities: Watering Restrictions
