New TifTuf Bermuda Is Browned out

Q: I had TifTuf Bermuda sod installed a few months ago. I watered it ten minutes per day for the first six weeks. Now I water Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun. The mowing height is three inches. In the sunniest part of the yard, it’s about 70% browned out. Is this salvageable? 

A: It sounds to me like you watered too much. The goal for watering new sod is to keep it moist for a week or two and then start weaning it down to an inch of water per week, applied at one time. Daily watering leads to leaf disease and root rot. The mowing height should be no higher than two inches for this grass. If you mow higher than that, you’ll end up seeing a lot of brown stems each time after cutting. The first thing to decide is if your grass is truly dead or if there is some living greenery close to the ground. If living grass is present, change your maintenance practices appropriately.