Sod

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For other uses, see Sod (disambiguation).

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Rolled sod

Sod is turf and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of this material. Sod is manufactured in factories, and is sold to landscapers who use it as an imitation grass to establish a lawn.

When applying sod application of starter fertilizer with a 1-1-1 ratio of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.^{[citation needed]} The Phosphorus will assist with root development which is important for the successful establishment of sod. Be sure to lightly rake the fertilizer into the soil to minimize the fertilizer from coming in contact directly with the roots and causing possible root burning. When applying sod to slopes be sure to lay the sod perpendicular to the direction of the slope. This will help prevent rain water from washing out the sod. If necessary, apply sod staples to hold the sod in place. Finally, apply a bit of top soil to all seams and edges to prevent the edges of the sod from drying out. Water well, but do not over water - it is important to encourage the roots to "look" for water on their own and grow into the soil.

Since high quality sod is relatively expensive compared to starting a new lawn by seed, newly transplanted sod is occasionally rolled up and stolen^[1]. This, of course, would not happen when establishing a lawn by traditional seeding or hydroseeding methods.

[edit] As a building material

A sod house, 1901

Sod has occasionally been cut out in blocks to use as a building material, especially in grasslands where grass is plentiful and few other materials are available. For use as a building material, sods are cut out in regular block shapes and laid like brickwork, although for strength blocks of sod are usually much longer and wider than typical bricks. This construction was common during nineteenth century settlement of the Canadian and American prairies. Common dimensions of sod blocks used in these pioneer abodes were 2 ft by 1 ft by 6 in (600 × 300 × 150 mm). Cutting sods for building may be done with a spade and axe, but for large scale work a modified plough is used.

The bare sod is prone to damage from rain or being knocked down, so the outer walls are usually protected with a layer of stucco or wood paneling. Similarly, bare sod inside is dirty, so the interior may be lined with canvas, tarpaper, or plaster. A variety of roofing methods can be used, and the house can be fitted with conventional windows and doors. Sod houses have the advantages of being very cheap, and well insulated, so that they are cool in summer and warm in winter. The main disadvantages are that they tend to be damp, and deteriorate quickly unless maintained.

Sod has also been used in fortification. Blockhouses have been constructed from sod, and it has also been used to make very effective berms or low defensive walls. The Antonine Wall was largely made from sod. Because of the cheapness of sod, these walls could easily be made thick enough to be bulletproof.