Sod
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Sod is grass turf and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of this material. Some sod is grown agriculturally, and is sold to landscapers who use it to quickly establish a lawn.
As a landscaping material
Transplanting sod is both the quickest and the most costly method for adding a lawn to landscaping. Although it takes some time for the roots of the sod to connect the sod to the new location, the lawn can appear to be well established as soon as the sod is put in place.
When applying sod, it is important to prepare the area by removing any rocks, sticks or other debri. Once the area is smooth, apply an application of starter fertilizer with a 1-1-1 ratio of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. 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 overwater- 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. This, of course, would not happen when establishing a lawn by traditional seeding or hydroseeding methods.
As a building material
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 peioneer 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 panelling. 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.
See also
References
Other meanings
- The enzyme SOD or superoxide dismutase.
- The word sod in British English is a mildly offensive term for a person. Although it can be used in many situations, it has particular connotations of idleness - e.g. "you lazy sod" - or dirtiness. Like many such mild insults, it can also be used affectionately between friends - "how are you, you old sod?". It originates from "sodomy", but does not significantly retain that meaning. Like the word fuck, it can be used as many different parts of speech - e.g. "sod off!" and "sodding bastard". This meaning may have been invented in the book A Clockwork Orange.
- "sod it" (including its variant, "oh sod it") is a quaint English expression which denotes a total abrogation of responsibility for a situation. [link]
- The letters SOD refer to the Stormtroopers of Death (S.O.D.) who are a heavy metal/cross over music act.
- SOD, a commonly used acronym for the magazine Soap Opera Digest.
- SOD, in business SOD is used as Statement of Direction
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