Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.

In British English such material is more usually known as turf, and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultural senses (for example for turf when ploughed).

Sod is typically used for lawns, golf courses, and sports stadiums around the world. In residential construction, it is sold to landscapers, home builders or home owners who use it to establish a lawn quickly and avoid soil erosion. Sod can be used to repair a small area of lawn,[1] golf course, or athletic field that has died. Sod is also effective in increasing cooling, improving air and water quality, and assisting in flood prevention by draining water.[2]

Scandinavia has a long history of employing sod roofing and a traditional house type is the Icelandic turf house.

Following passage of the Homestead Act by the US Congress in 1862, settlers in the Great Plains used sod bricks to build entire sod houses.[3] While it might be hard for some to imagine sod as a suitable primary building material, the prairie sod of the Great Plains was so dense and difficult to cut it earned the nickname Nebraska marble. Blacksmith John Deere made his fortune when he became the first to make a plow that could reliably cut the prairie sod.[4]

Sod is grown on specialist farms. For 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture reported 1,412 farms had 368,188 acres (149,000.4ha) of sod in production.[5]

It is usually grown locally (within 100 miles of the target market)[6] to minimize both the cost of transport and also the risk of damage to the product. The farms that produce this grass may have many varieties of grass grown in one location to best suit the consumer's use and preference of appearance.

It is usually harvested 10 to 18 months after planting, depending on the growing climate. On the farm it undergoes fertilization, frequent watering, frequent mowing and subsequent vacuuming to remove the clippings. It is harvested using specialized equipment, precision cut to standardized sizes. Sod is typically harvested in small square or rectangular slabs, or large 4-foot-wide (1.2m) rolls.

Mississippi State University has developed a hydroponic method of cultivating sod. For the very few sod farms that export turf internationally, this soil-less sod may travel both lighter and better than traditional sod. Additionally, since the sod is not grown in soil, it does not need to be washed clean of soil down to the bare roots (or sprigs), so time to export is shortened.[7]

In many applications, such as erosion control and athletic fields, immediacy is a key factor. Seed may be blown about by the wind, eaten by birds, or fail because of drought. It takes some weeks to form a visually appealing lawn and further time before it is robust enough for use. Turf largely avoids these problems, and with proper care, newly laid sod is usually fully functional within 30 days of installation and its root system is comparable to that of a seeding lawn two or three years older.[8] Sod reduces erosion by stabilizing the soil.[9]

Many prized cultivars (such as Bella Bluegrass) only reproduce vegetatively,[10] not sexually (via seed). Sod cultivation is the only means of producing additional plants. To grow these varieties for sale, turf farms use a technique called sprigging, where recently harvested sod mats are cut into slender rows and replanted in the field.

Bermudagrass is quite commonly used for golf courses and sports fields across the southern portions of the United States. It tolerates a range of climates in the US, from hot and humid in the Gulf Coast to arid in the southwest and lower Midwest. "Established bermudagrass is a network of shoots, rhizomes, stolons, and crown tissue together that usually form a dense plant canopy. This dense plant canopy can be used to propagate clonal varieties by sod, sprigs, or plugs.[11] The aggressive and resilient nature of Bermudagrass make it not only an excellent turfgrass, but also unfortunately a challenging invasive weed in land cultivated for other purposes. Its one noted weakness is shade tolerance. Given the economic importance of Bermudagrass (as a sod product, agricultural forage and, at times, an invasive weed), it has been the subject of numerous studies.

St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) (also known as Charleston grass in South Carolina and Buffalo Turf in Australia) is warm season, perennial grass that is a widely used. A native grass of tropical origin that extends from water marshes (salty & fresh), lagoon fringes, and sandy beach ridges.

Saint Augustine lawns are a popular wide bladed (coarse) lawn planted throughout many areas of the Southeastern USA. This grass is found in Mexico, Australia, and in tropical parts of Africa. It is a warm season grass that does not handle cold weather very well. The majority of this grass is planted vegetatively (PLUGS, SOD) as seeds are not usually available commercially each season due to production difficulties.

