Sprout a Couch
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It's lawn furniture for literalists.
Posted by ReadyMade
Project by Greg Tate; photos by Brian Slaughter
How much oxygen did your furniture produce today? In our version of the future, the things we loaf about on indoors will be as beneficial as the stuff that grows out back. In the meantime, sculpt lawn furniture from the lawn itself. Unlike your standard-issue sofa, this lush greenery is totally organic, requires no synthetic finishes, and can be brought to life, Golem-style, from salvaged dirt. St. Augustine tiles create a seamless, living upholstery, or try wheatgrass for a durable alternative. Ask your nursery about planting tips unique to your sod. Note: Couch may require mowing.
Skill Level
Hard
Active Time
More than a weekend
Cost
$$$
- 150 cubic feet of dirt
- 3 bags of Gromulch
- 1 bag of gypsite
- Five 4 x 8-foot sheets of waferboard
- Twenty-six 1 x 3 x 48-inch wood stakes
- 60 square feet of sod tiles (or strips)
- Chopsticks or planting stakes
- One 50-foot roll of 2x24-inch poultry netting
- Small box of 10D nails
Materials
- Hammer
- Handsaw or utility knife
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
Tools
Before you begin, figure the dirt you need by multiplying the dimensions of the couch you plan to make (ours was 8x4x4 feet, or 128 cubic feet). Next, put on some old clothes—things are going to get messy—and locate a suitable spot. Placement is key: There’ll be no moving once you’ve begun. Clear the area of grass and weeds until you have a level swath of dirt, then use a stick to sketch the shape of the couch into the dirt with a stick.
Drive the wood stakes into the ground along the perimeter of your sofa-shaped sketch, every 18 inches or so, to a depth of about 12 inches. These will secure the form.
Attach the waferboard to the stakes to create the walls of the form. Use a handsaw to trim the waferboard to size. Drive in a nail every 4 inches along each stake to secure the boards.
Start shoveling dirt into the form. Here’s where things get messy. Once a foot of dirt is in place, water lightly and compress by stomping around on top of it.
Once the basic shape is in place and secure, carefully remove the form works.
Mold the shape to your liking. Remove any loose debris and sprinkle the sofa and other areas you’ll be sodding with a healthy layer of fertilizer and gypsite. Water lightly.
For extra support, lay strips of poultry netting over the arms and back.
Lay the sod. Press down the edges to create a smooth surface clear to the ground. Stagger the rows so the seams don’t fall in a line, and use chopsticks or planting stakes to keep them in place over the wire.
During the next few weeks, water your sofa often, soaking it thoroughly. Once the sod has taken root, remove the chopsticks or planting stakes. Trim as needed.
