View source for Sod

{{Short description|Upper layer of soil and grass}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect|Turf|an alternative expression|Grass|the Irish expression|Peat|other uses|Turf (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Rollrasen-01.jpg|thumb|Turf rolls]]
[[File:Golf bunkers Filton.jpg|thumb|Golf course sod]]
[[File:Harvesting Sod.jpg|alt=Harvesting sod|thumb|Harvesting sod]]
[[File:Trimax-Pegasus Sod-Turf-Roller-Mower.jpg|thumb|A typical roller mower operating on a sod grass farm]]
'''Sod''' is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. '''Turf''' consists of a variable thickness of a [[soil]] medium that supports a community of turfgrasses.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Turgeon |first1=Alfred J. |title=Turfgrass management |last2=Kaminiski |first2=John E. |date=2019 |publisher=Turfpath |isbn=978-1-7332881-0-1 |edition=Edition 1.0 |location=State College, Pennsylvania}}</ref>
In [[British English|British]] and [[Australian English]], sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricultural senses.
== Uses ==
Sod is generally used for [[lawn]]s, [[golf course]]s, and [[Stadium|sports stadiums]] around the world. In residential construction, it is sold to [[landscaping|landscapers]], home builders or home owners who use it to establish a lawn quickly and avoid [[soil erosion]]. Sod can be used to repair a small area of lawn,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/lawn/cultural_information/Use+Sod+For+Quick+Repair+Of+Damaged+Lawns.htm|title=Use Sod For Quick Repair Of Damaged Lawns|publisher=Louisiana State University, Agricultural Center, Research and Extension|access-date=1 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929175003/http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/lawn/cultural_information/Use+Sod+For+Quick+Repair+Of+Damaged+Lawns.htm|archive-date=29 September 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> golf course, or [[athletic field]] that has died and is used as a quicker alternative to re-growing a lawn from seed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.onlineturf.co.uk/knowledge-base/tutorials/turf-laying-guide|title = Unsure How to Lay Turf? Use This Simple Laying Guide}}</ref> Sod is also effective in increasing cooling, improving air and water quality, and assisting in [[flood prevention]] by draining water.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Sod is Good for the Planet|url=http://www.freshsod.com/blog/entry/why-sod-is-good-for-the-planet|publisher=Sod Growers Council|access-date=14 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018042126/http://www.freshsod.com/blog/entry/why-sod-is-good-for-the-planet|archive-date=18 October 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
[[Scandinavia]] has a long history of employing [[sod roof]]ing and a traditional house type is the [[Icelandic turf house]].
In the [[United States]], following the passage of the [[Homestead Acts#Homestead Act of 1862|Homestead Act]] by Congress in 1862, settlers in the [[Great Plains]] used sod bricks to build entire [[sod house]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Life in a Sod House|url=http://amhistory.si.edu/ourstory/activities/sodhouse/|publisher=Smithsonian|access-date=17 March 2013}}</ref> This was effective because the prairie sod of the [[Great Plains]] was so dense and difficult to cut it earned the nickname "[[Nebraska]] marble". Blacksmith [[John Deere (inventor)|John Deere]] made his fortune when he became the first to make a [[Plough|plow]] that could reliably cut the prairie sod.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Tallgrass Prairie: An Endangered Landscape|url=http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/prairie/review4.php|publisher=CSA|access-date=20 March 2013}}</ref>
Different types of grass are used for sod installation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Different Types of Sod Grass For Cool Seasons|url=https://www.mylandscapers.ca/different-species-of-cool-season-grass/|publisher=My Landscapers|access-date=20 March 2018}}</ref>
== Cultivation ==
{{Globalize|section|date=July 2024}}
Sod is grown on specialist farms. For 2009, the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] reported 1,412 farms had {{convert|368188|acre|ha|1}} of sod in production.<ref>{{cite web |title=Table 30. Sod, Sprigs, and Plugs Sold: 2019 |url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/Census_of_Horticulture_Specialties/hortic_2_0030_0030.pdf |access-date=29 September 2023 |publisher=Us Dept. of Agriculture}}</ref>
It is usually grown locally (within 100 miles of the target market)<ref>{{cite web|title=Sod Production: From an Economic Standpoint|url=http://turf.missouri.edu/stat/reports/sodecon.htm|publisher=MU Plant Sciences, University of Missouri|access-date=20 March 2013}}</ref> to minimize both the cost of transport and also the risk of damage to the product. The farms that produce this grass may have many varieties of grass grown in one location to best suit the consumer's use and preference of appearance.
