By Maggie Wolf

Special To The Tribune
Updated: 10/27/2009

Celebrating 30 years in business, Warren Bell's Biograss is Utah's oldest and largest sod farm.

With a family background in education, Bell and his partners nurtured a sod farm that cooperates with scientists working toward lawns that may be less brightly green in color, but more green environmentally. The company sells BioBlue, an improved version of Utah's culturally correct bright green Kentucky bluegrass, as well as four other types of sod.

At his farm near Bluffdale, Warren Bell watches Biograss vice president Don Heslop and his crew cut turf and stack it on pallets. "Those pallets are going to local garden centers and nurseries for fall sales," Bell said.

While it's too late in the year to plant grass seed, sod can be planted now and for several more weeks, while soil temperatures are between 65 degrees and 32 degrees. Autumn weather is ideal for cool season sods to establish roots quickly. Until true winter arrives, Biograss continues to sell, cut and supply sod for new lawns and lawn repair.

Bell considers the water-conservation movement a major influence on the turfgrass industry. More and more customers expect to buy improved sod types that require less irrigation, less pesticide and less labor input. Sustainable turfgrass varieties eventually pay for themselves by incurring fewer costs later on, the grower said.

"Some growers feel threatened by the messages telling people to use less water in their landscapes," Bell said. "But I think the xeriscape movement will have an overall positive effect for turf, because people will learn to select better varieties that don't need as much work as older varieties did."

Heslop offers a list of Utah gardeners' worst lawn-care mistakes -- and their remedies:

Watering every day » Irrigating too often keeps soil surface moist enough for weed seed germination and fungal growth. Water less often and allow the water to penetrate soil so grass roots grow deeper.

Not core aerating » Core aeration helps reduce thatch and soil compaction and allows more air to reach roots. Fall and spring are the times of year to core aerate lawns.

Cutting grass too short » Especially in summer, raise the mower deck to allow grass blades to grow taller. Taller grass tends to root deeper and can go longer between irrigation.

Using a string trimmer as an edger » String trimmers, when used as edgers, lead to bald edges on the lawn. When edges are bald, dirt is exposed and weeds infest.

Collecting and throwing away lawn clippings » Use a mulching mower and return clippings to your lawn. Green clippings are full on nitrogen, acting as a natural fertilizer.

Ignoring the soil beneath the turfgrass » You cannot grow healthy turf without healthy soil. Many new lawns fail due to poor soil preparation, especially near new construction where the soil is compacted.

Maggie Wolf, a certified professional horticulturist, gardens and consults in the Salt Lake Valley.