I’m coming up on needing final grade and driveway paving on a new custom home we’re doing.
We’re complete with the exterior, other than gutters, which will be installed next week. I would like to get final grade established and sod installed. I think this is good weather to install the sod and I would like to get it going so when we get our OP we can get our erosion bond back ASAP. We have city water hooked up, so watering will be no problem when needed.
My question comes up when I consider the asphalt driveway/sod interface. The lot is shaped in such a way that the driveway is the only the way sod installers can get to the yard areas. I’m not crazy about doing the driveway yet and I would like to avoid having the sod guys driving their skid steer over fresh asphalt.
Would there be anything wrong with doing the sod now and bringing asphalt in at the last phase? I don’t think the pavers will do any damage to the yard so hopefully that won’t be a concern.
Any other tips on sod installation would be welcome. Our County is requiring sod on smaller lots now so, even though we’ve never worked with it before, this will not be the last time either.
Replies
At worst you're gonna have to put down a few fresh strips of sod after the asphalt goes in. More likely you can get away with a little seed and mulch in the areas that get damaged by the driveway crew. A nit in the grand scheme of things.
Just go ahead and sod. You should not have a great deal of damage from driveway install. Like Dan says, at worst you need to buy a few rolls of sod alongside the driveway right after they are done.
As for the sodding... just make sure they do a nice job of grading before the sod is laid, which means it is not full of deep skid steer ruts. The smoother it is the greater success you will have with the new roots getting established. Also make sure when the driveway goes in that gravel base for the driveway does not extend way out beyond the edges of the driveway itself.... if you expect the new sod to butt against the driveway and thrive.
You could check with your sod supplier about what, other than proper grading, may be needed to prepare your soil for sod. Similar to farming, certain soils need chemical help before they're able to interact well with the crop being planted.
>Any other tips on sod installation would be welcome.<
Green side up if it's not dormant. ;^)
If you can, till the soil in any compacted areas and then roll w/medium weight roller it will do better in the long run.
If tilling check the PH and adjust as necessary during the till.
Use starter ferlizer once the plants begin to show signs of growing. You can also apply ferilizer during the till (I usually use a triple something (10-10-10, 13-13-13))
Don't let the roots dry out.
What kind of sod is it?
I wouldn't bother laying anything on either side of the drive until the paving is done. Why do something that will probably need to be redone later?
I always have the paved walks and driveway installed before finish grade and landscaping. And I never let the landscapers drive anything on the new pavement - 99% of the time it's concrete.
Since you say there is no access other than via the driveway area, I'd do as said above and go ahead and do your landscaping/sod except for maybe a 5' section on either side of where the driveway will go. The last 5' of sod the landscaper will have to carry in by hand. The sod has to be laid within 24 hrs of being delivered, so you will need 2 sod deliveries. This is gonna cost you since the sod place will almost definitely charge for the extra delivery. It depends on what type of sod and other factors, but here, for fescue or Bermuda grass there is about 450-500 sq ft of sod per pallet.
Personally I think it would be very unrealistic to think the pavers could work right up to the edge of the sod without messing it up, plus the yard finish grade needs to be adjusted so that it comes out about 1" below the finished driveway surface so that everything can be flush when you are complete.
How long is the driveway?
BTW - I have the gutters/downspouts done before landscaping and sod. If the downspout heights don't come out right the gutter guy comes back and adjusts them. That way he doesn't mess up the new yard by walking on it (or at least as little as possible). This is important since the new sod has to be watered and the ground can sometimes be very soft under the sod.
jon... as stated... talk to your sod supplier about best conditions..
ours doesn't want any fertilize in the sod bed... it's already in the sod
i prepare sod beds the same way we do grass seed beds.... final grade... raked ...compacted where needed , raked ... and sod inget your self a nice sod knife for trimming... a machete works good, double sided duct knives alsoyour sod supplier knows local soils, weather conditions.. and best methods ( rolling, watering, chemicals ) and they have a vested interest in you succeeding... they want satisfied customersMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore