world for setting the standard for high-quality turf surfaces. Limited licensing opportunities exist for these standard varieties, in some areas depending on the saturation of licensed producers in the region. Because these grasses are highly sought after, plant stock is in high demand. Substantial expansion is occurring this year to meet increased demand. It requires planning and patience to secure plant stock in almost every instance, so be sure to plan ahead!
New Technology Varieties - Te vetting and selection process for newly released varieties is robust, with only the best varieties demonstrating substantial, incremental improvement being released. Sod Solutions' new variety selection is the most rigorous in the industry. We work with multiple universities to identify the best-of-the-best varieties for production and performance throughout the industry. New varieties are evaluated and rated to determine to what degree they are generally tough, sustainable, drought tolerant, shade tolerant, cold hardy, heat tolerant, and adaptable. After selecting standouts in research plots, grasses are then evaluated in real- life conditions, in homes, commercial, golf, and sports environments to ensure they are true performers.
Sod Solutions' legacy brands can be seen coast to coast and across the world in home lawns and on top sports and golf venues televised almost every week. Te best is yet to come as the new varieties below are setting even higher standards. Plant stock is limited, so contact us directly to secure plant stock!
Details By Type and Variety St. Augustine New Technology Varieties - Cobalt™ St. Augustine is rapidly expanding across Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and beyond. Cobalt is the first true hybrid St. Augustine in which an embryo rescue process was used to breed a selection that has extreme drought tolerance, cold tolerance, disease resistance, and shade tolerance. Te breeder, Dr. Ambika Chandra of Texas A&M, stated: “Water is an extremely important resource, and data shows that Cobalt is one of the most drought-resistant St. Augustine grasses ever developed.” Plant stock is limited. Licensing is closed in Texas but open in other states/countries.
Sola™ St. Augustine is a promising release from North
Carolina State University. Bred from Raleigh St. Augustine. Sola (meaning “stands alone”), is a fast-growing grass in production and shows improved shade, disease, and insect resistance from Raleigh. Sola St. Augustine stands alone in its potential to be a replacement grass for Raleigh St. Augustine in Texas and the transition zone.
Zoysia New Technology Varieties - CitraZoy® Zoysia is
expanding rapidly across Florida and the southeast. Tis medium/fine grass continues to separate itself and impress with unique disease resistance and winter color retention.
46
Zoysia is a unique medium/fine zoysia that is designed to be a low-input grass. Te North Carolina Department of Transportation has been a part of the research and selection process and has confirmed the toughness of Lobo. Lobo is a top-performing NTEP grass as well. Lobo is extremely drought tolerant. Plant stock is limited, and licensing is closed in North Carolina but will open soon to outside states/countries.
Plant stock is limited. Licensing is closed in Florida but open in most other states/countries. Lobo™
Bermuda New Technology Variety - Celebration Hybrid™ Bermuda is currently being expanded with golf courses that have been testing it and specifying it for jobs in 2023/2024. Celebration Hybrid is top-rated in drought tolerance and shade tolerance, has few to no seed heads, and is a beautiful grass. Experts are saying its golf and sports potential is very strong. Stock is limited, and licensing will soon be open in all areas. Sod Solutions predicts Celebration Hybrid will be a grass in high demand going into 2024 and beyond.
For additional information regarding the varieties and licensing opportunities for all of Sod Solutions’ varieties, please visit
SodProducers.com.
TURF MERCHANTS, INC. (TMI) Provided by Nancy Aerni, Vice President
Production
fields.Wow – we are an estimated two to three weeks behind schedule. At the time of this writing (the end of May), seed heads have finally begun pollinating in Annual Ryegrass and Tall Fescue. Tose with grass pollen allergies are beginning to suffer! Annual Ryegrass is typically our first crop marking the beginning of harvest. It is interesting to note that in 1945, farmers in the Willamette Valley hadn’t cut a single annual ryegrass field prior to July 16, so this later harvest isn’t as late as some in memory.
Te weather pattern in the west was one that went from warm and extremely dry immediately to cool and very, very wet throughout the entire fall of 2022 and winter and up to Mid-May of 2023. We’ve had a few very warm days in Willamette Valley this past Mother’s Day weekend, and now we are back to comfortable mid-70 and 80 temperatures during the day, cooling off in the evenings. Tis spring warmth should help the production fields that did survive the winter to progress.
Survivability First-year fall planted irrigated production stands of Perennial Ryegrass and Tall Fescue: Tese generally are poor due to the late harvest in 2022 which pushed back the ground work. Tat, combined with the lack of available
TPI Turf News July/August 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
