Crop Talk
The harvesting of annual ryegrasses, tall fescues and orchardgrasses is almost complete. Over 50% of the perennial ryegrass has been harvested. Most crops were close to average, however reports from the northern half of the Willamette Valley indicate below average yields on some of the non-irrigated perennial ryegrass.
Market Watch
Now that July is behind us, we expect market activity to increase. We are busy shipping and optimistic about good usage this fall. Several cool season grasses became more valuable in July, including red clovers, crimson clover, perennial ryegrass and some fine fescues. Tall Fescue prices are weaker because of more than ample supply of Oregon's crop and the Kentucky-31 crop in the Midwest. There will be lots of tall fescue acres plowed this fall. Annual Ryegrass is not in oversupply and assuming good usage the price should be stable.
Characteristics
If you are looking for a dark slower growing tall fescue with excellent disease resistance, look no further. Out of the newest generation of tall fescues, Rendition is emerging as a top-rated variety. A result of selections and synthetic crosses from 22 elite germplasms collected at Rutgers University in Maryland and at the breeder’s Oregon research farm Rendition has a very dwarf growth habit, excellent turf quality, straight growth form, very dark green color, and improved resistance to rust, stress, pests and disease. Initial trial results are indicating that Rendition performs well from Coast to Coast.
At independent trials on sod farms in both Fresno, CA and Dayton, OH, Rendition was amongst the very top varieties in both turf quality and color. Rendition is in the latest National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) Trials with published results available by late Spring 2003. Whether for sod, athletic fields, new lawns, or other professional applications, Rendition is a sure bet!
TECH SHEETS NOW AVAILABLE – ASK FOR YOUR COPIES!
Ohio Sod Farm -1999 Trial
2000 Trial Results
| Top 5 Varieties | Color | Texture | 2-yr Ave. Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| SR8600 | 7.00 | 6.50 | 8.0 |
| Rendition | 6.70 | 6.30 | 7.9 |
| Crewcut II | 7.00 | 6.30 | 7.4 |
| Titan Ltd. | 6.70 | 6.30 | 7.0 |
| SR8210 | 6.00 | 5.70 | 6.7 |
2001 Trial
Fresno, CA
|2002 Trial Results
| Top 5 Varieties | Color | 2-yr Ave. Quality |
|---|---|---|
| Millennium | 6.83 | 6.62 |
| Rendition | 6.83 | 6.54 |
| Scorpion | 6.50 | 6.50 |
| Brandy | 6.17 | 6.50 |
| Tulsa | 6.00 | 6.46 |
Did you know?
Smith Seed Services now has a Seed Resource Manual available. This easy to use three-ring binder helps you keep promotional material organized and even has a spot for updated newsletters and price sheets. Have useful information about Smith Seed varieties at your fingertips with the new Seed Resource Manual. Great for salespeople and anyone else that needs to stay informed. Contact Jonathan at 888-550-2930 or jonathan@smithseed.com to get your free your copies.
A single grass plant can have up to 375 MILES of roots and as many as 14 MILLION individual roots, with a total surface area of 2,500 square feet!!