Laying Sod

[lil_cote_93]

Got my first big sod job, all to myself
umm, my main question, is whats the easiest way to take out a patch of grass about 15ft, by 6 feet without renting a sod cutter,
(flat shovel? rototiller?)
any help would be great thankyu

[ACutAbovesiny]

Tilling will be a mess to clean up. I like to use a flat shovel. It alows you to take large peices out. Try to knock off some of the soil...it gets kind of heavy if you dont.

[PerfectEarth]

A sod knife- It's a long handled tool with a half-circle looking flat knife-like blade on the end. Has a nice angled neck for easy use. It'll sdile right under the existing turf/weeds. Get one. Razorback makes a good one.

[Grn Mtn]

are you asking what is the easiest way of removing the existing turf/weeds without spending money renting equipment?

if you use a sidewalk edger for your business, use that to make 14-12"x6' slices in your "patch", then take a flat edging shovel and push it under the sod cutting as little of the dirt as possible. now roll it up. You are your own sod cutting machine.

I find if you do it that way, instead of just shoving the shovel all over the place it is less messy and makes quick work of the clean-up.

once area is clean, rototill, amend then lay your sod and a running bond pattern like a brick wall, roll, and water good.

[cgaengineer]

I laid some sod yeaterday in my own lawn and I just used my trimmer and cut all the way down to the dirt and then raked the surface to roughen it up a bit.

[Grits]

I use a tiller. Much easier than using a flat shovel to scrape it up. Just run over the area with the tiller. Define edges, rake it, level it and sod it.