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Mike SkeltonParks Superintendent540-727-3412mskelton@culpepercounty.gov

Overview

• Why• Up Front• Timing• Field Prep• Seed & Install Blankets• Pull Blankets• What's Next• Sprig/Seed Test 2016/2017• Seeded Buffalo Grass • Wrap-Up

Why

• Never enough practice space• Budget constraints• Take advantage of spring moisture• Area may be isolated• Funding not available for irrigation• Field safety

Up Front

• User buy in – Understand time frame– What to expect

• Determine area to convert– My situation has been to convert Park Common

Grounds• Use of growth blankets• Soil sample• Fertilization

– Apply Lime as needed• Pre-Emergent

– Use Quinclorac to limit weeds and Crabgrass

Timing• Spray out vegetation

– Culpeper: After Fall Season, Late October – Early November

• Prepare soil– Aerate or Plow, Grind, Grade

• Culpeper: December

• Seed & Install Blankets– 5-6 Weeks before last Frost Date

• Culpeper: Early March

• Pull Blankets– 2 Weeks after last Frost Date

• Culpeper: First Week of May

• Grow In– May-July

• Field ready for use– August

Field PrepSpray Out of Existing Vegetation

• After last Fall event– Culpeper: End of October, Early November

• Spray Out Vegetation– Glyphosate and 2-4D– Two applications

• Mow as low as you can go• Lime can be applied at this time

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Sprayed/Low Mowed Vegetation

8 Dec 2014: Two weeks after second sprayingSeed & Install Blankets

• Seeding– Timing

• 5-6 Weeks before last Frost Date• Culpeper: early March

– Fertilizer according to soil test– How

• Mechanical– Culpeper: Riviera– 1½ lbs per thousand square feet (1.27 lbs. Pure Live Seed)– Cost $20.00 lbs per thousand square feet– Shallow seeding

• 2 Directions – Half Rate each direction– Better coverage

• Apply Quincloric– Rate 1 pound per acre

• Cover with ¼ inch Compost• Blankets

– Install right after seeding

Seed

Seeding25 March 2015

Rate 1.5 Lbs. Per 1000 Sq. Ft.

Apply Quincloric(rate 1 pound per acre)

Cover with Compost (1/4 inch deep)

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Install Growth BlanketsOnce Blankets Are Installed

• Monitor– Check after high winds for security– Peek to see what is happening

• Growth• Disease

Pull Blankets

• Timing– 2 Weeks after last frost date

• Too early could suffer frost damage

– Culpeper: 1st week of May– Don’t leave on too long

• Can cause disease• Can slow down growth

Remove Blanket 8 May 2015

4”

What's Next• Start mowing

– Frequent mowing is critical– Will stimulate growth

• Identify Weeds– Most prevalent

• Crab Grass– Quinclorac 2 applications (½ Lbs. acre)

• Goose Grass– Manual extraction

• Nut sedge– Monument (Broadleaf activity)

• Broadleaf – Quinclorac (Drive) has some activity

– Let new turf harden/adapt for 3-5 days– Spray according to needs

• Start fertilization program• Next Season: Start Pre-emergent Program

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29 May 2015 29 June 2015

December 30 2015Status: Dormant

Bermuda Test2016/2017

Sprigs and SeedEstablishment Without

IrrigationMike SkeltonParks Superintendent540-727-3412mskelton@culpepercounty.gov

Can you establish Bermuda grass without Irrigation?

• Test scenario: Replicate 4 options with 3 test areas per option. – Sprigs

• Soil only• Soil with growth blankets• Cover sprigs with ¼ inch compost• Cover with ¼ inch compost and cover with growth blankets

– Seed• Soil only• Soil with growth blankets• Cover seeds with ¼ inch compost• Cover with ¼ inch compost and cover with growth blankets

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Procedures used: Northbridge Sprigs

• Prepared area– Plowed/Graded – Soil Test– Added Lime per soil test

• 29 March 2016, 6 March 2017– Identified test plots 10’ X 10’, 12 each– Applied Quincloric, rate 1 Lbs. per acre

Procedures used: Northbridge Sprigs30 March 2016 6 March 2017

• Ran sprigs through chipper• Hand spread sprigs: 12 blocks

– Rate 1 to 10 (10 sq. ft. sod to 100 sq. ft. area)

• Ran Slicer over all blocks (two times)• Tracked sprigs in with tractor tires• Covered 6 blocks with ¼ inch compost• Covered 6 blocks with growth blankets

