This month Sod Solutions, Inc. celebrates its 10th anniversary as a warm season turfgrass development company. The event is an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of the turfgrass industry and Sod Solutions’ participation in it.

 

Sod Solutions began more than a decade ago when Tobey Wagner, an engineer by education, devised an agricultural business model to support his interest in horticultural products and landscaping. Wagner was aware of a new St. Augustine cultivar, FX-10, released by the University of Florida in the early 1990s, that was only available in Florida. He saw an opportunity to broker this variety northward along southeastern coastal regions where a more cold hardy St. Augustine was needed. Wagner developed agreements with several licensed growers of this new grass, including Elmer Kirkland of Kirkland Farms, New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Kirkland Farms was the most northern producer of FX-10. Wagner and Kirkland developed a strong business relationship.

 

Unfortunately, FX-10 froze out in coastal South Carolina during that first winter. However, Elmer Kirkland had developed a new St. Augustine cultivar that survived the winter and demonstrated other improved growth characteristics. The original business idea expanded to a much larger objective; and in 1994 Sod Solutions incorporated, focusing on the development and release of improved warm season turfgrass varieties. The company’s goal was, and is, to provide innovation to the turf industry by supplementing new product development with coordinated marketing and “real world” testing, accomplished through the involvement of a network of committed licensed growers. As demonstrated by the FX-10 experience, universities are in a limited position to supplement research and product development with “real world” performance testing and marketing. As a private enterprise, Sod Solutions fills this need in the warm season turf industry.

 

The new grass developed by Elmer Kirkland, Palmetto^® St. Augustine, has become Sod Solutions’ flagship product. Several growers committed early on to licensing Palmetto. Another grower provided visibility at a Florida Sod Growers Co-op event. Dr. Philip Busey, Associate Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida, assisted with the successful patent application. After Sod Solutions joined TPI, news of Palmetto spread quickly. More U.S. growers became licensees; and international inquiries followed. Currently, there are more than 100 U.S. licensees; and 43 in Brazil, South Africa, and Australia. Today Palmetto is believed to be the top selling patented warm season turf variety in the industry.

 

The international contacts that provide Sod Solutions with renowned turfgrass breeding talent are one of its strengths. One example is Roberto Gurgel, the Brazilian breeder of EMPIRE^® Zoysia and EMPRESS^® Zoysia, which were released by Sod Solutions in 1999. These zoysias are rapid growing, hardy varieties of zoysiagrass known for their ability to withstand heat and humidity. Gurgel joined Sod Solutions in 2003, and now resides in Texas.

 

Another improved Sod Solutions cultivar, Celebration™ Bermudagrass, originated in Australia. Celebration was developed by Rod Riley, an acclaimed turf breeder who received the Australian Medal of Honor for contributions to the Australian turf industry. Celebration, released in 2001, can be rapidly produced, has beautiful uniform color, and is suited to a wide range of applications. Another Australian selection, Sapphire™ St. Augustine, was developed by Todd Layt. In a unique “Pre-release” program, Sapphire will be offered this year to a limited number of growers. This program will be combined with a collaborative 20-site, 4-university nationwide comparative trial headed by Dr. Dave Han, Auburn University. The program will further refine the process of generating performance evaluation data at the farm production level for Sapphire and other cultivars.

 

Sod Solutions has grown steadily over the last decade. Company president Tobey Wagner attributes growth to several factors: the access to international turfgrass breeding talent; a comprehensive strategic marketing program for the varieties; and the company’s employees. But perhaps the company’s greatest asset is its extensive network of licensed producers. According to Wagner, the growers “make it all possible.”

 

The company’s plans include new business partnerships and breeding programs. Both are designed to support development of even better turf products. Plans also include research and development for St. Augustine, Bermuda, Zoysia, Paspalum, Centipede and other lesser-known new species of grass. Sod Solutions is engaged with universities to develop and test potential future releases.

 

Sod Solutions employees will celebrate the company anniversary at a poolside barbeque next month at the home of president and founder, Tobey Wagner.

As the company tagline, “We go to the ends of the earth” reveals, Sod Solutions is committed to developing superior turf products.