How to Grow Grass on a Sand Base
- 1). Break up sand with a rake and shovel. Sandy soil breaks up easily, so you will not need to use heavy machinery such as a rototiller.
- 2). Spread a 4-inch thick layer of organic soil amendments over the top of the sandy soil. Organic soil amendments will hold moisture better and help retain water. Additionally, organic soil amendments are packed with nitrogen that helps to nurture grass. Good soil amendments to help amend sandy soil include compost, peat moss and composted manure.
- 3). Mix the sandy soil with the organic soil amendments using the rake and shovel. The soil amendments should be mixed to a depth of 6 inches to benefit grass roots most. Water your lawn before laying sod.
- 4). Select a sod that grows well in sandy soils. Warm season grasses including St. Augustine, Bermuda and Zoysia offer good drought tolerance and grow well in sandy soils. Lay the sod like a carpet to cover your soil. Stagger each row of sod so that there is no uniform seam along your lawn’s surface.
- 5). Roll over the sod with a sod roller to force the roots of the sod into contact with the soil’s surface.
- 6). Water the sod up to four times daily with 1/4 inch of water per 1 inch of soil to keep the roots moist and help the sod become established. After 14 days, gradually reduce the amount of water you use to 1 inch every 10 days. Use a rain gauge to determine how much water you are using.
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