WEATHERING THE STORM— HOW SOD FARMS PREPARE FOR AND RECOVER FROM NATURAL DISASTERS


By Erin Wilder and Cecilia Johnson


When hurricanes or floodwaters strike, sod farms sit on the front lines. Unlike many agricultural operations, sod farms often span hundreds of wide, open acres—leaving them vulnerable to wind, rain, and rising water. For growers, storm season doesn’t just threaten crops—it can upend months or even years of progress.


Preparing for the Worst Sod producers in hurricane-prone regions, such as the Gulf Coast and the Southeastern U.S., have learned to treat disaster preparedness as part of their everyday operations. Tat includes developing detailed hurricane response plans, elevating irrigation pumps and electrical panels, and investing in drainage infrastructure to mitigate flood damage. Tey must monitor storms constantly and track their progress so they can not only secure and move equipment but also brace their farms and loved ones for the impact.


Some farms stage generators and schedule with pivot companies in advance to keep irrigation systems running after a storm. Tis is critical to helping sod rebound quickly after flooding or saltwater intrusion.


Flooding: The Invisible Threat While hurricanes draw headlines, it’s often the lingering floodwaters that do the most damage. Turfgrass submerged for more than a few days can suffer root rot or die-off, especially in warm weather. Zoysia and St. Augustine varieties tend to recover better than others, but prolonged saturation can still spell disaster or disease in any grass variety.


Growers often must make tough calls, balancing the need to harvest quickly before a storm with the risk of damaging wet fields afterward. And post-storm, the cleanup is just the beginning. Even if the fields look green after a flood, it can take weeks to know what survived.


Stormy Weather for Sod Growers Over the years, Sod Solutions and our large network within the industry have always come together to assist numerous farms across many regions that have been impacted by hurricane, storm, or flooding damage.


Pictured above are Riebeling Farms center pivot irrigation rigs flipped over during Hurricane Sally.


82 TPI Turf News July/August 2025


As previously reported by Sod Solutions, Riebeling Farms has withstood numerous severe storms in Foley, AL. Owners Vanessa and Jimmy Riebeling recalled when Hurricane Frederic hit one week after they got married in September 1979 and left them without electricity for a full week. Two other bad hurricanes that hit their farm were Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Sally in 2020.


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