1.

A sod cutter with a chopper bar works best. We use an old Ryan, but the newer models are still the same. Set the machine to cut the sod into the smallest lengths possible. We cut the pieces 19 inches long, by 18inches wide. The pieces are much lighter and easier to handle.

2.

Set the sod cutter depth at 1.5 inches, because thicker is better. After it is placed on the green you can walk on it, putt over it, and it stays in place.

3.

After the sod is cut, saturate it with water. Take a hose and flood the turf, you can’t get it too wet. It will stay together much better when it is moved.

4.

Fold the pieces in half to stack for transport. If they are really wet, they won’t tear or break in half, and are much easier to lift. (One piece of soaking wet sod cut 18” X 19” weighs 22 pounds.) The sod will stay much cleaner when you stack the pieces and the turf is folded on top of itself.

5.

One pallet of sod will hold 160 square feet (70 pieces) and weigh 1650 pounds. Any more and it gets too heavy to move around.

6.

Cut out the damaged area to be sodded. We lay down a long 2X4 and cut a straight edge with a steak knife. The serrated edge of the knife makes a good cut and stays sharper longer than a smooth edged knife. If you are replacing a large area, the sod cutter works great. Make sure the depth is set the same as the replacement sod.

7.

The depth of the replacement area where you are going to lay the new sod is critical. You don’t want any low spots for water to puddle. Lay a long 2X4 on edge across the area to be sodded to check for even depth. Error on the high side, you have to tamp down the new sod anyway.

8.

As the new sod is laid in place, go slow and easy. Take your time, and make sure the edges are tight with no sand between them. Work off plywood, and rake out any footprints before the sod is placed. If the sod has dried out any, give it another soaking so you can tamp out the edges. If it’s dry, it won’t come together and the edges shrink creating gaps between the pieces.

9.

Once the sod is laid in place, roll it out. We use a sidewinder type greens roller.

10.

After it’s rolled out, the repair starts to look pretty good. But we’re not done yet. Time to aerate! We use 1/2” hollow tines, and set the depth to just get through the sod. Don’t worry; the sod will stay in place due to the 1.5” thickness. (Another reason to cut it thick.) By aerating, you remove some material from the sod and give it room to roll out smoother. We roll again several directions after aeration, and follow with a light topdressing.

11.

You can lightly topdress several times per week to get it to even out the rest of the way. It will look really good within two weeks, and you’re ready to open for play. It won’t be rooted in yet, but the thickness of the sod keeps it in place and foot traffic won’t hurt it.

12.

There are a couple other things to consider. Every golf course should have a green sod nursery available at all times. You never know when you’ll need sod due to mechanical damage, vandalism, disease, hydraulic leaks, deer traffic, or countless other reasons. Do not aerate the nursery until after all your greens have recovered from aeration. Have you ever torn up an area during aeration and needed replacement sod? You have to have some available at all times, and if has been recently aerated, it will crumble to pieces when you try to cut and transport the sod. A better plan is to aerate half of the nursery in spring, the other half in the fall. You will get some extra thatch build up over time, but it will stay together nicely when it’s needed.

13.

If you ever have any questions or need some advice, call me at (425) 652-2855 or email at stevekealy@gmail.com.