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RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
In an effort to bring the latest in proven quality lawn grasses to the consumer, Patten Seed Company, in cooperation with Universities as well as commercial and private breeders, continues to screen new turfgrasses at our farms and selected test sites for the Southeast US and similar climates around the world. Because of the location of our farms and their diversity of soils and climate (from the mountains of North Carolina to the sandy Plains of South Georgia) selections meeting the Patten Seed Company /Super-Sod standards will be superior performers in home lawns and commercial landscapes. Selections of zoysia and centipede grasses are in the early stages of development. Look for these new and improved selections from Super-Sod in the near future.
You can see the results of these tests first hand at our farms and outlets in Georgia, South and North Carolina - everyday.
THE BERMUDAS
Bermudagrasses are thought to be native to Africa, but have
spread worldwide where there is adequate rainfall to sustain
them and winters are not so severe they are winter killed.
All Bermudas thrive in hot weather. They grow rapidly and
perform poorly under shade.
The Hybrid Bermudas produce denser turf less subject to weed
invasion, fewer seed heads, and have good disease resistance.
All Bermudas spread so rapidly that they are difficult to
control in beds, walks and borders, and if adequately fertilized
require very frequent mowing.
In spite of the apparent disadvantages outlined above, Bermudas
are the best answer where good turf is absolutely essential,
such as on golf courses and athletic fields.
Because of the ease and economy of establishment, seeded
common Bermudas are frequently used on home lawns in spite
of the extremely high maintenance costs.
Since the few seed produced by hybrid bermudas either will not grow or will
not bring back a true strain of the superior plant, the hybrids
must be vegetatively propagated (sprigged, plugged or sodded).
The best known and widely available hybrid Bermudas are:
Hybrid Bermudas
Tifway Bermuda (T-419)
Released by Dr. Glenn Burton in 1960, Tifway was an instant winner. Darker green and medium leaf texture, it produces an extremely dense turf with somewhat less fertilizer than any other bermudas. It is a slow rooter, but spreads fairly rapidly. Quality of this commodity product will vary with producer.
TifSport
This selection was released by Dr. Wayne Hanna. Sold only as Certified with the Georgia Crop Improvement Blue Tag assuring the consumer of purity of the TifSport being purchased and installed.
Tifgreen (T-328)
Tifgreen is a fine textured, medium green Bermuda was released by
Dr. Burton from the Coastal Plains Experiment Station in 1956. Tifgreen set the standard for Bermuda putting greens in the late 50's.
Shanghai ® (T-10)
Shanghai was selected in China by Dr. Burton. It is blue-green in color and while coarser textured
than Tifway and TifSport it has better cold tolerance and a lower fertility
requirement to maintain good color.
Seeded Bermudas
A number of improved seeded bermudagrasses have been released over the past several years. These grasses appear similar in texture to Tifway and other hybrid bermudagrasses though they appear less vigorous. Seeded bermudas include varieties like Princess, Savannah and Riviera.
THE ZOYSIAS
Families of grasses native to many parts of the Orient,
Zoysias were first introduced to the United States in the
early 1900's.
In description, any of several strains of Zoysia sound like
excellent all-around lawn grasses. They grow slowly and close
to the ground, thrive on a wide range of soils, have good
shade tolerance, and produce such dense turf that weed invasion
is resisted.
In past years Meyer and Emerald and some strains of Matrella
have been the most widely known and available Zoysias used
in this country. They must be propagated vegetatively and
rooting and growth is slow. Solid sodding is recommended,
as is an underground irrigation system. In 1995 the first seed producing hybrid zoysiagrass, Zenith®, was commercially marketed. Today Zenith is the largest selling seeded zoysiagrass in the world.
Zoysias grow slowly and require infrequent mowing, but they
are so dense that a good sharp mower with adequate power should
be used and cutting should be on a regular schedule. If "scalped"
in mowing and subjected to other unfavorable treatment, Zoysias
are slow to recover.
Emerald Zoysia
Emerald Zoysia is the Cadillac of lawn grasses. An artificially bred hybrid released several years after Meyer, Emerald produces an extremely dense, fine textured turf of true emerald green color. It simply cannot be neglected for long periods of time, but if fertilized once or twice annually, watered as needed and cut regularly, it makes a lawn in sun and/or moderate shade that is the envy of any neighborhood.
Emerald is cold hardy, and although all the hot climate grasses turn brown after killing frosts, small plots of Emerald will maintain green color throughout most winters as far north as Atlanta in commercial areas where it is well protected and benefits from radiant heating from buildings and asphalt paving. It is especially useful where outstanding appearance is worth a premium, such as patios, around pool decks and small turf islands in shopping centers, apartments, etc. Emerald is used extensively at Disney World where it provides beautiful manicured lawn areas. Well adapted to Zones 1, 2 and 3. |
Zenith® Zoysia
Zenith® Zoysia is the result of over 50 years of research for a Zoysia with good leaf texture and turf quality that could be propagated from seed. Zenith is in the Zoysia japonica family as is Meyer and is similar to Meyer in texture and color.
