Question about laying new sod
 

I'm thinking about putting in some sod. I know "technically" the best way to
do it is to get rid of all the other grass/weeds that is already there,
lightly till (or rake) up the soil, and put the sod down on that.

I know there are varying opinions on how to get rid of the existing
vegetation, but I would be inclined to spray it with round up to kill it off
first, then rake it up. I am NOT too crazy about trying to pull it all up
while it is still alive. And tilling really isn't a great option because of
the shallow soil depth on top of a rocky base.

The area under consideration happens to be under some live oaks. Part of what
is growing there is literally hundreds of little oak saplings sprouting up
under and around the trees. My concern is that if I were to spray all of them
with round up, that would make its way into the trees' root systems and harm
them as well -- which I definitely don't want to do.

Would spraying round up under those trees harm them?

Would I have a chance in hades of the sod taking if I laid it on top of the
existing vegetation?


scott

Question about laying new sod
 

Scott Harper wrote:
I'm thinking about putting in some sod. I know "technically" the best way to
do it is to get rid of all the other grass/weeds that is already there,
lightly till (or rake) up the soil, and put the sod down on that.

I know there are varying opinions on how to get rid of the existing
vegetation, but I would be inclined to spray it with round up to kill it off
first, then rake it up. I am NOT too crazy about trying to pull it all up
while it is still alive. And tilling really isn't a great option because of
the shallow soil depth on top of a rocky base.

The area under consideration happens to be under some live oaks. Part of what
is growing there is literally hundreds of little oak saplings sprouting up
under and around the trees. My concern is that if I were to spray all of them
with round up, that would make its way into the trees' root systems and harm
them as well -- which I definitely don't want to do.

Would spraying round up under those trees harm them?

Would I have a chance in hades of the sod taking if I laid it on top of the
existing vegetation?


scott

the covered up existing vegetation will mostly die and rot underneath
the sod - not a particularly good start, rotting consumes nutrients and
may harbor fungus and other yard cooties

however, where I have faced the same shallow ground and don't want to
round-up I have buzzed everything to dirt with my weedeater and put the
sod down without a negative outcome

if the shade level is too high putting sod underneath a tree is a losing
proposition - use the Force, Luke and put plants where they want to grow
by checking out their preferred conditions

I have put in heavily mulched paths in a lot of the shady areas under my
live oaks - I use store bought cypress, rake up my live oak leaves, chip
up tree and shrub trimmings, etc.

so far it's worked for the last 15 years ;-) what's really cool is that
areas that won't support a thick turf are heavily mulched or planted
with shade tolerant stuff - ergo, no muddy spots even with two dogs
coming in and out of the yard

those little saplings are sucker shoots coming up from the big tree
roots - you would be applying round up to the big tree Danger, Will
Robinson, Danger!

what I do is take my weeding fork and chop the suckers off below ground
level - they do come back but it'll take a while