(more photos)

Here's one more photo showing the difference between the two sections of sod that were installed. The browning section was the sod installed first, and the dark green sections were installed two days later.

This is one main reason that I feel as though it could have been a bad batch. Then again....I don't know much about these types of things.

Stop watering the sod at night/afternoon, you're creating fungus!

The soil should have been tilled and ammended prior to intalling the sod. If you haven't fertilized already, do so now.

This is the second time I've seen this this year. It was not 45 minutes, it was 4 to 5 minutes. Big difference, huh!? All you have to do is moisten the sod, not drench the soil 2 feet down. At this point you should probably not water until the grass looks dry. It's already knit into the underlying soil with all that moisture. Just let it go until you see the blades fold together. Then water it...for 45 minutes. Actually get some cat food or tuna cans and place them around the yard. Time how long it takes to fill those. Then water for that time next time you need water. It should be at least a week. The idea with watering mature grass is to do it deeply and infrequently. Deeply is 1 inch. Infrequently is once a month in the cool months changing gradually to once every week in the hottest heat of summer.

You do have a fungal disease in the older grass. Those are disease lesions on the blades (excellent pictures, by the way). This is going to sound crazy, because it still sounds crazy to me, but down here people have good results simply washing disease spores down into the soil with soap. The microbes in the soil take care of the spores. The treatment is to spray with 3 ounces of baby shampoo or any clear shampoo. That is 3 ounces per 1,000 square feet. This is the same treatment as for hard soil. Spray it now and make that the last time you water for several days. But watch it very carefully. If new grass shoots get the disease after you stop watering, then you'll have to treat it.

If your soil was graded, that is the perfect preparation for new seed or sod. Rototilling is the worst thing you could do in prep for grass. I disagree with doing it for a veggie garden, too, but for different reasons. Definitely grade instead of rototill.

Thank you so much for your replies! I had a feeling that this was the case (over-watering and/or fungal infection).

The landscaper even came by yesterday and checked it out and said "oh its ok, just keep watering it!" I about fell off my rocker...

I'm going to slow way down on the water and then fertilize.

Thanks again!

I just found this thread and I am having a similar problem. Same type of installation (zoysia directly on Georgia clay that has been raked well). The edges are dying and now some of the grass on the inside seems to be too. we were told to water it, especially the edges, but not too much (whatever that means). I water in the morning and by evening the soil and the clay below are still damp. The grass at the bottom of our hill is almost soggy. I guess I’m worried because he said it’s dying because it isn’t being watered enough but everything seems to stay wet. It’s only been a week and a half but I’m so nervous it will die!