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• Tall Fescue has been modified and evolved over the years and is one of the primary athletic grass types available in northern and transitional areas. It is a cool season, perennial, bunching grass, that is quick to germinate. It will form a dense, thick sod, which can remain green year round in some areas. It is a non-thatching grass and can stand heavy traffic. Newer dwarf varieties have been developed by the industry to be cut closer and to incorporate better disease and insect resistance. Tall Fescue must be reseeded yearly to keep the sod as thick as possible. The types of sports fields that we have seen planted in Tall Fescue are baseball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, polo, and any recreational area. Tall Fescue is drought tolerant and generally uses less fertilizer than other varieties. It generally does not have to be mown as closely as many other sports grasses. Pure fields of Fescue are preferred but in mixes it must be the dominant grass with at least 70% Fescue. Bluegrass and Creeping Red Fescue are the two lesser components in a mixture with Fescue.
• Kentucky Bluegrass: This is the premier playing surface and is used frequently for professional and amateur athletic fields. It is quick to germinate but slow to get established and has a creeping growth. This establishes thick carpet quality turf with an emerald green to dark blue color. It has a very fine texture and produces the best looking athletic fields of all cool season grasses. Kentucky Bluegrass is a long living sod-forming perennial grass that reproduces by rhizomes as well as by seed. Kentucky Bluegrass does best under cool, humid conditions on highly fertile soils not prone to drought and as such is idea for northern athletic fields. Mixes of Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue are used in many situations, especially in northern areas. The maintenance requirements for bluegrasses are more intensive than other cool season grasses as bluegrass requires more water and fertilization to keep propagating at peak performance. Because of its slower growth rates it is seeded with other grasses that produce faster green-up time while the Bluegrass is establishing.
• Perennial Ryegrass has been improved over the years and these newer varieties will produce a better range of color, texture and resistance to diseases and pests. It is one of the most widely grown cool-season grass in the world. Ryegrass establishes quickly and grows best on fertile, well drained soils, but is often chosen for areas where it is too wet at certain times of the year for satisfactory growth of other grasses. It is a bunch grass of upright growth and used in the cool and transitional areas for athletic fields requiring a thick, dense, quick growing sod. While it is fast to germinate and repairs quickly, the lower persistence of perennial ryegrass relative to other cool season grasses should be considered prior to use. Ryegrass can be mown to 1½ - 2 ½ inches, which is lower than most tall fescues. Ryegrass is a medium to high maintenance grass depending upon the amount of wear. It needs more watering than tall fescue. In general, perennial ryegrass seed is often used to over-seed permanent stands that go into dormancy and to provide early spring greenery until the permanent grass returns.
• Creeping Bent Grasses are the most finely textured grass of the cool season grasses and have the lowest growth rate and density. They can be mown tightly, as low as less than an inch down to ¼ of an inch. Bent grasses require more maintenance than the other athletic field grass and with the newer grass varieties bents are much more costly to maintain. The best use of this grass is on tennis courts and bowling greens and it is not often chosen for soccer, baseball, or football fields.
• Bermuda Grass is the most popular and best overall grass for use in warmer climates and in the south. It is used as far north as the transitional areas, when it is often over-seeded with other grasses such as perennial rye. This over-seeding occurs in the fall, to provide early spring greening. Bermuda grass has a medium to fine texture and forms a dense sod. It is a fast growing variety that is fast repairing. It can be mown short and low to the ground and forms dark green leaves that grow densely. Its root system is deep, which makes this grass more draught and heat resistant. As a result it is often used in warmer climates and where shade is not present. The many different varieties make it possible to grow Bermuda for any athletic field. Fertilization, watering, and mowing maintenance depend upon the intensity of the fields usage and the amount of repair growth that is needed.
• Bahia Grass is a durable and robust grass that is often used on local multi-sport play fields that might be used for baseball, softball, football, and general recreational sports. It has a strong ability to withstand and recover from foot traffic at special events, combined with Bahia grasses low maintenance requirements make it a good selection for budget limited sports organizations. |
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