It is usually harvested 10 to 18 months after planting, depending on the growing climate. On the farm, it undergoes fertilization, frequent mowing, watering, and subsequent vacuuming to remove the clippings. It is harvested using specialized equipment, precision cut to standardized sizes. Sod is typically harvested in small square or rectangular slabs, or large {{convert|4|ft|m|adj=mid|-wide}} rolls.
The [[Mississippi State University]] has developed a [[Hydroponics|hydroponic]] method of cultivating sod. For the very few sod farms that export turf internationally, this soilless sod may travel both lighter and better than traditional sod. Additionally, since the sod is not grown in soil, it does not need to be washed clean of soil down to the bare roots (or sprigs), so time to export is shortened.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ratliff|first=Bob|title=MSU-Developed Sod|url=http://www.dafvm.msstate.edu/landmarks/06/fall/4-5.pdf|work=Mississippi Landmarks Magazine, Volume 2 Number 4|publisher=Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University|access-date=25 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613190719/http://www.dafvm.msstate.edu/landmarks/06/fall/4-5.pdf|archive-date=13 June 2010}}</ref>
== Immediacy ==
In many applications, such as [[erosion control]] and athletic fields, immediacy is a key factor. Seed may be blown about by the wind, eaten by birds, or fail because of [[drought]].  It takes some weeks to form a visually appealing lawn and further time before it is robust enough for use. Sod largely avoids these problems, and with proper care, newly laid sod is usually fully functional within 30 days of installation and its root system is comparable to that of a seeding lawn two to three years older.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albrightseed.com/sodorseed.htm|title=The High Cost of Instant Gratification; To Sod or to Seed?|publisher=Streamline Publications|access-date=1 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008203249/http://www.albrightseed.com/sodorseed.htm|archive-date=8 October 2011}}</ref> Sod also reduces [[erosion]] by stabilizing the soil.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centralsodmd.com/md/green/sodvsseed.jsp|title=Sod vs. Seed |website=Central Sod Farms, Inc.|access-date=1 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008203301/http://www.centralsodmd.com/md/green/sodvsseed.jsp|archive-date=8 October 2011}}</ref>
Many prized cultivars (such as Bella Bluegrass, a brand-named dwarf variant of [[Kentucky Bluegrass]]) can only be reproduced [[Vegetative reproduction|vegetatively]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shearman |first1=Robert C. |title=US Patent Application Poa pratensis L. named 'NE-KYB-05-001' |url=http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=NE-KYB-05-001&OS=NE-KYB-05-001&RS=NE-KYB-05-001 |publisher=[[US Patent and Trademark Office]] |access-date=27 March 2013 |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331105354/http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=NE-KYB-05-001&OS=NE-KYB-05-001&RS=NE-KYB-05-001 }}</ref>{{Primary source inline |date=February 2023}} rather than [[Sexual reproduction|sexually]] (via seed). For these, sod cultivation is the only means of producing additional plants. To grow these varieties for sale, turf farms use a technique called [[sprigging]], where recently harvested sod mats are cut into slender rows and replanted in the field.
