Sod – Farming Practices

Q: You say on your website that St. Augustinegrass seed can’t be bought because the plant is finicky about producing viable seed. If that is the case, how do sod farmers grow it?

A: On a sod farm, St. Augustinegrass is grown from sprigs. Professional grass breeders are able to cross-pollinate selected St. Augustinegrass plants in the laboratory and collect the few fertile seeds produced. These are planted in a greenhouse and evaluated. If a superior form is found, they propagate it by sprigs for several years and then sell sprigs to sod farms for mass production.