Read more from the original source:
Sod - Wikipedia

Slowing down and watching the grass grow sounds good. In theory. But the reality is that if your lawn needs renewing, you'll be looking at a big patch of dirt for weeks. And why wait, when summer can begin right now with a lush green carpet underfoot?

When it comes to getting a thick, healthy lawn, nothing beats sod for instant gratification. Sure, it costs a bit more: about $400 to cover a 1,000-square-foot backyard (double that installed). But lay it right and in a couple of weeks you've got a dense, well-established lawn that's naturally resistant to weeds, diseases, and pest infestations.

"You're basically buying time," says This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook. "You're paying for turf that someone else has coddled for 14 to 18 months."

You're also buying convenience. Sod can be installed spring through fall (and even in winter in mild climates). In areas of the country that favor cool-season grasses, like the Northeast, it avoids the problem of sprouting a nice crop of weeds when seeding a lawn in spring. And in southern states, which favor warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and centipedegrass, sod is the best way to cover the yard at any time of year, since these turf types cannot be grown from seed.

"Sometimes sod gets a bad rap, but that's usually because of mistakes people make while laying it," says Roger. "Put down on properly prepared soil, it will thrive." Turf likes a well-aerated base that's slightly acidic (with a pH between 6 and 7.5) and nutrient-rich. And the only way to know what kind of soil you've got is to test it. For about $15, your local extension service will send a soil sample to a lab for analysis; results will come back within a week or two and indicate precisely what amendments you should add and in what quantity.

Then it's time to buy your sod. Depending on where you live, you can order it from a garden center or directly from a sod farm. It will generally be a mix of two or three turf grasses, chosen for optimal color, texture, and heartiness (be sure to tell your supplier if your yard's in partial or full shade). Ideally, sod should be delivered within 24 hours of being cut and be laid the same day. Measure your yard carefully so you can order the right amount, with some overage (about 5 percent) to account for cutting around curves.

Count on one weekend to prepare the soil and another to lay the turf. If your yard is covered with patchy grass, you'll need to remove it first. This is best done with a sod cutter (available from your local rental yard for about $70 per day), which slices it off below the roots. While you're at it, you'll want to rent a rototiller (about $55 per day). You'll also need a sod-cutting knife with a 2-inch blade, a spreader, an iron rake, compost, and other soil amendments, including fertilizer and lime, depending on what your soil analysis dictates. Two people should be able to cover 1,000 square feet in a day; get extra hands if you plan to lay more than that.

Read on for our step-by-step instructions for rolling out a lasting carpet of green.

View post:
How to Lay Sod | Lawn Care | Yard & Garden | This Old House

HI I HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS THAT NEED TREATMENT AND I WOULD CHERISH YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THE SUBJECT IS A CENTIPEDE LAWN IN HIGH PH SOIL AND ATTENDANT FUNGUS PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH HIGH PH HERE ARE SOME INTRO FACTS

LOCATION EAST TEXAS SIMILAR TO YOUR GEORGIA SOIL SUGAR SAND IN PLACES RED IRON BASED SOIL IN OTHERS

OUR GRASS AREA IS 4000 SQ FEET SOME 8 YEARS IN PLACE

ON AVERAGE THE PH IN FUNGUS TROUBLE SPOTS IS 8.0 + AND OF COURSE FUNGUS LIKES HIGH PH WHILE CENTIPEDE LIKES PH 6.0 SO NEED TO REDUCE PH 1.5 TO 2.0 POINTS OVER 4000 SQ FEET FOR HEALTHY CENTIPEDE AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT REDUCE FUNGUS FRIENDLY SOIL

WE WERE GONE FOR 2 MONTHS THIS SUMMER JUST GOT BACK AND FOUND 1500 TO 2000 SQ FEET OF LAWN WAS TOTALLY DEAD FROM FUNGUS [WILL NEED TO RESEED OR RE SOD] REMAINDER IS DOING FINE SO I HAVE AN IMMEDIATE SEVERE FUNGUS PROBLEM IN 2000 SQ FEET AND A LONGER TERM FUNGUS MAINTENANCE PROBLEM IN THE OVERALL 4000 SQ FEET

