WOULD SOD ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL LAWN GRASSES ADD TO YOUR MARKET? By Suz Trusty Editor’s note: The article on page 38 focusing on research for pollinator friendly lawns closed the sidebar with this statement, “Forward thinking companies will find a way to include ‘refuge lawns’ on stakeholder properties—and they’ll make money doing it.” That prompted your editors to harvest a few examples from past Turf News articles that highlight sod producers that have adopted sod alternatives to traditional grasses—and check in with those companies for an update on those products. We offer these as ideas to help spark your own research into innovative products that will add to your market. Adopt the mindset of Eric Heuver, a past president of Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) and president of Eagle Lake Professional Landscape Supply in Strathmore, Alberta, Canada. Heuver says, “We strive to be solutionbased, which comes from listening to our customers and keying into the market. If the customer says, ‘I wish there was an easier way to do …’ that’s what we follow up on. Do we have a product, or can we come up with a product, to meet these needs?”
base on a biodegradable, coconut fiber erosion mat and plastic so that it is as easy to install as turfgrass sod.
Sedum Turf is grown as sod to quickly establish in landscaping situations such as the edge of this path. Photo courtesy of Eagle Lake Landscape Supply
Another alternative product was developed for a National Parks project that allowed no introduced vegetative species. Heuver developed a product similar to Sedum Turf, growing the specified native grasses on a coconut-based erosion control mat. That product is named NaturesTurf. It offers a wide variety of vegetation options including native and adaptive grasses, sedges, and forbs. The seed blends are hand selected to meet the aesthetics and functional requirements of each project. Although Eagle Lake grows some stock varieties, much of the NaturesTurf product is custom grown to meet specific project requirements.
Sedum Turf is an environmental groundcover grown as sod for specialty uses, such as this seating area. Photo courtesy of Eagle Lake Landscape Supply
Alternative Products Are Thriving at Eagle Lake Multiple innovations have been born from that mindset and several have evolved into viable products. Two of those are sod alternative ground cover solutions to traditional grasses. One is the Sedum Turf product, a new environmental ground cover, similar to the sedums used on green roofs. Sedum Turf is composed of a broad selection of sedum varieties grown outdoors at the Strathmore farm in a soil 42
NaturesTurf is an ideal solution for areas which are difficult to vegetate with conventional methods and where specific or native varieties are required. Potential applications include storm pond perimeters, dry ponds, wetlands, park trail reclamation, areas with erosion control challenges, and sensitive areas requiring native plantings only. NaturesTurf gives immediate vegetation and erosion control once installed. A related product Eagle Lake has introduced is a sandbag-size, biodegradable jute bag filled with custom engineered soil and a specific grass seed that can produce the desired vegetation in a high erosion area. Heuver says, “As we branch into new areas, we’re pulling from things we’re already doing well, such as selling soil and seed, and combining it with our knowledge of how to germinate grass. It’s working with our knowledge base, our equipment and infrastructure, and our personnel resources.” TPI Turf News September/October 2021
