Florida sod care, straight from a family that's installed thousands of yards.

The first two weeks after installation are everything. New sod hasn't rooted yet, so it relies entirely on the water you give it.

• Days 1–7: Water 2–3 times a day, keeping the soil beneath the sod consistently moist. In Florida summer that's usually 15–20 minutes per zone, morning, midday, and afternoon.
• Days 8–14: Cut back to once or twice a day. The roots are starting to take hold.
• Days 15–30: Move to deeper, less frequent watering — typically every other day.

Walk the lawn daily. Wilting, gray-blue tint, or footprints that don't bounce back mean you need more water.

Wait 14–21 days before the first cut, and only when the sod doesn't lift when you tug on it. Set the mower high — at least 3.5 to 4 inches for St. Augustine — and use a sharp blade. Never cut more than 1/3 of the blade height in one pass.

Once sod is rooted, Florida lawns thrive on a steady rhythm rather than constant attention.

• Water deeply 2–3 times per week, early morning only.
• Mow weekly through the growing season, every 10–14 days in cooler months.
• Fertilize 3–4 times per year with a Florida-appropriate slow-release blend.
• Reapply pre-emergent in early spring and early fall to stop weeds before they start.

• Chinch bugs: Yellow patches that expand quickly in St. Augustine. Treat early.
• Brown patch fungus: Circular brown areas, common in cooler/wet months. Improve drainage and treat with fungicide.
• Sod webworms: Notched grass blades and visible moths at dusk. Treat in late summer.
• Compacted soil: Causes thinning and poor color. Core aeration once a year helps dramatically.

• St. Augustine (Floratam, Palmetto): Florida's most popular. Lush, broad blade, good shade tolerance. Needs more water.
• Zoysia: Dense, premium look. Slower growth, lower water once established, excellent for higher-end installs.
• Bahia: Tough, drought-tolerant, lower maintenance. Coarser texture, common for larger or rural lots.

• Feb–Mar: Pre-emergent, light fertilization as lawn wakes.
• Apr–Jun: Begin regular mowing & deeper watering. Watch for chinch bugs.
• Jul–Aug: Peak growth. Mow weekly, monitor disease pressure.
• Sep–Oct: Fall pre-emergent, second main fertilization.
• Nov–Jan: Slow season. Reduce mowing & watering, clean up debris.