Abstract: An improved severing means facilitating the formation and handling of individual pads of sod for implementation with automated sod harvesting apparatus which comprises a rotary mounted set of spaced transversely extending blades cooperating with a longitudinally mounted blade means disposed between at least two of the transversely extending blades. This unique configuration provides means to form a plurality of individual pads of sod which upon each complete revolution of the severing means automatically orients contiguous sets of pads in a cross-wise manner to facilitate further handling of the pads.