ITEM 660  SODDING

660.01   Description
660.02   Materials
660.03   Lifting Sod
660.04   Preparation of Areas to be Sodded
660.05   Placing Sod
660.06   Placing Sod on Slopes
660.07   Placing Sod in Ditches
660.08   Placing Reinforced Sod
660.09   Watering
660.10   Method of Measurement
660.11   Basis of Payment

660.01  Description.  This work consists of furnishing, hauling, excavating for and preparing the bed, and placing sod.

660.02  Materials.  Furnish sod consisting of well-rooted Kentucky Blue Grass (Poa pratensis) or Canadian Blue Grass (Poa compressa) containing a growth of not more than 30 percent of other grasses and clovers, and free from all noxious weeds such as wild mustard, thistles, quack grass, and Johnson grass, and reasonably free from dandelions and crab grass.

Ensure that all sod is certified by the sod supplier that it complies with this item.  Ensure that the sod was recently mowed to a height of not more than 3 inches (75 mm).  Furnish a certificate with each shipment, and furnish the following additional information from the sod supplier:

A.     The name of the producer.
B.      The amount of sod shipped in square yards (square meters).
C.     The location of sod field.
D.     The location of job site.
E.      The date sod was cut.
F.      The thickness the sod was cut.

Furnish wood stakes that are at least 1/2 ´ 3/4 ´ 12 inches (13 ´ 19 ´ 300 mm).

Furnish galvanized poultry netting 50 inches (1200 mm) wide with 2-inch (50 mm) mesh and No. 20 gage minimum wire.

Furnish fertilizer and lime according to Item 659.

660.03  Lifting Sod.  Furnish sod in strips of not less than 3 feet (0.9 m) and not over 6 feet (1.8 feet) in length with a uniform width of not over 24 inches (0.6 m).  The Contractor may elect to deliver sod rolls of up to 25 feet (7.6 m) in length.  Furnish sod cut to a depth equal to the growth of the fibrous roots but in no case less than 1 inch (25 mm).

Deliver sod to the job within 24 hours after being cut, and install it within 48 hours after being cut.

During wet weather, allow the sod to dry sufficiently to prevent tearing during handling and placing.  During dry weather, water the sod before lifting to ensure its vitality and to prevent the dropping off of the soil in handling.

660.04  Preparation of Areas to be Sodded.  Before placing the sod, excavate the sod bed to a depth that when the sod is in place the top of the sod is flush with the surrounding grade and conforms to the typical cross-section.  If specified, place the topsoil according to Item 659.  If specified under Item 659, apply commercial fertilizer and agricultural liming material.  Incorporate these materials in the areas to be sodded at the rate specified in 659.03 and 659.04 to a depth of not less than 1 inch (25 mm).  Incorporate these materials within 48 hours prior to placing the sod.  Immediately before placing the sod, rake the area or otherwise bring it to an even surface forming a proper sod bed.  If the area is dry, thoroughly water the sod bed.

660.05  Placing Sod.  Do not place any sod when the temperature is below 32 °F (0 °C).  Do not place any frozen sod, and do not place any sod upon frozen soil.  When placing sod between June 1 and October 15, cover it immediately with straw mulch 1 inch (25 mm) thick, loose measurement.

Lift sod from trucks or storage piles, and place it by hand with close joints and no overlapping.  Plug all gaps between sections of sod and openings at angles with sod.  After laying, thoroughly water the sod, and tamp the sod with approved sod tampers sufficiently to bring the sod into close contact with the sod-bed and to ensure tight joints between the sections or strips.  Upon placing the sod, ensure that the surface of the sodded areas coincides with the finished grade.

660.06  Placing Sod on Slopes.  Place sod on slopes 2:1 and steeper according to 660.05, with the following modifications.

Lay sod with the long edges of the strip parallel to the contour starting at the bottom of the slope.  Neatly match successive strips, and stagger all joints.

If placing sod strips 6 feet (1.8 m) or over in height (measured on the slope), stake each strip or length of sod steeper then 6 feet (2 m) securely with at least two stakes not more than 2 feet (0.6 m) apart with the flat side against the slope.  Drive the wooden stakes so that the last 1 inch (25 mm) remains above the top of the sod.

After laying, thoroughly water the sod, and tamp the sod with approved tampers sufficiently to bring the sod into close contact with the sod-bed and to ensure tight joints between the sections or strips.

660.07  Placing Sod in Ditches.  Place sod transversely in ditches with successive strips neatly matched and transverse joints staggered.  Hold the sod in place securely with wooden stakes.  Place stakes at a maximum distance of 2 feet (0.6 m), and stagger them in adjacent rows.

660.08  Placing Reinforced Sod.  Before placing the sod, place the galvanized poultry netting or equivalent.  Stake each strand securely to the subgrade by using T-shaped pins or wood stakes.  Place the pins or wooden stakes at 4-foot (1.2 m) intervals on the top and bottom and in rows 4 feet (1.2 m) apart.  Fasten the netting to the wooden stakes with staples.  Where the sod width is from 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 m) wide, the Engineer will allow two strands of netting for a total width of 8 feet (2.4 m).

660.09  Watering.  Keep all sodded areas, including the subgrade, thoroughly moist for 30 days after sodding.  Repair any areas damaged following installation.  Ensure that sod is in place for at least 30 days before final acceptance.

660.10  Method of Measurement.  The Department will measure Sodding Unstaked, Sodding Staked, and Sodding Reinforced by the actual number of square yards (square meters) of area sodded, completed and accepted.

660.11  Basis of Payment.  If required, the Department will pay for topsoil liming and fertilizing under Item 659.

The Department will pay for accepted quantities at the contract prices as follows: