Sod’s Down—Now Why’s It Dying? Fixing Patchy Sod 6 Weeks Later

You laid fresh sod a few weeks ago. It looked great. Now? You’re staring at dry, crispy patches, thinning grass, and a whole lot of brown that wasn’t there before. Sound familiar?

You’re not alone. This is one of the most common situations new homeowners or even seasoned lawn guys run into.

From what we’ve seen across the GreenPal community and online lawn forums, the culprits usually fall into a short list: not enough water, not enough nutrients, or a missed step during installation.

Let’s break it down and show you exactly how to bring your lawn back from the brink.

Right off the bat: if it’s not wet, it’s wrong.

New sod has no root system. Until those roots anchor into the soil below, you’re basically caring for a big green mat sitting on top of dirt. If that mat dries out, it bakes—and fast.

We suggest watering like this:

If you missed that window and things are looking rough, it’s not game over. Deep watering now might still help, but the damage may take a few weeks to recover—or need a full reseed in spots. Learn how to boost new grass growth without the guesswork.

The second most common issue we see is underfeeding. Laying sod is like asking grass to run a marathon while living on crackers and water. It takes energy to grow roots and establish.

We recommend a fertilizer like a 24-2-11 or anything balanced with slow-release nitrogen. You’re not trying to blast it with growth—you’re feeding it gradually so the roots dig deep.

A granular fertilizer is fine, but apply it when the sod is wet, and water it in after. Don’t wait until it “looks hungry”—by then you’re playing catch-up.

Wondering why the color looks pale or lime green? Here’s why your grass looks lime green after mowing and how to fix it.

From what you shared, it looks like your yard may have some patchy areas that never fully took. This can happen if the soil wasn’t prepped well before sod was laid. Sod needs:

If your sod was laid on hard-packed dirt or rocky fill, the roots may have never pushed through. In that case, those areas will keep struggling.

Need to spot-check your soil? Grab a screwdriver. If it won’t push in easily, it’s compacted. At that point, overseeding with core aeration may help. Here’s how to deal with clumpy, uneven grass in your yard.

Another thing we’ve seen often: folks confuse seed heads or different grasses as weeds or dying patches.

Before you spray anything, make sure you’re looking at what you think you’re seeing. Use this guide to identify if what you're seeing is grass or a weed.

We also see people misidentify thin or brown spots as the result of pests or diseases when it’s really just poor watering habits or poor root contact from the sod install.

Thinning grass leaves gaps, and weeds love empty real estate. If your lawn starts losing density, you’ll see crabgrass, clover, or even creeping charlie move in fast.

To prevent that, we suggest:

If the weeds are already showing up, see our guide on how to win the fight against lawn weeds.

Sometimes it’s not just about fixing the bad spots—it’s about making everything else shine. That means:

If you’re doing this work professionally for a client, make sure you’re not underpricing this kind of labor.

These types of repairs take more time and planning. See our guide on pricing complex lawn jobs.

And if you’re new to professional lawn work, make sure you're covered with the right insurance.

What you’re seeing now is frustrating, but not unusual. New sod is like a baby—it needs constant care early on. Miss a step, and it’ll show fast.

Water deeper. Feed it right. Repair where needed. And give it time. A few solid weeks of care can bring even rough patches back to life.

Keep learning, keep adjusting, and don’t be afraid to ask other lawn pros what’s worked for them. That’s how real yards get fixed.