We expect prices to remain firm on Kentucky bluegrass due to tight inventories going into fall and winter as warehouses push to get seed cleaned.
Jonathan Green, Inc.
Provided by Greg Hagen, Cascade International Seed Company
Perennial ryegrass acres are down again this year. Te 2016 crop was 87,000 acres, in 2019 the crop is at 67,000 acres. Te fields that were newly planted last fall are looking okay. However, the older two- and three-year-old stands are not looking good due to this year’s dry spring and the dry fall of 2018. Tere are just plain weak stands, die outs, and weed infestation on about 30 percent of the stands. Expect decreased yields, off-quality seed, and an increase in price for the 2019 crop.
Te total increase in tall fescue acres is reported to be about 10,000 acres more than the 2018 crop, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). I expect a less than average yield, due to poor growing conditions last fall and this spring. Te total pounds harvested will be about the same as last year, even with the increased planted acres. Tere will be quality issues due to annual ryegrasses, Poa and Poa trivialis.
Te supply of Kentucky bluegrass appears to be stable,an increase in dryland acres, but about the same in the irrigated acres. Te crop is average. Expect stable pricing for the 2019 crop.
Te fine fescue crop looks to be a less than average yield, but with stable acres the price should be the same as this spring. Supply may be a little tight on chewings and hard fescue, but okay on creeping red fescue.
Landmark Turf & Native Seed Provided by Keith Laxton and Larry Humphreys
For the 2019 sod crop we expect pricing on tall fescue to be higher. Fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and creeping bentgrass will be stable. Perennial ryegrass pricing is expected to soften slightly.
Te 2018 crop seed movement, starting in the summer of 2018 and continuing through spring 2019, has been good. Fescue, both tall and fine, are in relatively short supply. Bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass supplies are adequate, but not more than the market will use. Perennial ryegrass has backed up somewhat but not as much as some of us thought it might a year ago.
Te 2019 crop in the field looks okay but not great. Our very dry summer and fall in 2018 stressed the plants after harvest and we are seeing the result of that in thinner than usual stands for this time of year. Timely rains over the next few weeks (fingers crossed) could help the crop catch up. But if I had to predict today, I would say we are looking at a little less than average crop coming to harvest. Tinner fields also allow more weed incursion so we will be keeping a careful eye on tests as they come in. As we noted, fescue in general is in a short supply situation and that will cause new crop costs to go up. We think the bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass markets will remain close to where they have been though some of the high-end bluegrass varieties may see some upward cost movement. We expect the 2019 crop of perennial ryegrass to stay pretty close to where it has been over the last few years.
Turf type tall fescue continues to move northward gaining acceptance against the Kentucky bluegrass market share. Lower input, sustainable turf, exhibiting top Research and Development performance and efficiency, is expected to be a driving force of tomorrow’s turf world.
Lebanon Turf Provided by Jeremy Bigler
General feedback on cool-season grass seed: Te best result we believe to be possible from this harvest is an average yield, but we are expecting yields to be lower than average. We have heard of increased weed pressure causing some concern that high quality lots will be in short supply. Based on carry over inventory reports, acres planted, and the estimate on yields, we expect pricing to be going up.
Mountain View Seeds
Provided by Aaron Kuenzi, Executive Vice President/ Division Manager
Matt Keeven (right) and Barry Green, Sr. (left) point to the Blue Gem hybrid bluegrass plot, the greenest in Matt’s Emerald View Turf Farm test plots in O’Fallon, MO. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Green, Inc.
TPI Turf News July/August 2019
A below average crop in 2018 followed by good demand has left the industry with very low seed inventory levels of most cool-season turfgrasses.
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