== Species used ==
=== Fescue grass ===
==== Tall fescue ====
Tall [[Festuca|fescue]] (''Festuca'' spp.) is a cool-weather group of grasses originating in Europe, commonly used as sod. It is moderately tolerant to both drought and cold, and as such is especially popular in inland temperate environments referred to in the turf and landscaping industries as the "[[Hardiness zone|transition zone]]", where summers are too hot for most cool-weather grasses, yet winters are too cold for most warm-weather grasses. Fescue is well-adapted to clay soils, moderately shade-tolerant, and somewhat resistant to disease, yet vulnerable to the diseases [[brown patch]] and [[Fusarium patch]]. It grows most actively (and thus provides the most desirable appearance) in spring and fall, and requires frequent watering during summer. Due to its bunch-type growth habit (unique among common sod grasses), it will not spread undesirably or invade adjacent areas once sodded, yet neither will it fill in voids, and periodic maintenance (such as overseeding with Fescue seed) may be required to sustain a homogeneous surface. It has poor wear tolerance compared to Bermuda grass, making it less popular for applications such as athletic fields.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/tall-fescue|title=Tall Fescue {{!}} Department of Horticulture {{!}} Oregon State University|website=horticulture.oregonstate.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/turf/publications/tallfesc.html|title=Tall Fescue {{!}} Archives {{!}} Aggie Horticulture|last=Service|first=Martin Anderson, Texas AgriLife Extension|website=aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-2112.pdf|title=Choosing a Grass for Arkansas Lawns|last1=Patton|first1=Aaron|last2=Boyd|first2=John|website=University of Arkansas - Division of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension Service|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301154503/https://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-2112.pdf|archive-date=1 March 2018}}</ref>
==== Fine fescues ====
Fine fescues (''[[Festuca rubra|F. rubra]]'', ''[[Festuca ovina|F. ovina]]'', ''[[Festuca trachyphylla|F. trichophylla]]'') are less popular as sod than the tall fescues. As their names suggest, they exhibit much thinner leaf blades, and tolerate lower mowing heights than the tall fescues. They may be somewhat more resistant to common diseases. Otherwise, their characteristics are similar. Fine fescues are generally used in mixtures with other grasses.<ref name="horticulture.oregonstate.edu">{{Cite web|url=http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/fine-fescues|title=The Fine Fescues {{!}} Department of Horticulture {{!}} Oregon State University|website=horticulture.oregonstate.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-03-27}}</ref>
=== Bermuda grass ===
[[Cynodon dactylon|Bermuda grass]] is quite commonly used for golf courses and sports fields across the [[Southern United States|southern portions of the United States]]. It tolerates a range of climates in the U.S., from hot and humid [[lagoon]]s, [[inlet]]s, and [[bay]]s of the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]], to the arid expanses of terrain like [[plain]]s and [[Deserts of North America|deserts]] in the [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]] and parts of the [[Midwestern United States#Geography|Lower Midwest]]. Established bermuda grass is a network of [[Shoot (botany)|shoot]]s, [[rhizome]]s, [[stolon]]s, and [[Crown (botany)|crown tissue]] together that usually form a dense plant canopy. This dense plant canopy can be used to propagate clonal varieties by sod, sprigs, or plugs.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Taxonomic Key for Selected Turf-Type Bermudagrasses|url=http://www.tarleton.edu/Departments/txjanr/Volumes/Vol%2024%20-%202011/V%2024%20(83-87)%202011-12.pdf|work=Tarleton State University|publisher=Sam Houston State University|access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref> The aggressive and resilient nature of Bermuda grass makes it not only an excellent [[turfgrass]] but also a challenging and [[invasive weed]] in land cultivated for other purposes. Its one noted weakness is its relatively low tolerance of shade. Given the economic importance of Bermuda grass (as a sod product, agricultural forage, and, at times, as an invasive weed), it has been the subject of numerous studies.
