Q. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOD FARMS -- ALL SOD IS GREEN?

A. SOD IS A LIVING PLANT AND LIKE ALL OTHER PLANTS AND ANIMALS THE DIFFERENCE IS BREEDING. RACE HORSES ALL LOOK THE SAME TO AN UNTRAINED EYE. BUT BREEDING DETERMINES CHAMPIONS. LOOK FOR SOD THAT HAS BEEN BRED FOR YOUR SPECIFIC APPLICATION.

Q. HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH SOD TO BUY?

A. ALMOST ALL SOD IN THE MID-WEST IS SOLD BY THE SQUARE YARD. TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH YOU NEED, MEASURE THE AREA BY FEET IN LENGTH AND WIDTH. MULTIPLY THE TWO NUMBERS TOGETHER AND DIVIDE BY NINE. THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SQUARE YARDS TO ORDER. REMEMBER TO CALCULATE EACH AREA SEPARATELY.

Q. DON'T YOU LOSE ALL THE DIRT ON YOUR FARM BY SENDING IT WITH THE SOD?

A. NOT REALLY, MOST OF THE DIRT YOU SEE ON THE SOD IS ACTUALLY ROOT MASS. THE FACT THAT OUR SOD COVERS OUR FIELDS NEARLY YEAR ROUND PROTECTS OUR FIELDS FROM WIND AND RAIN EROSION OR SPRING MELTING. WE ACTUALLY LOSE LESS TOP SOIL THAN A TYPICAL ROW CROP FARM.

Q. WILL THIS SOD MATCH SOD I ALREADY HAVE?

A. MOST SOD PRODUCED IN THE MID-WEST IS A BLEND OF BLUEGRASS. IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MATCH AN OLDER LAWN CHANCES ARE THE NEW SOD WILL BE DENSER, SOFTER, AND GREENER THAN THE LAWN YOU HAVE. ONCE YOUR LAWN IS ESTABLISHED AND YOU ARE MAINTAINING THE TWO AREAS THE SAME WAY SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENCES MAY BE LESS NOTICEABLE.

Q. I HAVE LEFT GAPS BETWEEN THE SOD WILL IT GROW IN?

A. GAPS IN THE INSTALLATION ARE NOT A GOOD IDEA. IF THE GAPS ARE WIDE ENOUGH WEEDS WILL CREEP IN FASTER THAN THE SOD CAN CLOSE THE GAP. MAKE SURE TO BUTT (DON'T STRETCH THE SOD) THE PIECES OF SOD CLOSE TOGETHER DURING INSTALLATION.

Q. HOW LONG CAN SOD SIT ON THE PALLET?

A. SOD IS NORMALLY DELIVERED ON WOODEN SKIDS OR IN PILES. IT SHOULD BE UNROLLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. A FAIR RULE OF THUMB WOULD BE TO THINK ABOUT HOW LONG A GALLON OF MILK WOULD SURVIVE BEFORE SOURING. CHANCES ARE THE SOD WILL BEGIN TO SHOW DAMAGE IN THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME.

Q. HOW WILL MY SOD DO IN THE SHADE?

A. AGAIN IN THE MID-WEST MOST BLUEGRASS BLENDS REQUIRE AT LEAST 4 HOURS OF QUALITY SUN LIGHT PER DAY. THERE ARE SOME SPECIALTY BLENDS THAT WILL DO A LITTLE BETTER. CORRECTING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF SHADE MAY HELP MORE. EX. THIN SOME BRANCHES OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE TREE, THIS WILL ALLOW MORE LIGHT THROUGH WITHOUT LOSING ALL THE PRIVACY OF THE TREE. PAINT FENCES OR SHEDS WHITE, THIS WILL REFLECT MORE LIGHT TO THE AREA. LET THE GRASS GROW A LITTLE TALLER; THE LEAF IS JUST LIKE AN ANTENNA - THE LONGER IT IS THE MORE LIGHT IT CAN CATCH. ALSO, USE LESS FERTILIZER IN THE SHADY AREAS.

Q. WHAT IS THE SOD GROWN ON?

A. THE SOIL THAT COMES WITH THE SOD VARIES FROM FARM TO FARM AND EVEN FIELD TO FIELD. THE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE GROWING THE SOD ON? MAKE SURE THE GROUND YOU ARE PREPARING HAS BEEN AMENDED PROPERLY TO HELP YOUR SOD ADAPT TO ITS NEW ENVIRONMENT.

Q. HOW LONG UNTIL IT STARTS TO GROW?

A. WILDFLOWER SOD IS ALIVE WHEN YOU RECEIVE IT, IT IS ALREADY 3 TO 4 INCHES TALL AND SOME OF THE FLOWERS MAY BE IN BLOOM.

Q. DO I HAVE TO BURN IT IN THE FALL?

A. NO, WILDFLOWER SOD IS MADE UP OF FLOWERS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE BURNING TO SURVIVE.

Q. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO FOR WINTER?

A. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, HOWEVER IT MIGHT LOOK NICER TO MOW DOWN THE DEAD STALKS, AND IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA WITH HARSHER WINTERS YOU SHOULD MULCH.

Q. WHAT DO I DO WITH THE DYING FLOWERS?

A. DURING THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, FLOWERS WILL DIE BACK, AS THEY DO YOU CAN LEAVE THEM ALONE OR CUT THEM BACK. IF YOU CHOOSE TO CUT THEM BACK NOT ONLY WILL THE PLANTING LOOK CLEANER, THE PLANT MAY FORCE ANOTHER BLOOM.