# Sprig Harvesting



## BenC (Mar 27, 2018)

I've never run a verticutter or dethatcher before, but have a lot of ground that needs lawn on top of it. I've been going at it very slowly with the pro plugger, but don't think that's practical. My thought is to run a verticutter or dethatcher over what sod and plugs I do have established spring of 2019 and hopefully harvest sprigs with the rotary mower and bag. 
Do verticutters or dethatchers produce viable sprigs? Grass is Zeon and I have found a producer who will sell me sprigs if need be, but I'd rather harvest my own. Any thoughts?


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

BenC said:


> My thought is to run a verticutter or dethatcher over what sod and plugs I do have established spring of 2019 and hopefully harvest sprigs


You had me at sprigs.



BenC said:


> with the rotary mower and bag.


and then lost me here.

Don't use the rotary mower. I think it will cut them up/damage them too much. Use a rake.

You can absolutely use a dethatcher to make/harvest your sprigs. I did it several months ago.


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## RandyMan (May 17, 2018)

I know with bermuda I have been having good results with throwing down runners on bare spots and throwing some good topsoil on top and keeping it moist.They are taking off!! These runners are from my concrete driveway, mulch beds, etc where I dont want bermuda to grow. Not sure it would work for Zoysia though.


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## RandyMan (May 17, 2018)

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo9NTzDcsb8[/media]


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## BenC (Mar 27, 2018)

Thanks for the input guys, i'll avoid the rotary mower. Ground prep will be lime, fert, compost, disc it all in, sprig, then roll it firm.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

BenC said:


> Thanks for the input guys, i'll avoid the rotary mower. Ground prep will be lime, fert, compost, disc it all in, sprig, then roll it firm.


Please expand on what you mean by disc it all in.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> BenC said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the input guys, i'll avoid the rotary mower. Ground prep will be lime, fert, compost, disc it all in, sprig, then roll it firm.
> ...


The man's got a tractor with a disc harrow. Even though we're neighbors and all, I've yet to see his new sod :lol:


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

No experience in sprig'n

I just read about strip sodding at golf courses as a lower up front cost approach for Zoysia. Similar to checkerboarding (squares vs plugs) 
My thoughts: you have patience
Assume you know the spread (growth) rate, seasonal considerations in light of your area? Just came thru the area, was in hhi Sea pines, played fazio w/diamond greens


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Movingshrub said:
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> > BenC said:
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Just wanted to make sure I understood the plan cause sometimes people will disc in the sprigs using a stolon disc and cultipacker.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Do not mow up the sprigs. Use a rake or a leaf blower to collect them. Verticutters will give you viable material. Using a disc is optional. I've done about 15-20 acres of sprigging, I've only used a disc on 3-4 acres of that area - I topdress the others. I had friends who made soccer field from bermuda and they just had the kids run around the field with soccer cleats - it acted as a disc of sort, pushing the stolons into the ground just a little bit.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Do not mow up the sprigs. Use a rake or a leaf blower to collect them. Verticutters will give you viable material. Using a disc is optional. I've done about 15-20 acres of sprigging, I've only used a disc on 3-4 acres of that area - I topdress the others. I had friends who made soccer field from bermuda and they just had the kids run around the field with soccer cleats - it acted as a disc of sort, pushing the stolons into the ground just a little bit.


Any guidance on what size area, as the source area, can supply the target planting area?

I've seen guidance of 5 sqft of sod = 1 bushel but was unsure how it translated to harvesting via dethatcher type of machine vs a whole piece of sod, ie, does it take 50 sqft to produce 1 bushel using a dethatcher.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I ask cause I used a dethatcher on a approx 1000 sqft area to get enough sprigs for a 300 sqft planting. I didn't measure the output; just kept going until I thought I had enough sprigs. The fill in rate was great, about 6 weeks.

@viva_oldtrafford You ever seen someone use a wood chipper and sod to make sprigs?


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Movingshrub said:


> I ask cause I used a dethatcher on a approx 1000 sqft area to get enough sprigs for a 300 sqft planting. I didn't measure the output; just kept going until I thought I had enough sprigs. The fill in rate was great, about 6 weeks.
> 
> @viva_oldtrafford You ever seen someone use a wood chipper and sod to make sprigs?


I'm not aware of any ratio of area that you would need to figure out - I'm also of the mindset of just get started, and stop when it looks like enough. I have verticutters, blowers, and vacs, so for me it's easy.

sod thru a wood chipper sounds like a phenomenal idea. I'd like to see how it works!


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## Gibby (Apr 3, 2018)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Movingshrub said:
> 
> 
> > I ask cause I used a dethatcher on a approx 1000 sqft area to get enough sprigs for a 300 sqft planting. I didn't measure the output; just kept going until I thought I had enough sprigs. The fill in rate was great, about 6 weeks.
> ...


Depending on the cost of sprigs in the Spring, I might be the guinea pig of sod in a wood chipper.


