Market Watch
It appears like many of the industry’s distributors benefited from an extended fall and are now in positions of very low in-house inventory levels. Once customer told us that his warehouse was so empty that even the mice have decided to move out! This information coupled with the knowledge that many turf areas throughout the country went into winter still injured and in need of re-seeding is frankly some of the best news our industry has heard in a number of years. Optimism for spring is very high. We have also been finding freight rates, especially stack train rates, have come down significantly. We anticipate a very busy Jan/Feb shipping period, and encourage our customers to order early...and often!
On another note, you will see that we are at “Ask” now on our price sheet for all tall fescues. Activity and interest has been very strong for the last 30 days. It would be advisable to be considering your spring needs, if you have not already done so.
Crop Watch
A New Protocol
Professional turf users as well as homeowners will be pleased to learn there is a new ryegrass available with even better disease resistance. Protocol 3 is the latest selection of an advanced synthetic generation perennial ryegrass line, focused on developing a turfgrass which has even more disease resistance than previous varieties.
Specifically, Protocol 3 has been selected for improved resistance to leaf spot, grey leaf spot, and stem/crown rust resistance. Screening for improved gray leaf spot resistance was conducted in Florida. Data from the University of Florida also speaks to Protocol 3’s basic turf characteristics.
Quantities for Spring 2006 are limited, so book your order soon!
University of Arizona
Overseeding Trials
Tucson, AZ
|2003-2004
| Variety | Color | Quality | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol 3 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.0 |
| Headstart II | 7.2 | 6.4 | 7.3 |
| Greenville | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.9 |
| Racer II | 6.2 | 6.9 | 7.2 |
| Sierra | 6.2 | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| AllSport | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.8 |
| ProSport | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.7 |
| LSD | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
Chill Out!
Creeping bentgrass can tolerate being smothered over by ice for up to 100 days?? Kentucky bluegrass is pretty tough too, being able to hang in there up to 75 days. These bluegrass and bentgrass can also survive exposure to temperatures as low as - 20F and -30F respectively. Other cool-season turfgrasses, like perennial ryegrass and tall fescue are not so tough. Even still, perennial ryegrass can survive exposure to as low as -4F, while tall fescue can experience damage at 14F.
Karl Danneberger, Ohio State University
Freeze Stress Tolerance
| Species | Relative Killing Temperatue |
|---|---|
| Creeping Bentgrass | -4 to -31F* |
| Kentucky Bluegrass | -4 to -22F* |
| Buffalograss | -11F |
| Blue gama | -11F |
| Hard Fescue | -6F |
| Chewings Fescue | 0 to -17F |
| Creeping Red Fescue | -6F |
| Perennial Ryegrass | 5 to -4F |
| Annual Bluegrass | 5 to -4F |
| Zoysiagrass | 12 to 7F |
| Tall Fescue | 14F |
| Centipedegrass | 21 to 12F |
| Seashore Paspalum | 19F |
| Bermudagrass | 19F |
| St. Augustinegrass | 23F |
| Bahiagrass | 23F |
| Carpetgrass | 23F |