Purchasing

• Try to purchase sod the day before, or the day, you plan to lay it. Sod that is rolled up and placed on a pallet for delivery generally will stay healthy only for one to two days with proper care. However, this is not a guarantee -- it depends how long the sod has been on the pallet before you received it. During the winter, when sod is dormant, it usually can stay on a pallet for one week or two and remain healthy.
  
  

Water

• If you can't lay the sod right away, place the pallet in the shade. If the weather is hot and you can't lay the sod for two days, take the sod off the pallet, lay it out and sprinkle it with water. Because of all the nitrogen in the plants, sod will ferment if left rolled up in the heat. Watering it on the pallet or covering it will make the problem worse. Keep the sod moist until you are ready to install it.
  
  

Laying

• Wet the ground before laying the sod down if it was rolled up on a pallet for one to two days. Water the sod as soon as you have laid it and used a drum roller to remove the air pockets. If the sod is slightly yellow, you can bring it back by keeping it on a watering schedule.
  
  

Delivered Sod

• If you have the sod delivered to you, check the sod for greenness. If it already shows signs of yellowing or wilting, reject the delivery. Or lay the sod immediately and try to bring it back to life.