I AM SURE I COULD BLUNDER THROUGH ALL YOUR PRODUCTS AND FINALLY FIND A HELPFUL COMBINATION JUST TIME AND MONEY! FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO IS JUST SMART ENOUGH TO GET IN TROUBLE YOU OFFER TOO MANY OPTIONS!!! I HAD A LOCAL SOURCE OF

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS PLACE AN ORDER THAT GIVES ME A 12 MONTH SUPPLY OF CHEMICALS TO ADDRESS [1] FUNGUS AND [2] PH REDUCTION BOTH PROBLEMS ARE LONG TERM SO 12 MONTHS IS SORT OF A STARTER KIT

FINALLY HAVE WEEDS AND GRASS IN ASIAN JASMINE AND FESCUE/MONKEY GRASS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? AND OUR FALLS ARE RATHER MILD LIKE YOURS STILL 70S AND LOW 80S SHOULD FUNGUS TREATMENT START NOW OR IN SPRING?

THANKS W.W.

If you review our SOIL PH CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn keeping the PH in balance is key for insect, weed and fungus control with most any kind of turf. Centipede is no different and in fact more susceptible than others to the impact of an improperly balanced PH. So for now, you need to address the high PH first and one of the best way to get it adjusted is with some SULFUR GRANULES. If you don't yet have a SOIL PH PROBE, get one and start applying the Sulfur with the goal being to get your PH down close to 6.0. More importantly, you'll need to monitor the PH to make sure it doesn't creep back up on you again. For some yards, this means taking readings every 2-3 months and in some instances, applying Sulfur as frequently as once a quarter.

Originally posted here:
How to control the soil ph in the lawn, garden and flower beds

Hello everyone! Here is a little recap of our June Inspiration Week products, and, of course, we have our winners below! All of these products are now available! Wooohooo! 🙂 We will have lots of fun posts and videos through out this month and CHA Sneak Peeks later this month!!!!! You can find our new productshere at our siteand in your favorite local store, too! Check thelist out here, and if you don't see your favorite store make sure to let them know about us! And now for our winners ..... parrrrrrummmmmmm ...... (that's a drum roll 🙂 ) ........

The winner of all 5 of our featured stamp sets is ...Jeri!

The winner of Sweet Smiles is ...Melissa denny!

The winner of Treat Yourself and Color My World is ...Teresa Godines #6857!

Please email us at kellymarie(at)lawnfawn(dot)com with your name, mailing address and which prize you won!

Erica, Mike and I wanted to thank you all for all of your enthusiasm this week! It has been amazing, and it means more than we could ever say! We loved reading all of your comments and getting to learn a little bit more about you! Thank you so much for being so amazing!!!!

You guys arethebest!!!! BIG BIG hugs and lots of love to you all! We can't wait to see what you create!

Thank you so much for visiting!

Have an amazing day,

Read more from the original source:
the Lawn Fawn blog

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Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the family Poaceae (also called Gramineae), as well as the sedges (Cyperaceae) and the rushes (Juncaceae). The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns (turf) and grassland. Sedges include many wild marsh and grassland plants, and some cultivated ones such as water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) and papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus).

Uses for graminoids include food (as grain, sprouted grain, shoots or rhizomes), drink (beer, whisky, vodka), pasture for livestock, thatch, paper, fuel, clothing, insulation, construction, sports turf, basket weaving and many others.

Graminoids include some of the most versatile plant life-forms. They became widespread toward the end of the Cretaceous period, and fossilized dinosaur dung (coprolites) have been found containing phytoliths of a variety that include grasses that are related to modern rice and bamboo.[1] Grasses have adapted to conditions in lush rain forests, dry deserts, cold mountains and even intertidal habitats, and are now the most widespread plant type; grass is a valuable source of food and energy for all sorts of wildlife and organics.