Dormant Northbridge BermudaMaking Sprigs

Applying Northbridge sprigs to test blocksRate 1-10

Slicing in and tracking in sprigs Applying ¼ inch Compost to 6 blocks

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Install growth Blankets

Blankets Removed13 May 2016

4 May 2017

31 May 12 July 16 Sept

31 May 12 July

25 July

Northbridge Sprigs Soil

Northbridge Sprigs Compost

31 May 12 July 2 Aug 

31 May 12 July 27 July

Northbridge Sprigs Soil Blanket

Northbridge Sprigs Compost Blanket

31 May 12 July 16 Sept

Northbridge Sprigs Soil 2016

Northbridge Sprigs Soil 2017

14 Aug14 July19 MayNorthbridge Bermuda Grass Sprig Test % Coverage 2016

Date S‐1 CB‐2 C‐3 SB‐4 C‐5 CB‐6 S‐7 SB‐8 S‐9 C‐10 CB‐11 SB‐12

13‐May 0.31 28.52 9.16 1.6 12.08 29.62 0.3 1.2 0.17 7.65 28.19 3.29

20‐May 0.33 15.25 6.26 0.05 7.04 25.15 0.18 0.04 0.02 8.28 31.85 0.45

31‐May 1.14 49.62 28.8 0.16 38.02 61.45 0.23 0.36 0.11 23.53 61.41 5.58

3‐Jun 1.95 62.36 25.46 2.44 60.75 63.2 0.85 3.67 0.06 27.69 56.64 5.94

10‐Jun 1.35 67.71 50.6 1.74 57.43 60.72 3.5 3.87 0.45 35.36 68.05 7

17‐Jun 4.57 71.97 48.7 3.72 70.36 60.54 3.92 18.4 4.36 51.62 64.03 8.71

24‐Jun 12.64 92 86.2 20.03 95.7 94.19 16.88 24.47 7.71 88.64 90.7 33.18

1‐Jul 0.29 99.79 93.66 15.75 99.51 98.77 0.21 38.42 4.46 98.27 96.84 53.18

12‐Jul 4.57 99.77 97.78 52.14 99.43 97.93 4.93 86.68 10.85 99.45 99.82 87.82

18‐Jul 8.61 99.99 99.94 60.85 99.93 99.33 3.12 88.15 11.24 98.83 99.55 94.12

22‐Jul 1.49 97.33 97.67 43.86 98.09 96.43 4.52 85.6 13.79 96.43 97.75 85.89

27‐Jul 3.91 99.73 99.63 58.15 99.8 99.22 5.88 81.65 15.96 99.19 99.65 90.63

2‐Aug 4.96 100 100 95.97 100 100 7.63 98.27 23.51 100 100 99.5

9‐Aug 7.26 100 100 100 100 100 6.56 100 40.27 100 100 100

17‐Aug 4.98 100 100 100 100 100 4.38 100 40.77 100 100 100

23‐Aug 10.93 100 100 100 100 100 7.88 100 54.16 100 100 100

31‐Aug 10.56 100 100 100 100 100 11.03 100 45.21 100 100 100

16‐Sep 7.13 100 100 100 100 100 11.58 100 60.1 100 100 100

14‐Oct 14.23 100 100 100 100 100 11.58 100 59.8 100 100 100

100% Coverage

13 May: Blankets Removed

1 July: Weeds removed

S ‐ Soil

C ‐ Compost

SB ‐ Soil Blanket

CB ‐ Compost Blanket

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Northbridge Bermuda Grass Sprig Test % Coverage 2017

Date C‐1 SB‐2 S‐3 SB‐4 S‐5 CB‐6 CB‐7 SB‐8 C‐9 S‐10 C‐11 CB‐12

4‐May 9.29 31.72 0.5 36.16 0.78 32.3 27.27 19.91 6.44 0.36 11.79 21.26

12‐May 12.19 4.71 3.16 3.83 2.79 22.93 18.03 5.66 11.33 2.27 15.09 15.75

19‐May 17.15 4.18 2.37 3.93 1.8 49.43 36.94 4.11 28.45 1.13 25.45 28.45

26‐May 25.43 13.31 2.92 13.46 2.5 58.8 55.03 14.88 17.09 2.37 37.74 42.01

2‐Jun 45.44 21.76 3.21 24.18 4.28 73.91 73.34 24.48 32.23 3.99 59.26 56.06

9‐Jun 67.03 27.59 5.26 27.71 7.57 76.93 84.05 32.22 42.17 3.54 72.48 68.53

16‐Jun 51.68 32.09 15.53 35.38 16.3 79.94 92.82 40.16 35.38 8.98 48.85 55.56

23‐Jun 97.17 74.22 26.52 73.68 34.73 96.35 100 85.17 91.73 18.85 98.1 94.29

30‐Jun 100 49.57 24.99 53.56 25.24 100 100 74.89 100 18.83 100 100

7‐Jul 100 91.08 51.98 82.36 52.95 100 100 95.47 100 43.21 100 100

14‐Jul 100 100 58.22 98.24 77.07 100 100 100 100 63.53 100 100

21‐Jul 100 100 37.27 100 60.5 100 100 100 100 47.58 100 100

28‐Jul 100 100 41.03 100 52.66 100 100 100 100 51.82 100 100

8‐Aug 100 100 85.64 100 89.3 100 100 100 100 91.95 100 10016‐Aug 100 100 99.12 100 99.72 100 100 100 100 99.88 100 100

100% Coverage

Blankets Removed, Weeds dieing, not mowed.

