Courtesy of Oakwood Sod Farm, Delmar, MD.
• What is the mowing height at the time of harvest? Can I have it mowed at the same cutting height as my field?
• When was it last fertilized? What product was used? • What is it grown on? (analysis of growing medium) • Do you use plastic netting to help grow in? • What varieties do you grow?
All our products are not always available; it depends on time of year and how much work this is. Best policy is to reach out to sales staff and give them a heads up on project and depending on quantity, we request a deposit to hold the material in inventory.
When preparing for thick-cut sod, plan ahead; make sure you have all the contractors scheduled, make a visit to sod farm, and have a plan B if bad weather is in the forecast, especially when dealing with the sod farm. It might not be raining at the facility but might be at sod farm. Typical thick cut sod ranges from 1 to 2 inches in depth; most like 1.5 inches if a quick turnaround is necessary.
Cost plays a big factor, due to thicker cut the sod weighs more and the trucks carry less material, so more trucking is necessary which not only increases costs but also increases the chances something might go wrong on delivery. If you have a quick turnaround it makes for a stressful time waiting on trucks.
Your field must be prepared for the thick cut depth, so if you have existing turf you must prep the field so it matches up correctly. We don’t want any uneven surfaces. Te field must be graded and firm so no rutting occurs during installation. Depending on access to field, plywood must
48
be placed in areas where unloading of sod onto the field is placed to help with damage. Also to help speed up install process, a plywood path is placed on the field to the far end so the forklift can drop sod closer.
Once all sod is installed and you have a quick turnaround, water in the sod with a hose, roll, and mow if necessary.
JAMES GRAFF, GRAFF’S TURF FORT MORGAN, CO
Quality sod covers three major areas for us: strength, density and color. Lacking in any of these areas makes for an unhappy customer and a project no one is proud to have his or her name on.
Re questions, ask about soil, ask about seed, ask about fertility plans, ask about age of turf. Te answers don’t have to be complicated but there should be answers. Make sure no corners have been cut. You must have a supplier you trust and one that views your relationship as a mutual partnership. You must help each other out to be successful. Listen to each other. Learn the difference between maintaining a playing field and producing a field of turfgrass and respect the differences.
Our best products are in high demand. Our inventory runs tight and making plans far in advance is critical.
Grades are the most critical point. If the grade is solid, level and stable it will be a safe playing surface. Te best sod on a poor grade will be difficult to get right. After the turf is down, don’t complicate it. Don’t turn the field into a science project. And as my dad has always said, “Relax . . . it’s just grass.”
TPI Turf News September/October 2017
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
