SPRIGGING AND SODDING

Sprigs
Sprigs shall be healthy living stems (stolons or rhizomes) with attached roots of perennial turf-forming
grasses harvested with adhering soil, and obtained from approved sources in the locality of the work
where the sod is dense and well rooted. The presence of detrimental materials will be cause for rejection.
613.2.3 Grass Sod
The sod shall consist of a healthy, dense and well rooted growth of living grass.
The grass sod shall be cut into uniform squares approximately 30 cm by 30 cm or in rolls of uniform width
of approximately 39 cm and shall have a minimum thickness of 5 cm (excluding grass blades).
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
613.3.1 Top Soil
a) Source of Material
The Contractor shall notify the Engineer at least 5 days before he intends to start top soil stripping
operations. After inspection and approval by the Engineer and prior to stripping any top soil, the
Contractor shall remove noxious weeds and tall grass, bush roots and stones larger than 5 cm in
diameter.
613-1
b) Placing Top Soil
The top soil shall be evenly spread on the designated areas to the line and slope if shown on the
drawings and compacted to a depth of not less than 10 cm. Spreading shall not be done when the ground
topsoil is excessively wet, or otherwise in a condition detrimental to the work. The roadway surfaces shall
be kept clean during hauling and spreading operations.
After spreading has been completed, large clods, stones, roots, stumps and other loose lying material
shall be raked up and removed. Any erosion, irregularities of grade or other incidental damage to the
surface of top soil prior to the planting of springs or laying of grass sods shall be required to the
Engineers satisfaction.
613.3.2 Sprigging
a) Harvesting Sprigs
The Contractor shall obtain the Engineers approval of his source of springs and shall notify the Engineer
at least 5 days before the sprigs are to be harvested.
Sprigs that have dried out or are otherwise damaged during harvesting or delivery shall be rejected.
b) Planting Sprigs
Spriggings shall not be done during windy weather, or when the ground is dry, excessively wet, or
otherwise un-tillable. If the soil is not moist when the sprigs are being set, water shall be applied until the

soil is moist and in a workable condition. One or more of the following methods shall be used, whichever
is shown on the drawings:
i) Row sprigging Furrows shall be opened along the approximate contour of slopes at the spacing and
depth indicated on the drawings. Sprigs shall be placed at intervals not exceeding 15 cm in a continuous
row in the open furrow, & shall be covered immediately.
ii) Spot sprigging spot sprigging shall be performed as specified under row sprigging except that, instead
of planting in continuous rows, groups of four sprigs or more shall be spaced 50 cm apart in the rows.
c) Maintenance of Sprigged Areas
The Contractor shall regularly water and maintain sprigged areas in a satisfactory condition for the
duration of the contract and until final acceptance of the work by the Engineer.
613.3.3 Sodding
a) Preparation of the Earth Bed
The Surface of the top soil on the area to be sodded shall be loosened and brought to a reasonably fine
texture to a depth of approximately 2.5 cm.
613-2
b) Placing the Sod
The earth bed upon which the sod is to be placed shall be moistened to the loosened depth, if not
naturally sufficiently moist, and the sod shall be placed thereon within 24 hours after having been cut.
Unless otherwise required, the sod on slopes shall be laid horizontally, beginning at the bottom of the
slopes and working upwards. When placing sod scour checks or similar construction, the length of the
strips shall be laid at right angles to the direction of flow of the water.
As the sod is being laid, it shall be lightly tamped with suitable wooden tampers, sufficiently to set or press
the sod into the underlying soil.
At points where it is anticipated that water may flow over a sodded area, the upper edges of the sod strips
(e.g., top of embankment) shall be turned into the soil to be below the adjacent area, and a layer of earth
shall be placed over this juncture, and thoroughly compacted.
At the limits of sods areas, the end strips shall be turned in and treated as described above.
c) Staking the Sod
On all slopes steeper than one meter vertical to four meters horizontal the sod shall be pegged with
stakes, 20-30 cm in length, spaced as needed by the nature of the soil and steepness of slope. Stakes
shall be driven into the sod at right angles to the slope until flush with bottom of the grass blades.
d) Top Dressing
After the staking has been completed, the surface shall be cleared of loose sod, excess soil, or other
foreign material, whereupon a thin layer of top soil shall be scattered over the sod as a top dressing and
the areas shall then be thoroughly moistened by sprinkling with water.

e) Maintenance of Sodded Areas

The Contractor shall regularly water and maintain sodded areas in a satisfactory condition for the duration
of the Contract and until final acceptance of the work by the Engineer.