Q: You mentioned in the gardening magazine that sod should be laid the day it arrives. I was thinking of putting some in a few bare spots, and was wondering how the places that sell just a few square yards at a time keep it from going bad.

A: Theresa Schrum replies: “Companies that specialize in sod are able to keep their inventory moving which keeps the sod “fresh.”

Nurseries that sell small amounts usually have the individual squares laying out on either the cement or soil surface. The important factor is to not allow the sod to stay stacked on a pallet for more than a day as the internal heat that builds up is lethal to the grass.”