NEW sod watering Issue

[Lawn Newbie]

Hi all,

I just moved in to our new house. The front and side yard has just been sod almost four weeks ago. However, I've notice the sod is really soft (my foot kind of sinks into it), soggy and each roll of sod is not laid close to each other, there's at least an inch gap in between. But I was told that if I water it enough, they will be fine. So I did that for the following weeks. My watering schedule is at least once a day for min. half an hour, some times twice a day if it's a hot week. but the sod still seems pretty lifeless. So I took pictures of the the sod problem and send them to the builder. Here's the reply they gave me, I find it unreasonable and want to confirm if what they are saying is true. I need your expert advise on this. Please help!

here's the reply:

From the appearance of the picture and now from the written confirmation I can advise that you have not been watering the grass enough in order for it to properly take root. When the grass is initially laid there is always minor gaps of the roll and you will feel the soil underneath move as it has not had time to settle. As it roots these will disappear. The soil under the sod has dried out and clumps have form which is why you feel them now when walking You must water the grass a minimum of 2 times a day for 1 or more hours each time (depending on weather conditions) until the sod is completely soaked through and the top soil below has been fully moistened. In these very humid conditions it may require a third watering. Keep in mind that you do have to be careful of over watering as well. When watering your grass pull back one of the corners of the sod rolls to ensure that the top soil is wet. Then you know you have watered enough. Grass is very resilient so please try maintaining a longer water schedule for the next few weeks and then report back to us.

[rainbowgardener]

Please tell us where you are located and what the weather has been like.

How much is enough water is very variable depending on conditions.

I think they did give you good advice that the only way to really know if you are watering enough (or too much) is to check the underlying soil, to be sure that you have watered enough that the soil under the sod is moist a couple inches down (and is not soggy, muddy, or puddled).

You said it was soft and "soggy." What did you mean by soggy? Is it really wet? Does water ooze up when you step on it? If it is wet like that more than a few minutes after you water, sounds like too much water rather than too little. Too much water can drown the roots and cause some of the same problems.