One day you’re out watering your new sod and see a dandelion poking through. Now you’re raking your head wondering if it’s normal to find weeds in new sod or if you missed a step. While I know that finding weeds in your new lawn is frustrating, I suggest you take a moment to figure out a game plan to avoid damaging your delicate sod. So let’s go over a few ways to safely deal with the pesky weeds growing in your new sod and find out how they got there in the first place.
Is it Normal to Have Weeds in New Sod?
Don’t worry, the weeds in your new sod are normal and happen to the best of us. Weeds are stubborn plants and create problems in most lawns, even in new sod. Now there are a few factors that will determine why weeds pop up in your lawn in the first place. Let’s take a look.
Why You Might Have Weeds in Your New Sod
Weeds are tricky plants that are very hard to get rid of once they’ve taken root. They also exist nearly everywhere and propagate quickly and easily. The weeds poking through your new sod could have come from the soil, the sod itself, or dropped in your lawn through natural dispersion.
Weed Seeds in Your Soil
Ideally, your soil was prepped properly before the new sod was installed. This means that any weeds already growing in the ground would have been killed off with the use of herbicides and root removal. But sometimes even these methods don’t get rid of all the weed roots and seeds. It’s normal for old weeds to grow and poke through your new sod.
Sod Contamination
Not all sod is created equal. Some sod producers take extra measures to remove weeds from their sod. If your new sod is producing weeds from the onset, it’s likely that they came with the sod itself. Sometimes sod sits around for a while before being installed and could pick up weed seeds along the way. I suggest you inspect sod before buying it to make sure of its quality, and if in doubt opt for a different variety or seller.
Natural Dispersion
Wildlife, wind, and water are the most common ways for new weed seeds to get on your new sod. Animals can track weed seeds through your yard, or seeds can blow in from your neighbor’s yard. Look at your surrounding area; if you see a lot of weeds, then you could know where your weed problem stems from.
How to Get Rid of Weeds in New Sod
While you may want to go ahead and tackle the weeds right away, I suggest you take a moment to plan a safe approach. Because your new lawn is fragile, weeding new sod takes more patience and attention than your regular approach. The last thing you want to do is kill your new sod while attacking the weeds.
Remove Weeds By Hand
Unfortunately, the safest method is also the most tiresome. Weeding your new sod by hand may be the best solution when dealing with weeds such as dandelions. Gently pull on the base of the weed, making sure to remove as much of the root as possible. On the other hand, if your new sod is covered in smaller weeds that are shooting up all over the yard, this may not be the best option unless you have a lot of time and patience.
Targeted Herbicide
New sod is very fragile, and I don’t recommend spraying anything on it in the first few weeks to months. Most herbicides, like RoundUp, will kill your vulnerable new sod while killing off the weeds, and you definitely don’t want that. But if your weed problem is out of control and you feel like you have to do something right away, then a targeted herbicide may be the solution. If you know the specific weed you’ve got, such as Dollarweed, then you can buy a targeted herbicide that will kill only the weed and leave the sod alone.
Keep Weeds From Coming Back
If you want a weed-free yard, the best approach is to include weeding in your regular lawn maintenance routine. Staying ahead of weeds is the best preventative measure and this includes stopping new growth and removing weeds before they have a chance to grow and develop deep roots.
Kill Weeds Before Sod is Installed
If you have other areas in your yard that need new sod, you can make sure to get the soil prepped beforehand. Making sure to kill off any existing weeds in your soil will make the weeding process much easier in the future. You can use herbicides on the soil to kill off any existing weeds and their seeds. Just wait a few weeks before laying down the new sod to allow the chemicals to wash down through the soil.
Pre-Emergent Herbicide
Pre-emergent herbicides work great to prevent future weed growth. They are sprayed in the spring to prevent summer weeds, or in the fall to prevent winter weeds. I recommend waiting until your sod has bedded itself before spraying a pre-emergent herbicide. If you use a pre-emergent herbicide on new sod, it could harm it.
Routine Maintenance
Practices such as regular mowing, picking up debris and spraying herbicides are essential to controlling weeds. If you wait too long between mowing, then weeds have a chance to go to seed. Additionally, if your mower has the option, I suggest using baggers while mowing to collect any weeds and their seeds which prevents them from spreading around the lawn.
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