Homeowners struggle with patchy grass after sod installation
10 posts in the last 60 days, all from r/lawncare.
“Buffalo sod laid 4 weeks ago. I add 100mm of lawn soil, laid the sod (Yea, I know. I didn't stagger it...), added fertiliser, and watered deep for a week and tapered it off the following weeks. Roots feel deep in 80% of the areas I tugged on. But as you can see the gaps haven't…”
“I am in zone 6b, Missouri. We just recently removed a large play set from our backyard and would like to return this area to a grass lawn. It has been a mulched area for the last two years. I raked out as much mulch as I could, leaving what is now just a mixture of dirt and the…”
“Bought the house in March of 2026 and the front yard was basically all dirt. Put in new sod in June/July and everything seemed to go well during the heat of summer. Now there is this pattern in the grass that seems to be growing. Previously in this spot there were some roots…”
Multiple users are experiencing issues with thin or dormant patches of new sod, particularly in areas with high foot traffic. They seek advice on next steps for lawn restoration and dealing with pet damage.
SOURCES (10)
“Bought the house in March of 2026 and the front yard was basically all dirt. Put in new sod in June/July and everything seemed to go well during the heat of summer. Now there is this pattern in the grass that seems to be growing.…”
“Hello looking for some help. I recently moved into a new house in July, the sod for my new place was laid down about two weeks before I moved into, making install date end of June. Sod has rooted nicely and for most the summer I was able to keep the grass looking healthy and green. Over the past month the Sod has started to become a bit yellowish. I have been watering twice a week and have measure about 1.5inches of water per week. Through research I believe my lawn has now used up most of its n”
“Bought new construction in the Western Washington and sod was put in with a sprinkler system. Its been in for about 3 weeks now and looks great so far. Preparation was level the lot using garbage site soils, then they brought in 1-2 inches of topsoil and put that everywhere, then sod over that. I asked the builder what to do and they said sod needs nothing but water to establish. Want to make sure that is correct before its to late. I am in zone 8A and unsure what the sod actually is. subm”
“Buffalo sod laid 4 weeks ago. I add 100mm of lawn soil, laid the sod (Yea, I know. I didn't stagger it...), added fertiliser, and watered deep for a week and tapered it off the following weeks. Roots feel deep in 80% of the areas I tugged on. But as you can see the gaps haven't fully filled in and there are many dry areas despite the watering. How do I fix this? Roast me, but also provide a solution please ahaha. submitted by /u/big-teacher [link] [comments]”
“I live in Zone 8A and I’m not sure what happened to my lawn over the last 6 weeks, but it completed died. Am I able to lay sod in this area? If so any recs on when the best time to lay it, prep work and what is the best sod? I get about 6-7 hours of sunlight there. submitted by /u/Jalevine1 [link] [comments]”
“I recently moved into a new place and they put down sod for us but now it’s dying? Is it because of how hot it has been? Will it come back? What should I do? I haven’t cut it because that seemed to make it worse?? Here are before and after pictures. All advice is welcome ! Edit - Forgot to mention these are about a month apart first picture is from August 1st second is from today September 17th. submitted by /u/Diligent-Care-8431 [link] [comments]”
“NB, Canada. We had our yard regraded and hydroseeded a few months ago after flooding in our basement caused us to need a full drain tile replacement. The grass came in just ok, not super full. But the worst part is that most of the yard is just a swampy mushy mess now. The ground even sinks a bit when you walk on it in some places. It has been several months since we stopped watering the hydroseed and it has never dried out, even during hot days/weeks. Is there anything at all that I can do? If”
“In the St Louis area. Put down new sod in March. It rooted well and was great for a while. It’s been watered about an inch a week spread over three waterings waterings. Milorganite in early July. Starting in late June through now it looks like this. Any idea why? submitted by /u/Idontknowwhatimd0in_ [link] [comments]”
“1st time home owner Located in Vancouver, BC. Had new sod laid in May, as the backyard was basically dirt left from the last home owner. Fertilized once with a starter fertilizer 6 weeks after sod was laid. The sides next to the fence and the garage are doing fine, but the middle that clearly gets the most traffic is extremely thin and seems dormant. I have a dog and trying to train him to go in one spot (unsuccessfully so far as you can see). Other than that, what should be my next steps? Readi”
“I am in zone 6b, Missouri. We just recently removed a large play set from our backyard and would like to return this area to a grass lawn. It has been a mulched area for the last two years. I raked out as much mulch as I could, leaving what is now just a mixture of dirt and the finest/most broken down components of the mulch that isnt really coming up in an efficient way. Would it be sufficient to just seed onto this, and keep moist for the next several weeks? Should I have it aerated, top dress”