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## Iriasj2009 (Feb 15, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> BenC said:
> 
> 
> > My thought is to run a verticutter or dethatcher over what sod and plugs I do have established spring of 2019 and hopefully harvest sprigs
> ...


I've used my rotary toro with a bag to pick up my sprigs and they work just fine. i think if it's a small area, a rake is fine but when your dealing with a much bigger area, a rotary mower will do the trick.


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## BenC (Mar 27, 2018)

I'm loving all these ideas🤓. I have notes written down somewhere, but I believe the sod producers were telling me something like 400 bushel/ acre is an appropriate rate. A cultipacker/ ring roller would be great, I think pre-discing is just good to get the soil loose. A cultipacker would be great for pressing in the sprigs. I'll see how much I can harvest from my 9k, i'm Growing it thick and tall rite now. Probably will have to supplement with producer sprigs. @Colonel K0rn we definitely will be grilling some beef soon I hope


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

400-800 bushels per acre, or 10-20 bushels per 1k,, depending on what time of year your'e planting. More if you're planting into existing turf.

If you've got access to one of these, or fabricate one, you should be golden. 
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4242#p77999

We tend to discourage tilling, hence my curiosity concerning discing. I think the issue will depend on how deeply you disc.

Also, this article notes that sprigs can be obtained via verticutting or shredding sod
https://www.stma.org/sites/stma/files/STMA_Bulletins/Sprigging_bermudagrass.pdf

also, there is this http://laverysodfarm.com/Sprigging__Bermudagrass_.php

and this
Ihttps://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W160-D.pdf

I noticed out of the last two websites, different guidance on how much sod equates how many bushels.

UTK article - 1 square yard = 1 bushel. A pallet  is 500 sqft, 55 square yards, therefore 55 bushels.

The Sod farm website, 5 square feet = 1 bushel, so 500 sqft pallet is 100 bushels.


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## BenC (Mar 27, 2018)

Nice @Movingshrub! IDK what the gas powered machine is, but the other is a cultipacker, ring roller. That'd Be nice, but i'll Probably borrow a larger tractor pulled flat roller


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## sanders4617 (Jul 9, 2018)

Been a while now, but has anyone come up with a way to get sprigs from sod? Wood chipper?

I know Verticutting existing turf is an option, or buying sprigs (if you can find people willing to cooperate and not have to drive forever).. but not a whole lot past that as far as maybe purchasing a pallet and using that sod.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

@Movingshrub


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

I hand pulled sprigs from about 30 sq ft of tifgreen last year, then i top dressed and used a big piece of plywood to push them down into the Sand base. filled in within around 6-8 weeks, this little area is about 250-300 sq ft.


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## sanders4617 (Jul 9, 2018)

@erdons So you hand pulled from 30 sq ft to end up with 250-300sq ft? Not bad! Looks good!


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## Wes (Feb 15, 2017)

Didn't @SimonR originally start his yard off with sprigs?

I also swear reading somewhere that he used a wood chipper, but I could be wrong.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I know using a verticutter works. I've done it myself. What cultivar are you looking at? From a convienence angle, I am still looking at the wood chipper route but don't want to be the test dummy. I have a work acquaintance who claims him and a buddy used a wood chipper (I believe him) but no details on what size chipper, amount of sod used, how the establishment went, etc.

The hang up for me is whether it's a better value to make my own with a verticutter, buy sod and rent a wood chipper, use a sod cutter on my turf and rent a wood chipper, or just buy sprigs. It's kind a time/money/risk decision for me.

@sanders4617 what cultivar are you looking to plant?


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## sanders4617 (Jul 9, 2018)

@Movingshrub If I want to match what was supposedly sodded for the immediate area around my house, Tifway 419 is what I'll use.

I'd love to give TifTuf a shot, but I'm not killing the entire yard. I'd rather just expand on what's here. So I can verticut my own from what I have, then plant to the areas that was not sodded.

Or I could buy sprigs out right.. but they like you to purchase quite a bit. I probably don't need but enough for 3000-5000 sq ft at most.

And then my other option would be to purchase a pallet and convert to sprigs.

I'm gonna be doing a leveling process with sand shortly - try and get a lot of the little divets out - and I think throwing in sprigs at the same time I sand would probably be a nice 1-2 combo.

My only problem there is a would like to sand sooner than later, and I'd need a month or so to kill off what's there.

Anyway. Short answer is Tifway 419 lol.


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

sanders4617 said:


> @erdons So you hand pulled from 30 sq ft to end up with 250-300sq ft? Not bad! Looks good!


Yes, this is how it looked before top dressing. 


Might have been better off using a dethatcher, but I just started hard pulling...


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

erdons said:


> sanders4617 said:
> 
> 
> > @erdons So you hand pulled from 30 sq ft to end up with 250-300sq ft? Not bad! Looks good!
> ...


I remember this project! Looks awesome!


