Can You Lay Sod in the Winter in Sioux City?

Meeting white snow and green grass with flowers close up - between winter and spring concept background.

Many people want to get a head start on ensuring the lawns at their home or business are lush, green, and beautiful when spring rolls around but can Fescue sod be installed during the winter months in Sioux City, Iowa?  Read on for the answer to that question along with more information on this popular topic when it comes to installing sod.

Types of Sod in Sioux City

The type of grass that is very prevalent in the Sioux City, Iowa area is cool-season grass since this type of grass grows very well during the spring and fall months when cooler temperatures are present. Several types of sod can be installed during the winter months, such as turf-type Tall Fescue, Fine Fescues, and Kentucky Bluegrass. These three types of sod are great to install during the winter months because they can be installed throughout the year. 

They are more accustomed to colder weather and can be planted in the dead of winter. If your side is installed during the freezing temperatures of the winter months, it may lay dormant on top of the soil but will resume growing when the weather begins to warm up in March or April. This winter dormancy is normal, and your sod will begin to flourish as soon as the temperatures begin to warm up. 

How to Install Sod in the Winter 

The sod experts at Siouxland Sod Are asked frequently if sod can be installed during cold winter weather. The answer is always yes, but there are a few things that are different between installing sod in colder temperatures versus warmer ones.

First, sod only needs to be watered one time after it is installed during winter weather since the ground is already moist enough to take care of it properly. If the weather would happen to suddenly warm up after the sod is installed, it needs to be checked daily to see if it’s still staying moist. The other thing to remember is the sod installed during the wintertime will not require a starter fertilizer because it is being installed in dormant grass. 

Since the grass is not actively growing during the winter, there is no need for fertilizer. Once the weather warms up, a starter fertilizer will be applied. Also, sod can be installed on the frozen ground safely if the soil had been prepared through row detailing and raking it smooth before the freezing temperatures came about. 

If installed during the winter months, our sod technicians have the experience and knowledge to safely install your side on freezing ground and will not leave the sod outside overnight before planting. While the freezing temperatures will not harm the plant itself, it can become more difficult to unroll during the installation process.

Trust a Professional

It is very important to entrust your beautiful lawn to professional sod installers at any time during the year, including wintertime. Call upon the sod experts at Siouxland Sod today to set up an appointment for your free estimate and to get your sod installed so your lawn will look amazing at your home or business, no matter what time of year it is!