Graminoids are the dominant vegetation in many habitats, including grassland, salt-marsh, reedswamp and steppes. They also occur as a smaller part of the vegetation in almost every other terrestrial habitat.

Many types of animals eat grass as their main source of food, and are called graminivores these include cattle, sheep, horses, rabbits and many invertebrates, such as grasshoppers and the caterpillars of many brown butterflies. Grasses are also eaten by omnivorous or even occasionally by primarily carnivorous animals. Grasses are unusual in that the meristem is located near the bottom of the plant, hence can quickly recover from cropping at the top.[2]

In the study of ecological communities, herbaceous plants are divided into graminoids and forbs, which are herbaceous dicotyledons, mostly with broad leaves.

Plants of this type have always been important to humans. They have been grown as food for domesticated animals for up to 6,000 years. (See grass-fed beef.) They have been used for paper-making since 2400 BC or before. The most important food crops are the grains of grasses such as wheat, rice and barley. They have many other uses, such as feeding animals, and for lawns. There are many minor uses, and grasses are familiar to most human cultures.

In some places, particularly in suburban areas, the maintenance of a grass lawn is a sign of a homeowner's responsibility to the overall appearance of their neighborhood. One work credits lawn maintenance to:

...the desire for upward mobility and its manifestation in the lawn. As Virginia Jenkins, author of The Lawn, put it quite bluntly, 'Upper middle-class Americans emulated aristocratic society with their own small, semi-rural estates.' In general, the lawn was one of the primary selling points of these new suburban homes, as it shifted social class designations from the equity and ubiquity of urban homes connected to the streets with the upper-middle class designation of a "healthy" green space and the status symbol that is the front lawn.[3][4]

Many municipalities and homeowners' associations have rules which require lawns to be maintained to certain specifications, sanctioning those who allow the grass to grow too long. In communities with drought problems, watering of lawns may be restricted to certain times of day or days of the week.[5]

Read more from the original source:
Grass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Purchasing the right grass sod for your home or commercial property speaks volumes. Our sod company works with the highest quality sod farms to provide our clients with fresh, clean, durable grass. If you are thinking about re-doing your lawn or giving a face lift to your golf course or business, contact our professional grass sod company for more details.

Grass sod company Residential and commercial properties (404) 333-8172

Are you looking to improve your courtyard? How about the perfect balance in your garden? Whether you are in search of lush flowing grass or vibrant shade resistant strands, we have the right grass sod for you. We offer the following types of grass sod varieties and resources:

Many customers come to us knowing what they want, but not necessarily knowing the name of the grass sod in mind. Our professionals will go over with you all the different types and help match your needs and wants with the perfect grass. Where you live in the state makes a big difference. Some grass sod types are more temperature resistant than others. Call our experts today for a free estimate, and lets get to the next stage of achieving the perfect lawn!

Our yard sod selection is some of the best in the area. We offer many types to meet the demands of our customers. From different textures and hues, to durability in high traffic areas, our grass sod company can deliver. All of our clients are important to us, and our customer service is ready to assist you every step of the way. We can also help tell you how to properly prepare your yard prior to delivery. Proper prep work provides optimum growing conditions for your new grass sod. Contact our office today to find out which types of yard sod work best in what environments and when the best planting time is.

We make sure that we have an ample resource for all turf supply types. As a homeowner, when you make up your mind for the look and feel of the grass sod you want, we know you dont want substitutions. Grass sod is a very personal choice for many clients. Many want that lush soft feel between their toes they remember as a kid. Others are looking for a heartier more durable type of grass to withstand high traffic areas. Whatever your wants or needs, we get our turf supply delivered by the highest quality sod farms in the state. We stand behind our commitment to quality, and anything not exceeding standards is not accepted. From home lawns and gardens, to local parks, sports fields, and golf courses, our professional grass sod company has you covered. Contact us today!

Free estimates Ample supply of quality yard sod (404) 333-8172

We provide grass sod in Atlanta, Jonesboro, Dunwoody, Canton, Kennesaw, Conyers, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Lawrenceville, and Marietta.

