Holding Area - Unused pages

Greg Higgs and some of the Ideal Sod Staff - Northwest Turf Grass Experts

Facts about Turf and Sod

We get a lot of questions. After 40 years working around grass, and 23 years running Ideal Sod, I've answered them all. We want to share our knowledge so everyone can benefit your questions. So, let's hear from you. We'll send you a reply and add the answer to this list.

--Greg Higgs

Ask us a question?

Wednesday
Apr082009

What is the importance of choosing quality sod?

Some common thoughts:

1) I have lots of other things to worry about, why add sod to my list?

Choosing quality sod for your yard might not seem like a big deal but it is a major purchase (an average yard costs around $1000.00) and good sod will outlast every appliance, the car, and the roof. Good sod is a great buy.

2) I'm going to move in a couple years, so who cares about the yard?

Buyers care. Studies show that yard appearance is one of the top five things a buyer looks at.  Ask a realtor.

3) I'm a little short of cash so why not buy some cheap stuff now and replace it later?

Replacing grass can cost three times what it did in the first place. The old yard still has to sprayed, stripped, hauled off, regraded, and new sod installed. This is a sticker shock.

4) I have heard all sod is the same, Is it?

Look around. Do you see new houses with poor yards? Grass that is thin, thatchy, orange colored, and/or covered in dead stops? These indicate there is poor quality out there. Do your homework, and buyer beware.

5) I don't trust salesman, how do I find out who has quality sod?

Ask around. Check with coworkers, neighbors, and friends that have bought sod. Were they happy with the deal or were there surprises? Most importantly, how does the grass look after 2 or 3 months? Good sod is forever.

6) I still wonder about price, how do I know what is fair?

Every sod grower has the same cost, insurance, wages, diesel, water/electricity, equipment are either regulated by law or is such a niche products that there are few suppliers. (How many places can you buy electricity?) There is cheap seed but "garbage in", "garbage out" really applies there. It is skill and knowledge can't be bought.

7) If it's that simple why do people spend good money on poor quality?

Because they ignore 1) 2) 3) and 4).

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Saturday
Mar212009

What's the difference between sod and turf?

Sod and turf are stages. Sod is a stage, or age, of grass that is between seed and turf. Seed can take a year or more to become turf. Sod can become turf in 3 or 4 weeks. Logical enough, but the point is sod can get too old. Sod that has aged into turf is not sod anymore and won't root down anywhere near as well.

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Friday
Mar132009

What's in fertilizer?

Fertilizer is simple once you know the letters and numbers. N-P-K are the big letters on the bag and they stand for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K).

Under the letters are numbers. which stand for the percentage of weight of each element in the bag.

                                                                  N      P      K

                                                                 12      8      16

If it is a 50 pound bag, there is 6 pounds (.12x50=6) of N, 4 pounds (.08x50=4) of P, and 8 pounds (.16x50=8) of K. Once the amounts are known then an application amount can be figured and you know if the fertilizer on sale is really a good buy. Those numbers never add up to 100%.

N,P, and K are called macro-nutirents. There are also many micro-nutrients but unless there is a real problem, they shouldn't be a concern. If there is a real problem then a detailed soil analysis by a professional is the solution. With that said, there is one exception that is iron (Fe). High desert soils are always iron deficient so that micro needs to be applied on a regular basis and many fertilizers have iron added. Many companies make many different mixes but there are only two speeds, fast (soluble) and slow (slow release). Slow release costs a little more but can't burn the grass.

 

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Friday
Mar132009

Why mix different grass seeds?

There are 3 cool season grasses that make good turf, bluegrasses, perennial ryes, and fescues. There are hundreds of bluegrasses, almost that many perennial ryes, and a hundred or so fescues to choose from. Since there are pluses and minuses for every grass species, a proper mix of these species takes advantage of the good points and disguises the weaknesses.  

Over the years, Ideal Sod has reviewed hendreds of theses grasses, and grown many, in the ongoing process of having the best performing sod. Seed companies have spent millions, if not billions, of dollars on the search for the perfect grass. No one has found it yet so until then, a proper mix out performs in every situation.

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Friday
Mar132009

What's the best time to fertilize?

The Lawn care calendar suggests the best time to fertilize. In spring, fertilizer is wasted if it is applied before the soil temperature is above 45 degrees, which is when the grass starts coming out of dormancy. Fertilizer breaks down (becomes available) as air, water, and sun interact with it. If the grass is not capable of using N then it escapes and the fertilizer is wasted.

It is somewhat the same in the heat of the summer. If the plant is in a holding pattern because of the heat then fertilizer is not needed or used so an application then results in waste.

      Spring Late March-Early April use: 10-12-12
      Summer May, June, September use: 25-3-3, plus iron
      Fall November use: 12-8-16, plus iron

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