Grass which is grown by turf grass specialists for the purpose of lifting as Turf grass sod is referred to as cultivated sod. In most areas, it usually takes about 18 months, to produce
high-quality turf grass sod that is ready for lifting. Certified sod can be only cultivated sod that is produced from certified grass seed. The seed must be examined and tested before it can be planted. Even the soil itself must be examined prior to planting to make certain it contains no noxious weeds or harmful pests. The sod must be inspected prior to harvest to check on
off-type grasses, weeds, insects, and diseases. If problems are found, they must be corrected before sale as certified sod is permitted.
Why is cultivated-certified sod the best buy?
Certified sod is marked with a blue tag, which signifies that it was grown from certified seed of adapted turfgrasses and that the sod fields have been inspected and found to meet published standards for certified sod. The certification tag or sticker on the invoice is the best assurance you can have that the sod being purchased is of known variety or varieties and is essentially pest-free.
What is meant by Pasture Sod or #2 Sod?
#2 Sod is sometimes lifted from pastures, hay fields, abandoned cemeteries and areas soon to be used for construction. Sometimes this so-called pasture sod will satisfy a need. More often it introduces a new set of problems. The grasses are usually a mixture of unimproved strains. Weeds such as nutsedge and garlic are often present in a dormant state and will surprise you a few months later when conditions are favorable for their growth.
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