{{anchor|Celebration Bermudagrass}}
'''Celebration Bermuda grass:'''
:Celebration Bermuda grass is a dark–green, fine–textured, aggressive, traffic–tolerant [[cultivar]] with high recuperative potential and [[drought tolerance]]."<ref>{{cite web |title=Bermudagrass |url=http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/tm-5.pdf|publisher=University of Hawaii|access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref>  The cultivar is a breed of ''[[Cynodon dactylon]]'' from [[Australia]] developed by [[turfgrass]] breeder Rod Riley.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150110101205/http://www.worldgolf.com/newswire/browse/56556-Sod-Solutions-announces-death-turfgrass-developer-Rod-Riley Sod Solutions announces death of turfgrass developer Rod Riley] World Golf, December 5, 2008</ref> The grass has a distinctive deep blue–green color which makes it popular on golf courses and for private home lawns throughout the [[southern United States]]. As a leading cultivar, the research on the grass is extensive. The grass was rated for the best shade tolerance by the [[United States Golf Association]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online|url=http://usgatero.msu.edu/v10/n16.pdf|publisher=USGA|access-date=20 March 2013}}</ref> A researcher at the [[University of Florida]] noted this [[Cultivar|cultivar's]], "good wear tolerance, quality, and color ratings" in the [[Central Florida]] environment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Turf Grasses: The Quest for the Ideal Lawn Continues|url=http://polkhort.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/publications/featured/The%20Quest%20for%20the%20Ideal%20Turfgrass.pdf|publisher=University of Florida|access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref> The grass was the overall best–performing turfgrass in a two-year drought resistance study commissioned by the [[San Antonio Water System]] and performed by [[Texas A&M University|Texas A & M extension service]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation of Sixty-Day Drought Survival in San Antonio of Established Turfgrass Species and Cultivars|url=http://itc.tamu.edu/documents/2008FinalReportSAWS&TPT_s.pdf|publisher=Texas A&M University|access-date=19 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810223051/http://itc.tamu.edu/documents/2008FinalReportSAWS%26TPT_s.pdf|archive-date=2014-08-10|url-status=dead}}</ref> The cultivar was also the top–rated Bermuda grass for drought resistance in a test conducted in [[South Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Response of Six Bermudagrass Cultivars to Different Irrigation Intervals|url=http://www.hla.colostate.edu/department/Faculty%20&%20Staff/Bauerle/docs_bauerle/Response%20of%20six_2006.pdf|publisher=Horttechnology|access-date=19 March 2013}}</ref> Along with many [[golf course]]s across the southern United States, the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] elected to install Celebration Bermudagrass in their [[stadium]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150110101448/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/jack-thompson/featured/4 Citrus Bowl getting new sod] retrieved January 8, 2010</ref>
{{anchor|Discovery Bermudagrass}}
'''Discovery Bermuda grass:'''
:Discovery is a Bermuda grass that has an exceptional dark blue-green color. It also has extremely slow vertical growth which means that it only needs to be mowed once a month. Discovery has the drought resistance of a Bermuda grass but does not need to be maintained as much as other varieties. It was developed in Europe. It was made available in the United States in 2011 by [[Sod Solutions]] which owns the right to market it in the United States.<ref>[http://www.nccertifiedsod.org/pages.php?pageid=12 North Carolina Crop Improvement Association (NCCIA)  Certified Sod]</ref>  It grows well in all of the southern United States.
