Nothing beats grass rolls for instant gratification when getting a thick, healthy lawn. Read some common lawn questions, followed by our step-by-step instructions on preparing your soil and properly laying a beautiful green carpet.
Steps to install grass on the ground
Read these steps to learn how to lay sod in your yard.
How to prepare your soil for grass
Loosen the top 6 to 8 inches of soil with a rototiller. Spread 2 inches of finished compost (this may be free if your city has a municipal compost center). Add 2 to 3 inches of sand to clay soil to improve drainage, even in amendments. Then, based on your soil test results, use a spreader to place the appropriate starter fertilizer and then lime if necessary.
Level the ground
Use an iron rake to knock down high spots and fill in low areas so the ground is level and 1 inch below the level of any paved surface, such as a walkway or driveway. Water lightly to moisten the soil.
Placement of the first row
Find the longest ruler in your garden; it was the fence line here. Unroll the first roll of grass along it. Please stay off the grass as you install it, and rake up any footprints. Smooth out any loose areas or wrinkles, patting the grass flat against the soil beneath it without air pockets.
Placement of the following rows
After laying the first row, use the knife to cut the middle of the next piece so you can stagger the short seams, as you would when laying bricks. Again, be sure to fit the grass sections snugly together without overlapping them. The seams will be less noticeable this way, and the edges will be less likely to dry out and die. Use the knife to cut sprinkler holes in the soil and trim pieces along planting beds and paved areas.
Watering new grass
Water the installed sod thoroughly, which also helps settle the soil. Try not to step on the grass for a week. Water every day, preferably in the morning: Much water is lost through evaporation during the day’s heat. And if you 
water at night, the grass accumulates a lot of water, which can lead to fungal diseases. After the first week, reduce watering to every other day, tapering to just twice a week by the third week. Then, like any lawn, give it an inch of water a week, more during the hot summer months.
When to cut new grass
When the grass reaches 3 inches tall, it’s time to cut it to 2 inches. Because your new lawn is still fragile, use a walk-behind mower (rather than the heavier ride-on type) for the first cut and bag the clippings. Although you’ll probably want to grow it taller in the summer months, to encourage a deep root system and to shade out weeds, always try to cut a third of the length of the grass each time you mow, and be sure to use a sharp spade.
Fertilizing the new lawn
Allow your grass to grow for three to four weeks, then feed it again with a starter fertilizer to compensate for the nutrients that were washed away during the heavy watering program.