January was very active
Thanks to you, we saw a very active January, with both bookings and prompt shipments keeping us on our toes. Usually this type of activity indicates lower inventories at the distributor level and expectations that short-term market prices are either stable and/or expected to be stronger. The other factor which appears present this year is the possibility of an early spring after a nearly non-existent “real winter” for many parts of the country. Whatever the reason, we are thankful and ready for more. So, keep it coming!
Titan Ultra Debuts
Although availability is very limited, we thought it still worth informing you of our newest tall fescue - Titan Ultra. Titan Ultra is a fourth-generation Titan and a “cousin” to Titan Rx. As Titan Rx has excellent performance in the heat and shade, so too, Titan Ultra has improved cold weather performance. Specifically, Titan Ultra offers increased survivability and less disease in regions which are prone to winter kill and snow mold. Titan Ultra is also very attractive, with improvements in color, texture and density. Both Titan Ultra and Titan Rx, have second-generation rhizome and tillering technology for better self-repairability.
Titan Ultra can be used as a single cultivar or in a blend/mixture, such as our T.L.C. tall fescue blend and our T.L.C. Plus fescue/blue mix. As mentioned, Titan Ultra is available in limited quantity for the remainder of this spring, and as with our other Titan genetics, Titan Ultra is only available through our Titan distributors and their dealers. To learn more about the Titan varieties, visit www.TitanFescue.com. If you wish to learn more about becoming a Titan distributor, please contact your Smith Seed salesman.
NTEP Trials
Winter Performance
Multiple Locations
|2007-2010
| Variety | Pink Snow Mold - WI | % Winter Kill - WI | Pink Snow Mold - MI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Highest Score | 8.0 | 8.3 | 5.7 |
| Titan Ultra | 8.0 | 15.0 | 3.7 |
| Shenandoah III | 6.7 | 50.0 | 3.0 |
| Rhambler SRP | 5.0 | 38.3 | 2.7 |
| Falcon V | 5.0 | 25.0 | 3.3 |
| Firecracker LS | 4.3 | 36.7 | 2.3 |
| Lowest Score | 3.0 | 70.0 | 1.3 |
| Lsd Value | 2.1 | 29.4 | 2.3 |
“How-to” Video Available
About eight years ago we video taped footage on “How to plant a new lawn.” (This was somewhere between VHS tapes and I-phone HD!) Well, we finally got all of it edited and arranged into an easy-to-follow presentation. The video is based on a real-life project where we journey through everything from killing the old lawn, preparing the site, seed selection, the value of watering, and finally, steps to take care of the new lawn.
Instead of one long video, it is actually broken up into four chapters, with individual topical videos in each chapter ranging from 30-seconds to 3 minutes. Our hope is that these would be useful for your staff, customers, and homeowners. Easily access them at www.newlawnvideo.titanfescue.com. As always, your feedback is important, so let us know if you have any suggestions.
Great Reasons for Growing Clover
Reason #9 - More Interesting and Attractive Pasture
“Clovers are more colorful and attractive than grasses, especially when blooming. They make pastures more attractive to humans and, given their palatability, to grazing animals as well.”
