Askew and colleagues have developed a method to grow pollinator-friendly plant communities as sod, potentially turbo-charging how we establish diverse gardens. The team found that growing a variety of flowering plants over plastic produces robust, movable sod within 18 months.
The researchers tested different foundation species to improve sod strength. While hard fescue and yarrow created stronger sod, they reduced plant diversity. Native grasses offered a good balance, allowing for both sod strength and plant variety. Interestingly, sod grown over plastic was strong enough to transplant regardless of the foundation species used.
The team studied plant establishment by seeding 20 different pollinator-friendly plants along with various foundation species. They monitored plant establishment, diversity, and sod strength over three years. The sod was then transplanted to test its ability to root in a new location.
The most successful approach to producing sod for pollinator-serving plant communities appears to be growing a variety of forbs over plastic without a foundation species or with a mixture of native grasses.
Askew, W. B., Godara, N., Brewer, J. R., Gonçalves, C. G., Goatley, M., & Askew, S. D. (2024). Impact of species selection on plant community, sod tensile strength, and translocation rooting of a pollinator-garden sod. Agronomy Journal, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21673 (OA)
