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A Mechanized Washing System for Generating Soil‐Less Sod 1
Author(s) -
Turgeon A. J.,
Berns Frank,
Warren Ben
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1978.00021962007000020031x
Subject(s) - sowing , agrostis , agronomy , environmental science , spring (device) , moisture , horticulture , pulp and paper industry , chemistry , biology , poaceae , engineering , mechanical engineering , organic chemistry
Washed, soil‐less sod was developed to provide lightweight planting material that does not impose a foreign soil layer on the growing medium at the transplant site. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a mechanized sod washing technique. A sod‐washing apparatus consisting of motorized conveyors, high‐pressure water jets, rubber scrapers, and spring‐biased rollers is described. Strips of ‘A‐20’ Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa protensis L.) and ‘Toronto’ creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis palustris Huds.) sod were machine washed prior to measuring sod strength. The ‘Toronto’ sod began shredding apart after the first washing, but the ‘A‐20’ sod maintained adequate strength after four washings. The loss of sod strength in 'A‐20' from washing was attributed to the addition of moisture to the sod, and not to the removal of soil.