With the amount of grass seeds available on the market it’s tough as a turf manager to select a seed type for your course construction and renovation. The science involved with creating a durable and dependable turf has come a long way and it’s up to the superintendent to be mindful of the successful cultivars available. Recently I was introduced to the new T-1 creeping bentgrass (zones 1-6) by Jacklin seed which seems to already be a popular choice thanks to its outstanding characteristics.
This week our class visited the Ontario Seed Company where we toured their product warehouses. We were told that the demand for T-1 creeping bentgrass is very high. Some of the new courses that have seeded with it are extremely pleased with the rates of germination and dependability and have highly recommended it. Here are some of its characteristics from the Jacklin seed website:
• Aggressive against Poa annua, tenacious ground cover
• The forgiving bentgrasses: championship conditions with the championship maintenance
• Excellent disease resistance
• The #1 darkest green bentgrass variety in the world
• T-1 is listed as “TeeOne” on the OECD/EU Catalog
More information can be found at http://techsheets.simplot.com/Jacklin/t1_management.pdf.
I am excited to begin to explore the variety of seed types available to us as turf managers. It is an area that a superintendent must be highly educated since the seed they put down will determine the future maintenance and condition of their course. This is something I will begin to show a dedicated interest in and look forward to hearing anyone`s feedback on their grass seed selection.