===Bluegrass===
<!--How is Kentucky bluegrass not mentioned? Glowing, almost ad-like writeups of proprietary strains but not general mention is keeping with NPOV poorly-->
'''Bella Bluegrass:'''
:[[Bella Bluegrass]] was developed by the [[University of Nebraska]] as a drought-resistant grass that would help states conserve water. It was immediately embraced by schools and homeowners in [[Utah]] who are trying to conserve water.<ref>John Hollenhorst [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043044/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705391135/New-variety-of-Kentucky-Bluegrass-could-conserve-water.html?pg=all New variety of Kentucky Bluegrass could conserve water] ''Deseret News'', Retrieved September 20, 2011</ref> Bella is the world's first dwarf, vegetative bluegrass. It is sold only as sod, not as seed. Bella is a quick grower laterally but has very minimal vertical growth. Because it only grows to about 4 inches in height, it requires less mowing.  It grows in [[sand]], [[clay]], [[Muck (soil)|muck]], and [[Peat soil|peat]] soils, and it is currently being adopted across the [[northern United States]].<ref>[http://turf.unl.edu/extpresentationspdf/IDNLA2011FromBufftoBluet.pdf What's New From What's From Buff To Blue: Grasses For a Green Environment] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512144149/http://turf.unl.edu/extpresentationspdf/IDNLA2011FromBufftoBluet.pdf |date=2013-05-12 }} University of Nebraska –Lincoln, Retrieved January 31, 2911{{Clarify|date=December 2017|reason=date is wrong}}</ref>
=== St. Augustine grass ===
[[St. Augustine grass]] (''Stenotaphrum secundatum'') (also known as Charleston grass in [[South Carolina]] and Buffalo Turf in Australia) is warm-season, [[perennial grass]] that is a widely used. A native grass of tropical origin that extends from [[marsh]]es ([[Saltwater marsh|salt]] and [[Freshwater marsh|freshwater]]), [[Lagoon|lagoon fringes]], and [[Beach ridge|sandy beach ridges]].
St. Augustine lawns are a popular coarse, wide–bladed coarse lawn planted throughout many areas of the [[Southeastern United States]] This grass is found in [[Mexico]], [[Australia]], and in tropical parts of [[Africa]]. It is a warm-season grass that does not handle cold weather very well. The majority of this grass is planted in vegetative forms (such as plugs and sod), as seeds are not usually available due to production difficulties.
'''Captiva St. Augustine:'''
:Developed by the [[University of Florida]] in 2007,<ref>LE Trenholm and  KevinKenworthy [https://buyturfonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/EP39800.pdf  Captiva St. Augustine Grass] University of Florida</ref> Captiva is a [[Blissus leucopterus|chinch bug]] resistant St. Augustine [[cultivar]].  It has a lush, dark-green color with a dense canopy and a massive root system.  Because it has a slow leaf-blade growth and lateral spread, the requirement for mowing is reduced. Captiva has a good–excellent shade tolerance and has excellent pest resistance which means there is less need to use pesticides.
=== Centipedegrass ===
'''Covington:'''
:[[Eremochloa ophiuroides|Centipedegrass]] was introduced into the United States from [[southeastern Asia]] in 1916. It does well in the climate and soils of [[Central Florida|central]] and [[northern Florida]] and is the most common home lawn grass in the [[Florida Panhandle]].<ref name="edis.ifas">J. B. Unruh, L. E. Trenholm, and J. L. Cisar [http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh009   Centipedegrass for Florida Lawns]</ref> Covington is a proprietary [[cultivar]] of centipede grass from [[Sod Solutions]] that grows in the southeast United States, from the [[West Texas|west half of Texas]] to all of [[Louisiana]], most of [[Mississippi]], [[Alabama]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[South Carolina]], [[North Carolina]], and [[Virginia]]. It is the only uniformly green centipede grass on the market. It is a low-maintenance grass, which retains its color in the fall and greens quickly in the spring. This variety is currently being evaluated by the [[University of Florida]].<ref name="edis.ifas"/>
'''Santee:'''
:Santee grass is another new proprietary selection from [[Sod Solutions]], which is also being evaluated by the [[University of Florida]] for adaptation to Florida use.<ref name="edis.ifas"/>
== Wildflower turf ==
