Sod shortage predicted in Windsor after 'total decimation'

CBC
L&M Sod Farm had to plow under 40 hectares of grass and seed that were 'decimated' by the winter.

An Oldcastle sod farmer is predicting a shortage of product.

Louie Stankovich of L&M Sod Farm says the harsh winter ruined 40 hectares of sod on his farm.

Stankovich blames an usually early fall frost last year, a record-setting winter and not enough spring rain.

"It’s the worst we’ve ever seen in 27 years," Stankovich said. "Total decimation."

Sod needs to grow for two years before it can be harvested. So the 100 acres of seed planted last fall and plowed under this spring was scheduled to be harvested in 2015.

That won't happen.

"It came up a little and the winter we had was so harsh, just killed it all off. Nothing came up in the spring," Stankovich said. "We were okay for this year’s supply. But it could be a scramble for good quality sod next year.

"It’s not going to be a good, happy season next year."

Michelle Weverink is with Landscape Effects Group, a landscaping company in Belle River.

She said there is obviously an alternative to sod.

"Pretty much every job we do needs sod, whether it's fixing up what we've driven on or they need the whole new lawn sodded, so it would cause issues," she said. "We could end up hydro-seeding, but obviously that's not as pretty as sod, so it would cause some issues."

While a shortage of Kentucky bluegrass isn't likely to strike until next spring, golf courses in Ontario are already scrambling to find bentgrass.

Rob Witherspoon, director of the University of Guelph Turfgrass Institute, said the residential sod problem is localized to Windsor. But golf courses across Ontario are struggling to find sod and make repairs.

"The only sod shortage I am aware of this spring is for bentgrass sod which is in high demand as a result of significant winter damage to golf courses," Witherspoon wrote in an email to CBC Windsor. "Only a few sod growers produce bentgrass sod and demand is generally low under normal conditions so there is rarely a significant inventory available at anytime."

Bentgrass is a specialized grass that should only be used on golf courses or lawn bowling greens, Witherspoon said.

"It was a difficult winter and early spring for grass but primarily on golf courses where there has been extensive damage reported due to prolonged ice and snow cover and cold spring temperatures," Witherspoon said.