View original post here:
Grass Sod Atlanta, Jonesboro, Dunwoody, GA

Peyton Manning and the Broncos will play on new sod this season at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Can we all agree there have been enough jokes about grass in Colorado over the last year? OK.

This is something more serious, at least as it relates to the states most popular sports team. The Broncos are continuing the final phase of field renovations at Sports Authority Field on Wednesday, installing a new sod surface for the first time since the stadium opened in 2001. The field received criticism early last season following an unprecedented schedule. For the first time in the new stadiums history, the Broncos opened the preseason at home coupled with a soccer exhibition, the CU-CSU game and multiple public Broncos scrimmages because of construction at Dove Valley.

The turf eventually rebounded, looking better later in the season. But some new sod cant hurt, right?

The upgrades to the playing surface began in early February in partnership with Sports Contracting Group (SCG) and Millennium Sports Technologies (MSG). The surface consists of 100 percent Kentucky bluegrass sod grown by Graffs Turf Farms in Fort Morgan. It replaces the original synthetic blend surface used since 2001.

The Denver Outlaws lacrosse team will hold the first game on the field, facing the Charlotte Hounds on May 3.

Read more from the original source:
Watching grass grow not a bad thing for Broncos as new sod installed at stadium

April 8, 2015 11:50 AM

Crews installing the new sod at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Wednesday (credit: CBS)

DENVER (CBS4) Crews on Wednesday began installing new sod at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The new sod is100 percent Kentucky bluegrass and wasgrown by Graffs Turf Farms in Fort Morgan.

Crews installing the new sod at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Wednesday (credit: CBS)

The decision to redo the grass on the field the Denver Broncos play on came before lastseason started, and its about more than just the appearance, according to Denver Broncos facilities director Zach Myhra.

Our focus is whats below the grass, the 12 or so inches below the field where the roots actually take hold, as well as a warming system, irrigation system and systems of that nature to support what you see on game days, Myhra said.

Crews installing the new sod at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Wednesday (credit: CBS)

Theres was no consideration to use any sort of artificial turf because the Broncos have always played on a natural surface.

The Denver Outlaws will be the first to play on the new field during their home opener against the Charlotte Hounds on May 3.

Read the original:
Crews Begin Installing New Sod At Sports Authority Field At Mile High

FLORENCE, S.C. Spring weather has people itching to get out and start fertilizing their lawns, but landscapers say hold on, its not quite time.

We get a nice day and people go out, buy fertilizer and put it down, said Brandon Granger, horticulturalist and owner of Florence-based Granger Landscapes. The bad part is, if we have a late freeze, the fertilizer will kill the grass. You need to wait until the grass is all green before fertilizing.

Granger said it is a busy time of year for his company because people are starting to come outside after being cooped up all winter.

Most folks want us to do a spring cleanup and pick up debris and put out pine straw, he said. Flowers and seasonal color we wont start planting till the end of April.

When it comes to lawn care, Clemson Extension agent Tony Melton said, its too late to use weed killer. He said dont do any fertilizing till May.

If you do it too early the nutrients will wash away, Melton said. Its best to just mow down the weeds because its too late to control them. These are cold-weather weeds, so theyll die when it warms up anyway. The best weed control is green grass.

He said its important to apply fertilizer to your lawn when its dry, then water it in or let the rain do it. If it is put on wet grass, fertilizer will cause the grass to burn. Both Melton and Granger agreed that spring fertilizer application will do the trick.

Karen Hatchell-Crawford, who runs Hatchells Landscape with her brother Westin, said if the grass has died it likely wont grow back and you should re-sod those areas. She said its important to get fresh sod, otherwise you dont know how long its been lying around on a pallet.

We get all of our sod fresh, Crawford said. We know when our sod was cut, and it is cut for when we need it.

With people thinking about sprucing up their property, Hatchell Landscape office assistant Chris Williams said she fields many calls from people wanting to get palm trees.

More:
Pee Dee landscapers weigh in on spring lawn care tips