Wildflower turf is a type of lawn alternative that is made up of a mixture of wildflower seeds. These seeds are sown together and grow to form a lawn of flowers, rather than the traditional monoculture of grass found in a traditional lawn. Wildflower turf can be a low-maintenance and sustainable alternative to traditional lawns, as well as providing a habitat for beneficial insects and other wildlife. They often require less watering and fertilization than traditional lawns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Network |first=Nicolette Fox for the Guardian Professional |date=2013-05-16 |title=Wildflower Turf: protecting the birds and the bees |url=http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/wildflower-turf-protecting-birds-bees |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Wildflower turf can be used in the restoration of natural habitats, such as meadows, prairies, and wetlands. It is used on [[green roof]]s to provide a low-maintenance alternative to traditional green roof systems. Wildflower turf can help to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change and to purify the air by absorbing pollutants and releasing oxygen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wildflower meadow habitats |url=https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/fthr/urban-regeneration-and-greenspace-partnership/greenspace-in-practice/benefits-of-greenspace/wildflower-meadow-habitats/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=Forest Research |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Natural turf communities ==
Low growing vegetation is referred to as "turf communities" in areas where such growth is not common, as in moss-turf communities of sub Antarctica,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Usher|first=M. B.|date=1983|title=Pattern in the Simple Moss-Turf Communities of the Sub-Antarctic and Maritime Antarctic|jstor=2259604|journal=Journal of Ecology|volume=71|issue=3|pages=945–958|doi=10.2307/2259604|bibcode=1983JEcol..71..945U }}</ref> some [[Fauna#Epifauna|epifauna]] in the sea,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forum.eionet.europa.eu/european-red-list-habitats/library/marine-habitats/north-east-atlantic/a4.13-mixed-faunal-turf-communities-high-energy-atlantic-upper-circalittoral/download/en/1/A4.13%20Mixed%20faunal%20turf%20communities%20on%20high%20energy%20Atlantic%20upper%20circalittoral%20rock.pdf?action=view|title=European Red List of Habitats - Marine Habitat Group A4.13 Mixed faunal turf communities on high energy Atlantic upper circalittoral rock|date=17 Aug 2015|website=European Environment Information Network}}{{dead link|date=March 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> [[coral reef]]s<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs|last1=Littler|first1=Mark M.|last2=Littler|first2=Diane S.|chapter=Algae, Turf |date=2011|publisher=Springer Netherlands|isbn=9789048126385|editor-last=Hopley|editor-first=David|series=Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series|pages=38–39|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_174}}</ref> and, in [[New Zealand]], as species-rich communities of plants under {{Convert|5|cm|2|abbr=on}} tall, on coastal headlands, dune hollows, rivers and lakes,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.openspace.org.nz/Site/About_QEII/Partnerships/Landcare_Research/Landcare_Research_Biodiversity/natural_turfs.aspx|title=Natural turfs of diverse tiny plants|website=www.openspace.org.nz|language=en-NZ|access-date=2017-11-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107004843/http://www.openspace.org.nz/Site/About_QEII/Partnerships/Landcare_Research/Landcare_Research_Biodiversity/natural_turfs.aspx|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=dead}}</ref> where most of the natural cover was forest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/documents/science-and-technical/sfc230.pdf|title=Ephemeral wetlands and their turfs in New Zealand SCIENCE FOR CONSERVATION 230|last=Peter Johnson|first=Geoff Rogers|date=October 2003|website=Department of Conservation}}</ref> A form of turf community is a [[herbfield]].
==Diseases==
Turfgrasses suffer from a wide number of [[plant fungal disease|fungal diseases]]; In 2023, Lane ''et al.'', provided a sampling methodology for testing.<ref name="Learn and use method to sample turfgrass diseases">{{Cite book |url=http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/book/10.1079/9781800620575.0000 |title=Fungal Plant Pathogens: Applied Techniques |date=2023-07-30 |publisher=CABI |isbn=978-1-80062-055-1 |editor-last=Lane |editor-first=Charles R. |edition=2 |location=GB |pages=147 |language=en |doi=10.1079/9781800620575.0047 |editor-last2=Beales |editor-first2=Paul A. |editor-last3=Hughes |editor-first3=Kelvin J.D.}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal|Gardening}}
* [[Cob (building)]]
* [[Divot]]
* [[Green track]]
* [[Groundbreaking]]
* [[Peat]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Sod}}[https://www.ancoturf.com.au/how-to-lay-turf/ How to lay turf]{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Lawn care]]
[[Category:Landscape architecture]]
[[Category:Soil-based building materials]]