How to Grow Sod on a Farm

Sod is used when installing new yards on residential and commercial properties, as well as renovating old lawns. The soil is prepared and the sod is laid down and heavily watered to help it take root. This is big business if you're a farmer and can grow and supply sod to landscapers and garden centers around the country. But to be successful, you must produce healthy crops of grass.

• 1

  Select a grass that grows well in your hardiness zone. This helps you avoid struggling with weather conditions and produces a healthy product.

• 2

  Till the soil to a depth of 10 inches with a tiller or plow depending on the size of the land. Make sure you use a level area of land with no large dips that could collect water.

• 3

  Test the soil pH level to ensure it's at the proper level. Most grass needs to be around 6.5, but you should check with a local extension agent if you are unsure.

• 4

  Till in fertilizer and lime as needed to improve the soil condition based on the results of the soil test. Use a chisel plow to incorporate it. Add in specific herbicide to kill problem weeds that existed in the soil prior to plowing, such as nutsedge.

• 5

  Roll the soil with a cultipacker roller to smooth it out and ensure it is uniform. This enables the sod cutter blade to cut all the way through the sod at all loctions on the field. If there were dips and hills, the blade would miss spots and dig into the earth in others.

• 6

  Lay down irrigation lines and connect them to the water source. If you use an overhead irrigation system on your farm, you don't need lines.

• 7

  Spread the seed over the land area based on the amount recommended for that type of seed. Spread in a criss cross pattern for full coverage. Once spread, run the cultipacker over the area again.

• 8

  Water the land as soon as planting is over, and continue to water daily to keep the area moist until sprouts are at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches high. Then, cut back watering to about two times a week. Use a rain gauge to measure rain water so that you do not over water the sod. There is no need to turn on the irrigation if it has rained enough.