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> I know using a verticutter works. I've done it myself. What cultivar are you looking at? From a convienence angle, I am still looking at the wood chipper route but don't want to be the test dummy. I have a work acquaintance who claims him and a buddy used a wood chipper (I believe him) but no details on what size chipper, amount of sod used, how the establishment went, etc.
> 
> The hang up for me is whether it's a better value to make my own with a verticutter, buy sod and rent a wood chipper, use a sod cutter on my turf and rent a wood chipper, or just buy sprigs. It's kind a time/money/risk decision for me.
> 
> @sanders4617 what cultivar are you looking to plant?


I would think a wood chipper would work great, as long as you wash the soil off the sod first.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

@erdons have you had the heart to take that hole cutter to the sod for the cup yet?


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

Colonel K0rn said:


> @erdons have you had the heart to take that hole cutter to the sod for the cup yet?


Not yet, If I do it, it will be this summer.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

@erdons @Movingshrub @viva_oldtrafford

What watering frequency do you recommend to get the stolons to tack down and survive? I'm going to be verticutting/raking my exsiting Tiftuf area this spring once we get going.


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## sanders4617 (Jul 9, 2018)

@cglarsen In my experience, just water enough to keep it moist. All dependent on weather. 90s and sun every day means A LOT more watering. You kinda have to take it day by day until you get a good grip on what works and doesn't work.


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

cglarsen said:


> @erdons @Movingshrub @viva_oldtrafford
> 
> What watering frequency do you recommend to get the stolons to tack down and survive? I'm going to be verticutting/raking my exsiting Tiftuf area this spring once we get going.


When I first planted them I was watering like 5 times per day for 4-5 min at a time. You'll notice that the stolons are going to look brown and dead for about a week but then you will notice the bounce back. I kept it going for about 3 weeks then finally cut back on the watering when I saw that they were thriving.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

@sanders4617 @erdons Thanks guys. That's what I needed to know.


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

@cglarsen I went for about 4 minutes every hour and a half throughout the day (with above ground sprinklers, not set up with proper overlap and whatnot FYI). Might have been overkill but they survived. They do go brown before they come back to life though.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

adgattoni said:


> @cglarsen I went for about 4 minutes every hour and a half throughout the day (with above ground sprinklers, not set up with proper overlap and whatnot FYI). Might have been overkill but they survived. They do go brown before they come back to life though.


What kind of timer did you use? The 4 zone ones that I'm looking at only allow 4 cycles/zone/day.


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

cglarsen said:


> adgattoni said:
> 
> 
> > @cglarsen I went for about 4 minutes every hour and a half throughout the day (with above ground sprinklers, not set up with proper overlap and whatnot FYI). Might have been overkill but they survived. They do go brown before they come back to life though.
> ...


I built this thing and put it on an orbit b-hyve timer:


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

adgattoni said:


> cglarsen said:
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> > adgattoni said:
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That's impressive. I just found the Melnor 63280 allows for hourly watering on all four zones - probably give that a try first.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Any of you that have harvested sprigs with a verticutter, did you scalp first, leave it at your normal height, or let it grow a little long before harvesting?


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

I would say not to scalp it, the verticutting will stress the grass as is, I would say give it a normal cut first.


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> Any of you that have harvested sprigs with a verticutter, did you scalp first, leave it at your normal height, or let it grow a little long before harvesting?


I would let it grow a little long. I got bigger chunks of sprigs last year when it was a bit longer vs. this year when I harvested post-scalp. Though it may be because I harvested a lot of sprigs last year and there wasn't much more to get.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

adgattoni said:


> Bermuda_Newbie said:
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> > Any of you that have harvested sprigs with a verticutter, did you scalp first, leave it at your normal height, or let it grow a little long before harvesting?
> ...


Concur - based on the video education I've had on YouTube searching sprigging related topics. Sod producers let it grow high when they are going to be digging sprigs.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

cglarsen said:


> adgattoni said:
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Good to know. I'm waiting for the sod to establish so I can harvest. It's been about a week and a half. The landscapers said to give it another week because it rained the first week. It's super long now so I wasn't sure if I should reset the height of cut. I think I'll just leave it long until I harvest. Thanks!


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

Bermuda_Newbie said:


> cglarsen said:
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Did you give this a go yet? Interested in how the new sod held up and what kind of sprigs you were able to get.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

I had to wait (and now it's 105 outside). We were getting a bunch of trees taken out for our new solar system and wanted to wait for the trucks to finish driving on the area and the dropping of trees to finish. The whole area is going to get graded before I sprig. The fun part was the large tree in the back was too close to the power lines so I had to wait for the free service of my power company to remove it. Great for my pocketbook but annoying because there was no rush on their part since it was free. They just came and took the rest of it down yesterday so I should be on track in a couple of weeks to sprig. I'm excited and will be documenting my process.

The sod is about, what, 6 weeks old and will probably be 2 months established when I sprig. It rooted fast so I don't anticipate any problems harvesting from it. Celebration is way more aggressive than the 419 I had at my old house.


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