One of the most common means of relaxation – a lawn in front of the country house, and just in front of a private house. The green color of the lawn, children having fun on it, butterflies fluttering have a beneficial effect on a person’s state of mind. But now the time has come, the grass has matured, the lawn “bald”, weeds are coming from all sides, we must update the lawn.

How to remove sod in Toronto

For large areas, you can, of course, let the bulldozer, or cultivator and be done with it, but for home lawns, this method is absolutely not suitable. You can remove the old lawn with a shovel-type tool, or herbicides. Rolled lawn, in which the grass roots have not penetrated too deeply to remove by mechanical means is much easier, although seeded lawn in the process of growth requires less care.

With a shovel, and if you call a few helpers, it will go faster. Putting on old clothes and gloves, sharpening the shovel, and being prepared for a lot of dust, a lot of trash and dirt you can start this difficult but very inexpensive operation. Of course, it is necessary to prepare garbage bags so as not to contaminate the area to be cleaned.

Carefully cut strips of old sod grass, about 10-15 centimeters deep, pick it up with a sharp shovel.It is good, if this work is carried out by two people – one holds and directs the shovel, the other, with the help of a rope, tied at the bottom of it strongly pulls on itself.  The old sod grass is then rolled up and can be bagged and disposed of later at a landfill.

 If the sod is not contaminated with industrial waste, it can be taken to the nearest forest. Of course, sod grass you can also compost it if you have room for a compost heap.The composting process is accelerated by the use of special biopreparations.

 To improve the work of the preparations, cover the surface of the compost heap with black film or mulching material. The film is put to protect the soil microbes that do not like bright sunlight.

Biopreparations. How to remove sod in Ontario.

In the same way you can treat the sod on the plot without removing it, but only by turning it upside down. This is the most environmentally friendly way to prepare the site for a new lawn, because there is no damage to the soil with all kinds of herbicides. Biopreparations include soil microorganisms that are already in the soil, but the use of such preparations accelerates the natural process of decomposition of organic residues. When using biologicals, in many cases no herbicide treatment is necessary.

Using the cultivator makes the work easier, one should only level the clods which are formed during the cultivator work and then treat the soil with biological preparations, as it was described above. After treatment with biopreparations it is necessary to wait at least a week, so that the newly sown seeds will not be subjected to decomposition. After removing the old turf it is necessary to add new black earth, trying to level the surface of the new lawn to the level of the old one.

If new lawn grass or sod rolls will be laid in this place, it is necessary to take care that the weed seeds, previously dormant in the layer of soil, do not start to grow.  Some seeds can sit for decades before they germinate. Herbicides are used to control weeds.

Continuous herbicides kill all vegetation on the site.  Nothing will grow after them, so new plantings are made only after these substances in the soil have not disintegrated into harmless constituents. Selective herbicides are used to control certain types of weeds, which, for example, kill only monocotyledonous plants (cereals) without harming other crops.

Herbicides. How to remove sod.

Herbicides of systemic or continuous action affect not only the stems and leaves, but also the root system of the plant, which leads to their death. Such herbicides are mainly used against perennials. Contact herbicides are good against annuals.

Getting on their stems and leaves, such herbicide destroys the plant. The whole surface of the plot should be treated with herbicides. Untreated areas will serve as a depot for new seeds, pests and weeds. After treatment the lawn should be covered with transparent polyethylene film or, better, with non-woven covering material, under which seeds and spores will be quickly destroyed in the hot weather.

Of course, the work with herbicides should be carried out in the absence of children and pets and use all measures of personal safety, protecting the eyes, respiratory organs and skin from contact with drugs.

In order to protect yourself and your territory, it is best to contact a company that professionally deals with sod. They will quickly and efficiently install sod, remove it and help with all related issues. Such a company is “Captain Handy”, just contact us and we will help with any issue related to sod and landscape design.

Read our blog!