Combining is underway in this field of turfgrass seed. Photo by Steve Trusty


It snowed in just about every state this winter including northern Florida! After a warm February in the eastern part of the country, winter returned with a vengeance in March with unseasonably cool temperatures well into late April. A pattern has developed in the last several years in the eastern and central regions of the US with fall extending longer into November and December while spring is delayed until late April and May. Te western US has been cooler as well, with some needed rain.


More rain is needed to overcome years of drought in many areas. Water use and management in turf production remains a concern across the world, including in areas that receive considerable rainfall.


Overall, inventories of grass are low while demand is high. Prices are up and trending higher. Te cost of production is also increasing because of the rising costs of labor, equipment, production inputs, and trucking. Growers must continue to analyze the cost of production and pricing to ensure business sustainability.


Turf inventory is very limited while sales are at a peak across much of the cool- and warm-season market. As a general rule, production has not caught up with demand in the growing economy. Proprietary grasses such as these from Sod Solutions—Palmetto® St. Augustine, EMPIRE® Zoysia, Celebration® Bermuda, Latitude 36™


TPI Turf News July/August 2018 35


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