Sod is heavy. One square foot of it weighs about 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 pounds, or more than 2 tons for a 1,000-square-foot lawn. Depending upon the size of your lawn, arrange for helpers, if only to help you lay the sod promptly. Especially during hot weather, moving the sod quickly from the delivery pallet to the lawn site so that it doesn't dry out or begin to biodegrade is important.
Before you buy the sod, till the soil 4 to 6 inches deep. Remove all debris and large rocks. Have the soil tested by a county extension office or a private testing service. Add any amendments the soil test recommends: Organic matter such as composted fir or pine bark and fertilizer are typical; other amendments such as limestone (in the East) or soil sulfur (in the West) may also be necessary. Grade and level the area to smooth the surface.
In areas where summer droughts commonly occur, you may have to install a permanent underground sprinkler system before laying the sod. You can always water the lawn with portable, aboveground sprinklers, but an underground system is usually much more efficient and convenient.
With a little know-how, putting down a sod lawn may take only a few hours (depending on the size, of course). To make the job flow smoothly, follow these steps: Arrange for delivery of your sod only after you have fully prepared the soil and on a day when you'll have time to install it.
On delivery day, water the soil to make it moist and damp but not muddy. Sod should be put down no more than 24 hours after it has been cut at the farm, because the rolled sod will heat up and begin to biodegrade.
Inspect the sod before the delivery truck leaves. Shake it to make sure it doesn't fall apart. The sod should be green and the soil moist. If you don't like the appearance, send it back.
Suppliers usually transport sod on pallets carrying 50 to 75 square yards each. To avoid a lot of heavy lifting, ask the driver to place pallets in convenient places around your property (but don't let them drive over walkways or patios, because the combined weight of the truck and the sod can cause damage).
Start laying the sod along the longest straight line next to your lawn-usually a sidewalk or driveway. When preparing the soil, leave the soil level 3/4 to 1 inch below the level of that straight surface to make a neat, smooth transition from grass to pavement.
Butt and push the sod's edges and ends against each other tightly, without stretching. Stagger the joints in each row like bricks, and avoid gaps or overlaps. On slopes, place the turf pieces across the slope.
Use a large knife to trim the corners. Avoid leaving small strips at the outer edges, because they won't retain moisture.
To prevent indentations or air pockets, walk or kneel on the new sod as little as possible.
After installation, roll the entire area with a lawn roller (available at rental yards) one-third full of water to press the sod roots into the contact with the soil. (If the roller were full of water, it could become too heavy to move.)
One common cause of problems is uneven (or insufficient) watering. Start watering within 30 minutes of installation, thoroughly wetting grass until it soaks through into underlying soil. To check penetration, lift a corner of the sod. If it isn't soaked, keep watering. Once the water begins to run off, turn sprinklers off to let water soak in. Then water again.
Continue to water regularly for the next 2 to 3 weeks. To test for sufficient moisture, puncture the soil with a screwdriver. If it penetrates easily, your lawn is in good shape; if there's resistance, keep watering.
Technology for Tomorrow
Though they're still very unusual and difficult to find, look for two new lightweight sods in near future. In the first type, which is used for golf courses though rarely by homeowners, the grower washes all the soil from the roots of conventionally grown sod. The result looks like a carpet with a fibrous bottom and a green top. The second type is grown in a thin layer of organic soil mix on perforated plastic sheets. At harvest, the grower slices the sod into the desired widths and rolls the lightweight sod off the plastic.
Of the two types, washed sod is more readily available. At least one sod farm in every state grows limited quantities of it, usually to supply sports facilities. Only a few farms are currently trying out plastic-grown sod. Lightweight sod is more expensive than the standard kind: In California, for example, it costs about 40 cents per square foot.
The advantage of both lightweight types is that they are clean and extremely easy to handle. The plastic-grown sod has an especially sturdy root system that doesn't go into shock. It also comes in large pieces, so it has fewer seams.
Before the sod is delivered...
1. Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of composted fir or pine bark over the area, along with any other amendments (such as lime or sulfur) ecommended by a soil test report.
2. Use a rototiller to incorporate amendments, then rake to level and smooth the site.
3. Firm the soil by rolling, establishing its level 3/4 of an inch below final grade to allow for sod thickness.
On the day of delivery...
4. Plan on an early morning delivery, then move quickly. Lay a strip or two, and water it in. If it's a hot day, sprinkle water on the sod on the pallet to keep it cool and moist.
5. Start laying along a straight edge such as a sidewalk, and keep a heavy utility or old kitchen knife handy to trim sections to odd shapes.
6. Roll freshly laid sod to press its roots firmly against soil and prevent patches from drying out and dying.
7. Water twice daily (or more often during hot weather) until new roots begin to grow into the soil, about 2 or 3 weeks. Use a rain gauge as shown to measure the amount of water actually applied, and test for adequate soil moisture by pushing a screwdriver through the sod. If it goes in easily, the soil is sufficiently moist.
Marion Lyons is a garden writer based in New York City
Don't despair if you've just moved into a new home that has compacted subsoil where a front lawn should be or if your old lawn looks like a worn-out rug. The time and effort required to create a lush green lawn are probably less than you think. How? By laying sod. 
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