A sod harvester having a sod roll accumulator squeeze device configured to compact a sod roll while it is on a horizontal conveyor before it is picked up and moved by a sod carrier from a first location on the horizontal conveyor to a second location. The sod roll accumulator squeeze device is pivotally attached to a frame and controlled by a hydraulic cylinder that moves the accumulator squeeze device between an up position and a down position. The present invention is also a method of compacting a sod roll while it is at a first location on a horizontal conveyor of a sod harvester before it is moved by a sod carrier to a second location. The method includes providing an accumulator squeeze device that is pivotally attached to a frame and configured to compact the sod roll from the rear end of the sod harvester.