Sod on sand?

[311Hemi]

Building a new house and it's a big sandbox in northern Anoka county. I am planning on installing in-ground sprinkler system and then laying sod. My question is how much black dirt should I plan to bring in to lay over the sand. Are there other things/products I should be doing/using or is black dirt the best option? I was thinking about putting down around 4" of black dirt.

[c0untryf1sh3r]

I would say 4-6" of straight black dirt. My parents house was built on sand with a 6" layer of black dirt under the sod and they have the best looking yard in the neighborhood.

[Tom7227]

I am curious about this issue. Would it help to bring in clay and till it in? How about as much leave mulch as you can get your hands on? It would seem to me that you can't put down too much organic matter.

[chasineyes]

In shakopee where my home is, it's ALL sand. I put down "some" black dirt but it dries our QUICK!! You will need to water alot. It's probably a trade off. Cost of dirt vs. cost of water. FWIW, my neighbors have had $300 water bills in the summer.

The nice thing with all the sand, is that my sump pump has NEVER ran.

[otterman91105]

I also built a few years back in northern anoka county and put in sod. I think i put about 4" of black dirt down and put in irrigation. I don't know what is left for black dirt but my yard always looks great. But like others have said you have to water like crazy. Good luck.

[fishersofmen]

I put down black dirt over sand many years ago before a sod job and it seemed to vanish in the sand lol.

[otterman91105]

I have heard that a lot. Seems like every year the grass dry's out quicker and quicker. I don't think i have much black dirt left and it's only been 5 years.

[311Hemi]

I also built a few years back in northern anoka county and put in sod. I think i put about 4" of black dirt down and put in irrigation. I don't know what is left for black dirt but my yard always looks great. But like others have said you have to water like crazy. Good luck.

I see your in Linwood, that's where we are building as well. Hopefully I can get going on the yard stuff soon.

[Dozer]

I have heard that a lot. Seems like every year the grass dry's out quicker and quicker. I don't think i have much black dirt left and it's only been 5 years.

Don't think you have much black dirt left? Where do you think it went!?

[Shack]

I put down black dirt over sand many years ago before a sod job and it seemed to vanish in the sand lol.

Yeah, laying down sod on sand black dirt is a waste of money, effort and time. For one the sod itself has a layer of rich fertile dirt which comes with it and it plenty for holding moisture to allow growth and rooting.

IMO, the biggest thing I had seen with laying black dirt/clay down under sod is that no matter how good you lay it, it tended to show the edges and seams more afterwards for some reason. Each application is different and no two piles of black dirt the same but it just seemed that placing black dirt under sod brought a higher chance of something not coming out right. Burned edges, dead rows/rolls cropping up down to shifting and moving even after stacks rusted away. It just always seemed to be more work for everyone, homeowner included and of course higher cost ad not to mention messy. All of this for almost no to even negative results. If you have a steep grade and a roll of heavy wet sod (after some sudden rain soaking downpours) uptop a wet, slick, newly spread and unstable undersurface, gravity will take over even if the roll is stacked down like crazy to the hill.

I laid sod for a few summers and the best scenario possible was a sand lot (which is easily leveled better by hand when laying), irrigation installed first and sod placed like carpet right over the sand. I drive by some of those places today, almost a decade and half/two decades later) and that sod looks as good, if not better, than a couple weeks after we initially laid it down.

The places which saw the most issues were the places that had clay in the soil. It retains so much moisture and cause fungus and burns out rows/rolls here and their.

[Shack]

I would say 4-6" of straight black dirt.

That's just insane! Even if straight seeding, when black dirt being laid down is recommended sometimes, 4" to 6" is a dirt haulers dream but a sod layers nightmare.

The only person who will tell you 4"-6" of quality black dirt be laid down is the person selling you the black dirt.

[Tom7227]

I would consider contacting Prairie Restoration in Scandia and talk to them about planting some native grasses and wildflowers at least in a decent size portion of the yard.

[fishersofmen]

Or skip the sod all together and do it the right way and get it hydroseeded. Brian at the Lawn Firm does great work and the grass always turns out better than sod. A seeded lawn won't give you the instant beauty but in the end you will be glad you did it. No comparison after 2-3 years.