We’re laying turf this weekend in our front and back yards. We’ve put down a couple of inches of topsoil and it’s fairly level, although we’re going to level it out more.
What is the best way to go about this project for the best results? Do we roll the ground, or leave it loose (we’ve been given advice both ways)? Do we need to put anything on the top soil to help fertilize or ‘nurture’ the turf?
Help?!?!
Thanks,
S.
When we did ours years ago we first killed all the weeds. Then we applied a fertilizer for new grass, laid it and rolled it down. Kept it good a watered for the first month and it still looks good. That seems to be the normal installation method in this area.
Green side up.
Trust me, it’s how the pros do it. 
Bring a friend if she has a sister. Trust me.
Surf?
Get the topsoil as level as possible, and make sure it’s loose and not compacted.
Place the sod on the topsoil and use sod staples to anchor it into the ground. As you roll out the next strip, but it up against the last one as closely as you can, and keep it in place with the staples. If you’re doing a slope, work from the bottom up, laying the sod horizontally.
Once it’s all installed and anchored, roll it. You can probably rent a sod roller from a local nursery or garden supply store - it’s just a big steel drum with a plug in it. You fill the drum with water for weight and then roll it over all the sod you’ve just put down. When you’re done, you can let the water out on your brand new lawn.
Make sure you keep it well watered for the next few weeks, or you’ll be doing it again next fall. If you want to use fertilizer, make sure you get something appropriate for the type of grass you’re laying - ask the folks you bought the sod from if you’re unsure. And TheLoadedDog was right - green side up!
Mark (former landscaper)
Thanks** Enginerd** and **Toddly ** … YOUR posts were very helpful! 
Sounds like hard work … but I guess we can just keep telling ourselves it’ll be worth it …
S.
Okay I have to ask this because I was thinking about resodding our yard.
Isn’t it a bit late in the season to be putting grass down? My fear is that the grass would not have a long enough period to establish itself before winter hit.
I know nothing about grass
As mentioned, make sure your fertilizer is formulated for new sod and/or seed. I’d imagine more emphasis is placed on root development than greening.
… oh. So it’s not a euphemism?
Wear sunblock.
Which actually works if it is an euphemism, and you’ve whooshed everybody but me.
You probably would have gotten more comments if you’d asked about laying pipe.
Hey, I’ve done that for a living too!