Unrolling a Season of Sod
By Whitney Chan, Customer Response Team Representative
As always, we hope for an early start to the landscaping season. With the mild winter we had this year our wishes came true and we were able to start landscaping at the end of May!
Our goal this year was to complete 64 houses and complete all service items before the snowfall. Excitement was in the air, as Cedarglen employees dressed in our bright pink and yellow gear, were ready to take on the challenge! July was a great month as we were able to take full advantage of the hot weather. However, there were weeks of rain that kept us from completing any seasonal work. The 2015 landscaping season is now coming to an end and we are happy to announce that all 64 houses and service items have been completed. None of this would have been possible without the hard work from Cedarglen staff and our trade/suppliers. Most importantly thank you to all of our homeowners, who have waited patiently for their yards to be completed.
For all our homeowners that received landscaping here are some tips and tricks to maintain a luscious green yard:
New Trees
- Nearly 90% of all the problems that occur with new trees are due to incorrect watering (either too much or too little water). Note: the soil should never be hard, dry, soppy, or muddy. The soil must always be moist.
- Once the tree has been planted, fill the tree well with water and let it drain slowly into the root-ball. If you do not have a tree well, it is recommended a garden hose be placed a few feet away from the trunk of the tree and let it slowly soak the root-ball for 15-20 minutes. Either method should be done 2-3 times a week.
- When the temperature is extremely warm, it is best to water early in the morning or later in the evening. If watering is done during the hottest times in the day, most of the water will evaporate and your lawn and garden will not benefit.
- Please take the proper precautions to protect your tree from the possible damage that could result from animals or rodents.
Sod
- Water the sodded area immediately. Note: 1L of water in the first hour does more than 6L of water three hours later. Do not walk on sod when still wet as this can cause uneven areas (sinkage and dimpling).
- Water the sod daily for the first four days and continue to water every second day for four days. On very hot days, water twice – once in the morning and once in the evening, for shorter periods. Once this has been completed, water as needed. Three times a week is recommended, do not over water. Watering the sod in the morning will keep it moist throughout the day.
- Sod should be fertilized with a turf starter formulation containing high amounts of phosphate (eg: 10-30-10). “Weed and Feed” or similar products are not recommended for new sod, as the herbicide in these products can stunt the growth of roots in new sod.
- New lawn can be mowed after three weeks to ensure that it has properly taken root. No more than 1/3 of the height at one time should be removed. Keep the lawn maintained at approximately 1½ inches. During extremely warm temperatures, it is best to keep your lawn slightly longer as longer grass is more tolerant to heat and will not dry out as quickly.
Settlement
- As per the Alberta New Home Warranty (ANHW) guidelines any settlement that happens during the first year the builder will drop off the material necessary to repair and placement is the responsibility of the homeowner. Please let us know if you experience settlement and we will make sure you get the material necessary to maintain the proper grades to prevent unwanted damage to your home.
- Settlement with fence posts is a normal occurrence and not a warrantable item.
- Please make sure your downspouts are down whenever it rains to prevent settlement.
With such a successful landscaping season, I am really looking forward to the 2016 landscaping season and what it has to bring. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope that Mother Nature will be nice to us this winter!
Have a good weekend!