Planted shallow on a newly prepared seedbed and watered frequently, Zenith® germinates in 14 to 21 days. Like all Zoysias, it grows and spreads slowly and therefore seeding rates of one to three pounds per thousand square feet are recommended. Like Meyer Zenith® will grow in zones 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Meyer Zoysia
A natural hybrid selected and released by Dr. Ian Forbes and associates at the Department of Agriculture's Beltsville, Md., Experiment Station, Meyer (Z-52, Amozoy) zoysia was the first really superior Zoysia grass.
Medium in texture, it has good color, good disease resistance, excellent cold tolerance and as Zoysias go, is fairly readily established vegetatively by plugs or sod.
Meyer seems to be preferred by mole crickets, a non fatal nuisance, and by the Bill bug, a hard to kill soil insect that can be fatal.
Meyer is easier to mow than Emerald, but makes more upright
growth and requires somewhat more frequent mowing. It performs
best in Zones 2, 3 and 4.
THE CENTIPEDES
Centipede was introduced by seed from China in 1919. Medium
in texture with a pale to medium green color, Centipede is
a slow growing but highly aggressive grass that can be depended
upon to produce a good, dense, relatively weed free turf at
low maintenance levels.
In spite of its aggressiveness, Centipede is easily controlled
and usually requires edging only once a year around walks
and flower beds.
Although Centipede usually produces a good turf on low fertility
and with little management, it responds nicely to good care.
It is incapable of producing a high quality turf as the Bermudas
and Zoysias, but it frequently looks better than either because
the 'high brow' grasses are not getting the more exacting
care they need.
Where crabgrass competition is not too severe, Centipede is
easily established with seed or sprigs in one growing season.
Regular watering is the key to rapid establishment.
Some of centipede's most desirable features are not readily
apparent. It is one of the few lawn grasses which does not
look scalped when cutting is delayed too long and excessive
growth removed.
Centipede is probably the easiest of all the grasses to cut,
and any type mower, if sharp does an easy and attractive cutting
job. A good rain or a good soaking enables Centipede to green
up rapidly after a brief drought, but because of this asset
owners often allow it to suffer severely during droughts.
Don't.
Centipede is not suited to alkaline soils (high pH), and should
be limed, and fertilized very sparingly. It
has plenty of disease and insect enemies, but is generally
more trouble-free than other grasses if watered properly and
fertilized sparingly or not at all. Zones 1 and 2.
Common Centipede
The selection has been in commercial production for more than 50 years. It is planted on literally millions of home lawns throughout the southeast US - from Florida to Texas.
TifBlair®
TifBlair™ is the first improved hybrid centipedegrass released by Dr. Wayne Hanna of the University of Georgia. TifBlair was selected for its improved cold tolerance in the lower South. This cold hardiness has moved Centipede's area of adapataion to the lower half of Zone 3.
This grass  grows in almost any soil, in sun or moderate shade. TifBlair™ carries all of the characteristics of Centipede grass including low maintenance, low fertility, drought tolerance, and less mowing. TifBlair™ Centipede is considered one of the most Environmentally Friendly warm season grasses you can grow. TifBlair™ is the first and only Blue Tag Certified Centipede grass and is available in both seed and sod forms. LOOK FOR THE CERTIFICATION TAG WHEN YOU BUY TifBlair™.
Saint Augustine
A native seashore plant, St. Augustine has been popular
along the lower Atlantic and the Gulf Coasts for several decades.
It has broad blades and large, coarse stems, but produces
a fairly compact sod subject to slight weed invasion.
The most redeeming features of St. Augustine are its attractive
color and vigorous year round growth in frost-free climates.
It is a rapid grower requiring frequent mowing, but is easy
to mow.
St. Augustine is the most shade tolerant of all permanent
hot climate grasses and performs well in wet soils and under
salt spray. Basically a tropical plant, St. Augustine is ill-adapted
as far north as Atlanta and will usually be killed by cold
in the upper South.
It is highly susceptible to serious or fatal damage by Chinch
bugs. Good commercial spray applications and fertilizers containing
the proper insecticides can control Chinch bugs, but the bother
and expense of continued control and preventive measures make
the desirability of St. Augustine questionable where another
grass will do as well or better.
St. Augustine must
be propagated vegetatively as seeds are not available. Even though sprigs are easily established
sod is the preferred method of establishment.
Mercedes® St. Augustine
Mercedes® and Raleigh are the most cold tolerant of the readily
available St. Augustines, and each has satisfactory shade
tolerance. Neither is resistant to Chinch bugs. Floratam has
poor shade and cold tolerance, but is widely used in Florida.
New strains demand caution north of the Florida line.
Super-Sod® Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue is a medium leaf dark green, cool season turfgrass best adapted to cooler climates in the upper south and at sites in higher elevations. Super-Sod's Tall Fescue, grown on our farms in the mountains of North Carolina year around and in the winter on our Georgia and South Carolina farms, is a blend of the latest tried and true fescue varieties. Multiple varieties are used to enhance sod vigor and provide broader genetic resistance to disease as well as meet the Super-Sod standards of beauty and durability. Super-Sod's Tall Fescue sod can be harvested and installed year round, but is best installed in fall, winter or spring. Avoid summer installation when possible. |
