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FAQ's
Our most frequently asked question.
Q: How do you replenish the lost topsoil?
A: We belong to an international organization called Trufgrass Producers International. Back around the 70's this organization on behalf of it's members asked the IRS if it's members could have a soil depletion allowance on their income tax due to the loss of topsoil. The IRS said, "Yes you can...when you have scientific evidence to the actual amount of the soil loss. Rutgers University performed the testing that came to the conclusion that modern cultured turfgrass production has a topsoil loss that is very comparable and sometimes less than traditional row crop production.
Q: What do you do in the Winter?
A: Our company has a charter boat and condo in Ft. Meyers, Florida and ... not true. We work long hours during the growing season and normally stop harvesting mid-November. In December we winterize, pack our equipment away and rest. In January we collect on overdue accounts, assess our sales and status of equipment. In February we attend the Turfgrass Producers International Winter Convention, conferences, seminars and trade shows to keep us knowledgeable about being in our business. March is when the old equipment gets replaced by the new equipment. What doesn't get replaced is repaired for the coming growing season. Oh, we squeeze a vacation in there somewhere too.
Q: How long will sod keep in a roll before you have to lay it?
A: It depends on how actively the plant is growing. If the turf is wet, fertile and above 80 degrees when it's harvested, as it tries to grow in the roll it will start to heat up and begin to stress in 12 hours. When the turf is semi-dormant in the early Spring, Summer and late Fall the roll may turn a little yellow after three days, but will be ok after it gets water, fresh air and sunshine.
Q: How long can an opened roll of turf last before it needs water?
A: A little bit longer than it takes an ice cream cone to melt. Because of its importance, we have highlighted in green, water in 20 minutes on our invoices. The key factors are temperature, wind and sunlight. If properly watered your turf should never turn brown.
Q: If installed turf turns brown, does that mean it's dead?
A: When freshly installed turf goes from glossy green to a dull darker green this is the first sign of stress due to lack of water. Quickly water, no harm done. Stage 2 stress is when the turf turns brown. Be more diligent about your watering and green should return in about 10 days. Stage 3 stress is when the turf turns tan and gaps appear between the strips. I have seen sod that I have thought to be dead come back and turn green, but you will still have gaps to fill with topsoil so the rhizomes can grow in. Keep in mind that sod also needs oxygen. Flooding for several hours can drown the roots.
Q: Should I hire a professional to finish-grade my yard, put in a sprinkler system, install my sod and establish a treatment program for my lawn?
A: Yes, yes, yes and yes. I encourage hiring professionals and no I do not recommend do-it-yourselfers without proper knowledge of what they're doing.
Q: The landscaper that I talked to said seeding is better than sodding.
A: Better for who? It takes him or her less equipment, less time, less labor and less money, but who takes care of the problems? I call hydro-seeding the "three easy's." Easy to do, easy to cash flow and easy to talk the customer into spending less.
Q: I saw a yard that was hydro-seeded and it looked beautiful.
A: Yes, what month was it seeded? Does it have a sprinkler system? What was the quality of the seed used? When and how often was it fertilized and treated for weeds? Are there slopes? What were the weather conditions? Maybe they got lucky. We gambled growing your lawn so you don't have to take the risk. Wouldn't you think that's worth something?
Q: Somebody told me that sod can get diseased?
A: Yes it can and so can a seeded yard. Very few of our customers have gotten disease in their lawns. The University of Northern Iowa, since 1976, has used lots of our sod. They have never had any disease problems with our sod. We have been growing sod since 1969. If we had a disease problem with our sod, don't you think our business would be ruined by now?
Q: I had a lawn care company say that the reason I had a disease problem was because my lawn was sodded.
A: Stress on a lawn causes disease. Stress is caused by too much or too little water, air, fertilizer and traffic. Quick-release liquid nitrogen fertilizer is applied so that the consumer can see results from their money spent. "Why they just treated my lawn the other day and it's already greening," up says the homeowner. Slow-release granular nitrogen is better, cost more and not as quick to catch the customer's eye. If the liquid form is applied to your lawn on a day when the temperature is in the 80's and your lawn doesn't get water? Stress. You mow with a dull blade? Stress. You mow more than 1/3 of the grass blade off at a time? Stress. Also it is best to water your lawn in the morning and not at night. Wet lawns at night are a good environment for disease.
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