Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Optimal Soil pH for Turfgrass?

  • Between 6.2 and 7.2. At this range, most micro-and macronutrients are available for the plant to utilize.

 

Which Species Perform the Best in Full Sun?

 

Which Species Perform Best in the Shade?

  • Fine fescue blends such as Dunes Mix and Scottish Links will perform the best in shaded conditions. Some other blends such as Turf Saver RTF and RPR are partially shade tolerant, but prefer dominantly sunny environments.

 

Which Products Are Drought Tolerant?

  • HGTTurf Blue Pro, Turf Saver RTF, and Water Saver Pro all contain varieties that have been heavily tested in drought, heat, and salinity trials. These select Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue varieties are constantly being placed in trials with competing cultivars to make sure we are putting the most tolerant ones in our blends.

 

How Can I Increase my Rhizome and Tiller Production in my Turfgrass?

  • Tillers and rhizomes are products of plant stress. The more stressed your plants are by unfavorable environmental conditions such as temperature, drought, or light. Studies have shown that tillering can be induced with ~12 hours of light and colder temperatures; rhizomes are a product of more extended daylight (16+ hours). If maintained with frequent mowing practices, lateral growth will come with age.

 

Do We Provide Seed for Customers to Try Before They Buy?

  • Unfortunately, no. We only provide seed samples to the researchers conducting trials with our material. There are ample testimonials and forums discussing turfgrass seed that may guide your decision-making process, and you can always reach out to one of our team members for more technical information on any product.

 

Where can I find a Nearby Distributor?

  • We have a Turf Distributor “Where to Buy” page and a Forage Distributor "Where to Buy" page on our website that you can use interactively to find a distributor that sells our products near you! You can either type in your zip code in the search bar above, or click and drag the map to look around.

 

Where can I Buy Seed Online?

  • We have a Turf “Buy Now” and Forage "Buy Now" page on our website that lists our distributors that sell each of our species-specific blends.

 

What is the Best Time to Seed?

  • The best time to seed a cool-season species of turfgrass (fescues, bluegrasses, and ryegrasses) is in the spring and fall when temperatures are between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and rainfall can supplement your required irrigation. For warm-season species (Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, and St. Augustinegrass), the best time to seed is in the late spring or early summer when temperatures are averaging 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

When Can I Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicide?

  • Always consult the label of the pre-emergent herbicide for more accurate information. Typically, if you are going to apply a pre-emergent herbicide before seeding, the pre-emergent can be effective for 3-4 months in the soil. If you are seeding then applying a pre-emergent, it is recommended to wait 4+ months until the turfgrass has matured before applying.

 

When Can I Overseed My Lawn?

  • Overseeding usually occurs in the fall or spring to maintain year-round green and groundcover. Before overseeding, prepare your area ahead of time to ensure the best results.

 

When Should I Expect to See My Seed Germinate?

  • Tall fescue: 7-21 days
  • Fine fescue: 7-21 days
  • Perennial ryegrass: 5-10 days
  • Annual ryegrass: 5-10 days
  • Kentucky bluegrass: 14-30 days
  • Creeping bentgrass: 7-14 days
  • Bermudagrass: 14-30 days

 

What is the Best Length to Mow My Grass At?

  • Tall fescue: 1.5-4.0 inches
  • Fine fescue: 0.5-3.0 inches
  • Perennial ryegrass: 0.35-3.0 inches
  • Annual ryegrass: 1.5-3.0 inches
  • Kentucky bluegrass: 1.0-3.5 inches
  • Creeping bentgrass: 0.125-1.0 inches
  • Bermudagrass: 0.5-2.5 inches

 

What is the Seeding Rate for My Grass?

  • Tall fescue: 8-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Fine fescue: 6-8 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Perennial ryegrass: 8-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Annual ryegrass: 8-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Kentucky bluegrass: 2-3 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Creeping bentgrass: 0.5-1 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Bermudagrass: 2-3 pounds per 1,000 square feet

 

What is the Overseeding Rate for My Grass?

  • Tall fescue: 10-15 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Fine fescue: 10-15 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Perennial ryegrass: 10-15 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Annual ryegrass: 10-15 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Kentucky bluegrass: 3-4 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Creeping bentgrass: 2-3 pounds per 1,000 square feet
  • Bermudagrass: 3-4 pounds per 1,000 square feet

 

What is the Optimal Temperature for Seeding (Soil Temperature and Ambient Air Temperature)?

  • Fescues (fine and tall): Soil (50-65oF), Air (70-80oF)
  • Ryegrasses (perennial and annual): Soil (50-65oF), Air (60-85oF)
  • Kentucky bluegrass: Soil (50-65oF), Air (60-85oF)
  • Creeping bentgrass: Soil (>65oF), Air (60-85oF)
  • Bermudagrass: Soil (68-75oF), Air (70-95oF)

 

What is the Difference Between Turf Blue Pro and HGT?

  • HGT contains the unique cultivar ‘Barvette HGT’, an aggressively spreading, fine leaf textured, and highly disease tolerant plant that is considered a standard in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). This cultivar alongside ‘Barserati’ and two other elite bluegrasses make up the remainder of HGT, making it a superior blend in almost any climate. Turf Blue Pro contains all of the same excellent varieties with the exception of ‘Barvette HGT’; due to its absence, Turf Blue Pro has a slightly darker genetic color and is less aggressively spreading compared to HGT.

 

What is the Difference Between Turf Saver RTF and Water Saver Pro?

  • Turf Saver RTF is an elite, traffic-tolerant blend that contains our famous rhizomatous tall fescue (RTF). Another component of this blend is ‘BarRobusto’, a turf-type tall fescue cultivar that has years of rigorous drought tolerance trialing. Water Saver Pro is comprised of ‘BarRobusto’ and two other turf-type tall fescue cultivars, but will contain predominantly ‘BarRobusto’ to enhance the drought tolerance of this blend.

 

What is Yellow Jacket and How Does it Work?

  • For more information about Yellow Jacket, visit our page here.

 

What Causes Seed to Decrease in Germination?

  • When storing your grass seed, it is important to keep two environmental conditions in mind: temperature and humidity. If the seed is exposed to either freezing temperatures (<32oF) or excessively hot temperatures (>85 oF), this will cause the seed to decrease in germination. If the temperature is ideal, but the humidity is greater than 60%, the seed may also decrease in germination because of the excess moisture in the air. Moisture and temperature are what drive seeds to germinate, so you must keep a particular environment in order to retain the highest germination for your stored seed from year-to-year. The optimal conditions are <60% humidity and temperatures between 55-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

How Do I Combat Dog Urine?

  • A turfgrass that can compete with the extreme fertilization and acidification that is dog urine has not yet been discovered. The excess nitrogen alongside the excess acid in the dog’s urine is the cause for the turf to “burn”. All we can do to prevent the unsightly urine spots are as follows:
    • Irrigate your yard often, and aim for irrigation right after your dog has urinated.
    • Spot-spray the area with water that your dog uses the most after it has urinated.
    • Keep some extra grass seed on-hand or purchase a patch-repair product to re-seed the areas that your dog wears down the most.
    • Purchase products that have recuperative properties like Turf Saver RTF, RPR, and Kentucky bluegrass products so when damage does occur, the turfgrass can at least have a chance to fill in, even if slightly.

 

What Setting Should I Use on My Spreader

  • To get the best results, we suggest performing a spreader calibration using your seed and desired spreader for the job. Follow these guidelines offered by Penn State Extension Service.

 

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