Zander Sod provides installation services on residential sites as well as golf courses and sports fields. Claus says, “When the big sites are too wet for big roll installation, we can do several of the residential installations with standard rolls.”
Mike adds, “Each year, we’re restricted to half-loads on designated roads until the frost is out of the ground. So we try to harvest from fields that are on major roads without those restrictions until that happens. But we’ll find a way to ship when a customer needs sod. We’ve delivered sod by the truckload to a golf course that’s on a large island. Te truck had to travel across the water and back on a barge.”
Mike Zander reports they’ll find a way to get their sod to a customer who needs it, even by barge if necessary.
dry years; the time when the sandier soils require greater irrigation. Te lighter (sandier) soils are best in the wet years as they allow the water to percolate through more easily.
Claus says, “We can’t control the weather and, around here, it seems to be a moving target, filled with challenges. Winter didn’t want to leave this year. Last year was our wettest on record and the year before our driest on record. Average would be nice.”
Tey’ve expanded their market segments over the years, adding golf courses and sports fields to their long-time landscape contractor and homeowner customers. Tey also sell to over 50 retail garden centers.
Bluegrass is their primary grass, offered in multiple mixtures and blends and used as specified in custom-grow projects, it makes up 90 to 95 percent of their total sod sales. Tey grow a mix of fine fescues and bluegrass and they grow bentgrass for the golf market.
Mike says, “We follow the research on all the new variety introductions. Still, determining cultivar selection and allocated field space is a bit of a gamble as we try to forecast correctly what will be selling 18 months after planting, when the turf is ready for harvest.”
Tat’s why custom-growing is good business, even though it requires strict adherence to what may be unique specifications in materials and maintenance and harvesting procedures and timing. “Some of the costs are covered early in the process by the deposits stipulated in the contract,” says Mike. “And we know there’s a home for that sod when it’s ready for harvest.” Tey’re currently custom-growing for Woodbine Racetrack, with the sod growing on a USGA-spec growing medium topdressed with USGA-spec sand, for installation this summer.
38 Te Zander Sod Company staff gathered for this group photo.
Zander Sod Turf Services In 2005, they started a division called Zander Sod Turf Services to provide assistance with agronomic practices to golf courses and sports fields. Te range of services includes: aerification, core harvesting, deep tine aerification, Koro system turf stripping, verticutting, topdressing, root pruning, and vacuuming. Claus says, “We had the equipment to handle it and the in-house personnel skilled in using it. It’s cost and time efficient for a facility to hire us. Instead of one machine and operator, we’ll have multiple machines and operators on site, completing any of the processes more quickly.”
Tey’ve added Drill & Fill to their service offerings. Te machines auger out one-inch holes, 12-inches deep, and
TPI Turf News May/June 2018
The Stoneyard About 15 years ago, Claus identified an area of diversification that could both augment the sod business and function as an independent business. He says, “Hardscaping was becoming increasing popular and many of our landscape contractor customers were adding those installations to their services.” Tus, Stonemen’s Valley Inc. (
www.stonemensvalley.com) was born.
From a modest beginning, it’s now become a 10-acre yard offering aggregates of all types and sizes, natural stone and rock, large boulders, interlocking brick, concrete pavers, topsoil and mulch. Located at the Kettleby site, it provides one-stop shopping for both contractors and homeowners. Te company also offers delivery on all the merchandise, including one-ton bulk bags of any of the aggregates.
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