Get the surface as flat as possible before the sod goes down.

Soil should be dry to lay the sod. You'll water after it's down. Water just like you would for new seed - 3x per day lightly just enough to moisten the underlying soil. It should never be soggy wet. Continue with that watering until the sod is knitting to the soil underneath.

You can use organic fertilizer any time. For chemical fert, I'll let reeljake and others help you.

Organic fert like alfalfa and/or soybean? I'd like to go organic in general....would it be beneficial to put down some organic immediately after?

Also, beneficial or not to take a sod roller and roll the sod after install to improve contact?

surface is flat (4 tons end of last summer). Am going to do final touch up work a couple of days before the install.

Put down an app of organic before laying the sod, it will really jumpstart the roots, especially if your organic of choice has a beneficial fungi supplement. A light roll is a good idea, but be careful not to mess up that flat surface you worked so hard on. It will take about a month to root, so keep plenty of water on it until then. A spritz of shampoo, fish fertilizer & rooting hormones are a good helper for any slow growing spots. After you get some roots, a synthetic is a good booster for the summer heat

reeljake - What's your preferred organic fert w/fungi?

I would like to vote for Jobes organic fertilizer. It even has archea. You may care to use the fast start.

trickyputt - I'll check it out. Where in AL are you? I'm in Huntsville

reeljake - Where do you get your Microlife? If I go with the multi-purpose, at bag rate, I'd need about 45#. No brick & mortar retailers anywhere near me. There are 7# bags/containers on amazon for $28 each....would prefer to get a 40# bag from somewhere if I'm going to go that route. It sounds like a great product...sounds similar on the surface in a lot of ways to an organic fertilizer I get from the botanical garden here (that is optimized for vegetables/ornamentals).

I am in Montevallo. You can find Jobes all over, Wally world and the Big Box hardware stores.

I get mine at the local ace hardware, but I would not order it online. It sounds like that Jobe's stuff is comparable, so go for it. Your local nursery stuff sounds great too

Found this stuff at our big box store. Probably the closest I'll find to either of the products mentioned here. Any opinions/thoughts? Looks to have all the beneficial fungi

https://drearth.com/products/lawn-food/super-natural-lawn-fertilizer/

Try it. Read the directions, it will probably instruct to not let it dry out, or to incorporate or cover in compost or soil to prevent the death of the bacteria and fungi under uv light from the sun.

Looks like a winner to me. Fungi, bacteria, fish meal, and a bunch of other slow release organics.

Yep. Was even able to get it in a 40# bag from Amazon for a little cheaper.

Reeljake...you said put this down before laying the sod....are we talking like the evening before I start laying? Or does timing not matter that much? Thanks for all the help

UV death by sunburn. These organics are alive.

Haha. Ok, point taken...but to some extent my question is still there. I'm inferring, though, that your answer means spread immediately before laying. Or even spread AS I'm laying.

Yessir. Sweat and Beverages.

I think the night before might be ok, the idea is just to get those fungi spores in contact with the roots so they can do their job of assisting with nutrient uptake.

I cannot endorse your decision to purchase online though, I'm a firm believer in spending my dollars at employers within my community if at all possible. You get your product right now, keep your neighbors employed & support a good old fashioned retailer

Reeljake...generally agree....do most of my shopping locally...but not much loyalty to Home Depot. I checked at our local feed and seed stores first. Already have my normal store lined up for soybean meal, cracked corn, etc.

I'll agree with that, I don't care about HD or their bottom line. However, several of the neighborhood kids work at HD & Lowe's stocking shelves on the weekends for college (or beer) money--I dig that.

Good point...and taken...my wife and I generally pride ourselves on "being local." But easy to forget that even though HD/Lowe's/etc are disconnected from the local economy, the folks who work there aren't.

By by the way, I take it from your use of Microlife that you're in Texas? I've lived over the years in a Houston, College Station, and Austin...my wife and her whole family are in central/east Texas. One day we'll make it back.

Absolutely. Houston by God Texas. Just NW of town in cypress.