Cultivating sod is a labor of love that requires a great deal of patience and attention to detail. For their product to be marketable, sod farmers must be careful to grow turf that’s healthy, robust and weed-free. This is easier said than done, particularly when sod farms grow many different types of turf to accommodate various environmental conditions. Regardless of what type of sod is being grown, the process begins the same way.
Prep Work
Before seeds can be planted, the soil must be thoroughly tilled, raked and cleared of rocks and vegetation. Next, a fresh layer of compost is spread to fertilize the soil with the nutrients it needs for turf to flourish. Then, the land is tilled again to loosen the existing soil and mix in the compost.
Planting and Care
Once the soil has been prepped, it’s time to plant. Sod farms typically either grow their sod from high-quality seed blends or hybrid sprigs. Once the seeds are planted, it can take anywhere from 10 months to two years to cultivate turf before its ready for harvest. This involves an intensive regimen of watering, mowing and fertilizing. The sod farms in our area grow a number of different types of sod at any given time. Some of these are drought-tolerant, others thrive in low-light conditions, and others are ideal for high-traffic areas.
Harvesting
Now comes the fun part. Once the turf has matured, it can be harvested using a specially-designed machine that lifts strips of sod out of the earth like long rolls of carpet. The harvesting process is remarkably satisfying to see in action. The harvesters take not only the sod but a few inches of the underlying soil so that the root systems have a base in which to grow.
The sod farms we work with don’t harvest sod until they receive an order. This means that you receive your sod order no more than 24 hours after it was harvested. Before you know it, you’ll have a great-looking, healthy lawn of fresh turf. Get your quote online or give us a call today to learn more.