Manage healthy sod with proper watering and mowing.
If you don't care for grass sod properly after planting it, the sod will die back and turn brown. Before you cut the new sod, you must establish a healthy lawn.
Grass Length
Allow new sod to grow for at least three weeks. Grass blades must be at least 4 inches tall before you can use a lawn mower to cut the grass. The taller the grass blade, the deeper the roots, which are essential for sod or any other grass.
Mowing
Never cut more than 1/3 inch of grass off the top. If the grass blades are 4 inches tall, cut the grass blades to 3 2/3 inches tall. Mowing any more than 1/3 inch can weaken grass.
Considerations
Although you should only cut the grass 1/3 inch at a time, you can achieve a height of 2 inches -- the lowest you should ever cut grass sod -- by mowing more frequently. Every three or four days, cut 1/3 inch off the top. Eventually, you will catch up to the new growth and achieve a height of 2 inches.
