Does anyone here know anything about sod?

[Playadlc]

We just got a house built here in Indiana and we went with sod for both the front and back yard instead of seeding. What has happened is in a spot in our front yard (probably 8X8 or 10X10) it is extremely low and retains water badly. It has basically killed the grass in this area.

Well the builder (a good friend of mine) said that they would fix it. The guy he got the sod from says dirt needs to be put down to raise the spot up (obviously) and you can just put the sod over the dirt without taking the original dead sod out.

Now, I do not know much about grass, but I would think the original sod would need to come out. Am I wrong in thinking this?

[RichRed]

Kneel before Sod!

(Sorry, got nothin'.)

[Roy Tucker]

Paging SunDeck.

FWIW, when I dig new flower beds, I just turn the sod over and pile dirt on top. Works just fine. I'd think your underlying sod would just act as fill and the dirt overcoat would give the new sod something to grow into.

[SunDeck]

I'm guessing that area must be very low if they intend on leave the old sod. But in answer to your question, no, you don't need to remove the old sod. It's dead and it will decompose, adding organic matter to the soil.

Just make sure they grade it right this time. When I was landscaping, I would have been embarrassed had I installed turf and left a big old low spot that collected so much water that it killed the turf. And I would have fixed it at no cost to the owner.

[Playadlc]

I'm guessing that area must be very low if they intend on leave the old sod. But in answer to your question, no, you don't need to remove the old sod. It's dead and it will decompose, adding organic matter to the soil.

Just make sure they grade it right this time. When I was landscaping, I would have been embarrassed had I installed turf and left a big old low spot that collected so much water that it killed the turf. And I would have fixed it at no cost to the owner.

Thanks, Sun. They are going to fix it free of charge. Just out of curiosity, how much would it cost for dirt and sod on a 10X10 section? They used fescue, I believe.

[15fan]

Fescue. The bane of my existence. Next week is the annual aerate/overseed drill at casa de 15. Sigh. Nothing I'd rather do on a September afternoon.

On the low spot - is there any chance that it's related to the water/sewer line? I've noticed that the ground above our water/sewer lines gets a smidge lower each year as things settle.

We also have some low spots around our back yard. Long timers in the neighborhood have told us that big trees used to be where the low spots are.

Or maybe is the pooling a function of how rainwater drains off the roof & away from a downspout? Perhaps if you redirected some rain water away from the area with one of those extensions for the end of a downspout, you'll mitigate the problem.

In short, maybe the low spot is a function of a couple of factors and not just shoddy work by the landscaper.

[SunDeck]

Thanks, Sun. They are going to fix it free of charge. Just out of curiosity, how much would it cost for dirt and sod on a 10X10 section? They used fescue, I believe.

It's probably about a $150 job, but it's hard for me to calculate it. You can if you paid for the original sod job. Just walk off your yard and get as accurate a measurement as possible about the total square footage that was sodded. Then divide the total charge by the total square feet, for a price/sq ft. That times 100 will tell you what it cost for that particular spot when they did it originally.

The tricky part has to do with the fill. If there is enough fill work to require a piece of equipment, then the price climbs to account for hauling it, fueling it, etc. And of course the price of the soil, but we buy it it very large amounts so it's in the neighborhood of $10/yard.

[SunDeck]

In short, maybe the low spot is a function of a couple of factors and not just shoddy work by the landscaper.

Settling happens. However to have a spot pool a lot directly after sodding is a mistake. But you're right, it occurs especially when a large tree is removed or because of other factors like wash, poor grading or some underlying condition. Those spots need to be filled occasionally. You can just top dress them and throw some seed down.