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New sod care guide
New sod in Lubbock has to deal with sun, wind and dry air. These are the basics for the first few weeks. Ask us about your own yard.
Day one: keep it wetThe first week
Water the new sod the same day it's laid, enough to soak through the sod and into the soil underneath. For the rest of the first week, keep the sod and the top of the soil moist all the time. On hot, windy days new sod can need water more than once a day. In Lubbock that means hand watering, or sprinklers under an approved variance (see the watering rules).
Lift a corner of a piece now and then. If the soil under it is dry, it needs more water.
Stay off it
Keep kids, pets and cars off the new lawn while it roots so the pieces don't shift.
Weeks two to four
Once the sod starts rooting, you'll feel it hold when you tug a corner. Start watering less often but more deeply, so the roots grow down into the soil.
First mow
Wait until the sod is rooted and won't lift when you tug it. Mow with a sharp blade and don't cut it short the first few times.
Lubbock watering rules for new sod
Lubbock limits automatic sprinklers to two assigned days a week, set by the last digit of your address, and allows hand watering any day. Before sod day, ask the City of Lubbock about a new-landscape watering variance so the new lawn can get the water it needs while it roots.
Outside Lubbock city water, check your own town's rules.
Rules checked November 2026. Sources: City of Lubbock, Fox34/KCBD (Apr 1, 2026).
Winter sod
Dormant sod laid in the cool months goes down brown and greens up in spring. See winter sod.
New sod questions
Why are the seams turning brown?
Edges and seams dry out first. Give those spots extra water and check the soil underneath is moist.
Can I fertilize new sod right away?
Ask us before you fertilize. It usually isn't needed in the first few weeks.
What if a spot isn't taking?
Call or text us at (806) 300-3710. It's easier to fix early.