Frequently Asked Questions About Sod
Establishing A Lawn
When’s the best time to establish a lawn?
Turfgrass sod can be installed year-round, even on frozen
ground, if sod is available; however, sodding during the heat
of summer will require more water than during cooler periods.
Seeding or sprigging is best attempted in the Fall in most
areas, with Spring being the second best time. Winter and
Summer planting of seed or sprigs is strongly discouraged.
Can a homeowner install turfgrass sod?
If you can understand "Green Side Up," you can
successfully install sod. Because turfgrass sod can be heavy,
the help of a few friends is recommended. For more information
check out our Step-by-Step Guide at STEP
3 - How To Install Your Sod.
Is seeding cheaper than sodding?
A big bag of grass seed will cost less than a pallet of sod,
but that is like comparing the cost of raw wool to a fine
sweater. Turfgrass sod is a finished product that will provide
nearly instant use, beauty and environmental benefits, whereas
seed is an unknown that requires two or more years of on-going
time, attention, water, fertilizer and pesticides to reach
a maturity equal to sod on its first day.
Purchasing Quality Turfgrass Sod
Where will I find turfgrass sod?
Turfgrass sod farms are usually listed in telephone book
Yellow Pages under "Sod," "Sodding Services,"
"Sod Farms," or "Turfgrass Sod." Garden
centers and home improvement stores may also offer turfgrass
sod during some times of the year.
Farms who are members of Turfgrass Producers International
(TPI) have demonstrated a concern for their industry and through
their membership stay current with new developments and improvements
that result in superior turfgrass sod. Click here to find
a TPI member.
What do I look for to determine quality and freshness?
Sod is a living plant that should be installed between 24
to 72 hours after it is first harvested from the farm field.
The best indication of freshness is soil that is moist (not
hard and dry). The grass blades should be dark green and cool
to the touch.
Strength of sod can be tested by holding a piece by its narrow
end and raising it overhead, without it tearing or falling
apart.
Uniformity of texture, mowing height and overall quality,
can best be determined by placing several pieces on the ground
and looking for extreme variations or visible weeds.
Installing Turfgrass Sod
What are the basic steps to installing sod?
Prepare the soil as if you were seeding; measure the area
to be sodded to calculate the quantity you’ll need to
order; lay the first piece along a straight line such as a
driveway or sidewalk; install all additional pieces so the
seams create a brick-like pattern; apply at least one inch
of water on the new sod, beginning within 30 minutes of laying
down the first piece; keep the base soil moist with daily
(or more frequent) watering for the next two weeks.
Are there any "tricks of the trade" to
make the installation better?
Sodding is simple, but it can be made easier by:
- Leveling the soil approximately one-inch below any hard
surfaces such as patios, sidewalks and driveways so that
when the sod is installed it won’t be higher or lower
than the hard surface.
- Asking the delivery driver to place the pallets of sod
across the yard, approximating how much each pallet will
cover...this will reduce the time and distance you’ll
might have to otherwise carry each piece.
- If there’s any slope, begin sodding at the bottom
and work your way up the slope to keep the seam and joints
tightly together. If the slope is quite steep, run the pieces
across the direction of the slope.
- To make sure you are applying enough water, lift a corner
of any piece of sod and insert a screwdriver or other sharp
probe into the underlying soil. If it’s hard to push
in or the soil’s not moist, keep watering. For more
information click to "Turf Installation Guide."
Turfgrass Maintenance
What can I do to maintain a beautiful lawn?
- Quality grass simply needs water, air, sunlight and nutrients.
In most areas, grass needs approximately one-inch of water
a week. Infrequent and deep watering encourages deep roots
and a healthy lawn.
- Mow frequently enough (with a sharp blade) so you never
cut-off more than one-third of the grass blades in a single
mowing. This will also allow you to leave the clippings
on the lawn so they can naturally degrade and return nutrients
to the lawn.
- Prune trees so they allow as much light as possible onto
the lawn.
- Fertilize at least annually, or according to the specific
needs of your lawn.
- Aerate every other year to reduce compaction and increase
the exchange of water and air at the root level.
How can I patch thin or dead areas?
- Turfgrass sod can provide an instant patch by cutting
out the old grass and trimming in a sod patch. It’s
easy, simple and immediate.
- Seeding can be used when the area is small by raking
out the old grass, loosening the soil and sprinkling seed.
Keep the seed very moist with waterings two or three times
a day until it matures.
Turfgrass "Factoids"
Above Ground...
- Grass plants are 70 to 80% water
- Grass clippings are 90% water
- Grass clippings contain 4% nitrogen, 2% potassium and
0.5% phosphorus
- A 10,000 square foot lawn will contain:
6 grass plants per square inch
850 plants per square foot
8.5 million plants total
Below Ground...
- 90% of the weight of grass is in its roots
- A single grass plant has 387 miles of root
- There are 329,000 miles of root per square foot
- 3 billion miles of roots in a 10,000 square foot lawn
- Turfgrass sod is a superior form of erosion control,
with tests documenting:
- A dense lawn is 6 times more effective than a wheat field
and 4 times better than a hayfield at absorbing rainfall.
- Sediment losses from sodded areas will be 8 to 15 times
less than for tested man-made erosion control materials
and 10 times less than for a straw covered area.
- Runoff from a sodded area will take 28 to 46 times longer
than for five popular erosion control materials.
* A 50 by 50 foot lawn (2,500 square feet) releases enough
oxygen for a family of four, while absorbing carbon dioxide,
hydrogen fluoride and perosyacetyle nitrate.
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