Weeds under control.

S ‐ Soil

C ‐ Compost

SB ‐ Soil Blanket

CB ‐ Compost Blanket

How do you determine the Percentage of Coverage?There is an App for that….Canopeo

Oklahoma State University

Block S1, 12 July 

Block C3, 12 July 

Procedures used: Riviera Seed

• Prepared area– Plowed/Graded – Soil Test– Added Lime per soil test

• 29 March 2016, 6 March 2017– Identified test plots 10’ X 10’, 12 each– Applied Quincloric, rate 1 Lbs. per acre

Procedures used: Riviera Seed30 March 2016, 6 March 2017

• Seed all blocks– Rate: 1.06 Lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. = 1.75 oz. per test plot– 1.49 oz. pure live seed

• Tracked seed in with tractor tires• Covered 6 blocks with ¼ inch compost• Covered 6 blocks with growth blankets

Covering Blocks with ¼ inch Compost

Seeding at 1.06 Lbs. per 1000 Sq. Ft.

HAND SEEDER

Installing Blankets

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Blankets Removed31 May 2016

4 May 2017

3 June 18 July 2 Aug

Riviera Seed Soil 3 June 18 July 2 Aug

Riviera Seed Compost

3 June 18 July 2 Aug

2 Aug 18 July3 June

Riviera Seed Soil Blanket

Riviera Seed Compost Blanket

Riviera Bermuda Grass Seed Test % Coverage 2016

Date CB‐1 S‐2 SB‐3 C‐4 SB‐5 C‐6 S‐7 C‐8 CB‐9 CB‐10 SB‐11 S‐12

16‐May 2.53 0 0.63 0.09 0.4 0.11 0 0.13 5.49 9.67 1.23 031‐May

3‐Jun 2.94 0 1.97 1.27 24.88 1.59 0.53 3.51 9.21 25.94 17.55 0.04

10‐Jun 12.26 0.02 1.48 4.02 48.3 14.34 2.53 16.33 25.12 42.42 27.5 0.14

17‐Jun 38.02 2.2 49.85 11.78 54.42 29.9 4.46 38.1 55.13 81.2 62.9 2.48

24‐Jun 60.59 6.41 77.11 56.16 85.94 66.17 14.33 82.84 90.15 96.28 95.74 12.55

1‐Jul 77.4 26.83 95.82 55.51 98.47 89.19 36.48 98.92 96.99 99.75 99.71 34.83

12‐Jul 94.89 84.36 99.38 85.51 99.34 99.48 68.98 99.6 98.45 99.55 97.47 74.14

18‐Jul 96.03 94.04 98.57 99.04 98.71 99.56 88.62 99.53 98.5 97.83 92.89 81.6

22‐Jul 99.05 94.84 99.65 99.34 99.64 99.78 97.5 99.44 99.53 99.73 97.05 84.81

27‐Jul 99.83 99.73 99.03 99.86 99.81 99.54 99.96 99.77 99.76 99.94 99.67 89.62

2‐Aug 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 96.92

9‐Aug 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 99.92

100% Coverage

31 May: Blankets Removed 

S ‐ Soil

C ‐ Compost

SB ‐ Soil Blanket

Riviera Bermuda Grass Seed Test % Coverage 2017

Date C‐1 BS‐2 CB‐3 S‐4 CB‐5 SB‐6 C‐7 S‐8 C‐9 SB‐10 CB‐11 S‐12

4‐May 9.22 97.85 51.05 4.72 50.8 86.48 8.67 0.79 10.44 84.95 54.18 0.8

12‐May 10.2 4.71 13.1 6.52 15.77 14.04 10.04 6.49 8.83 13.02 17.7 2.95

19‐May 14.75 28.24 34.75 11.99 39.96 26.72 13.88 5.2 14.13 7.86 41.45 2.65

26‐May 25.04 69.51 28.52 29.43 35.51 69.11 24.1 20.14 29.86 50.88 61.11 6.63

2‐Jun 34.59 67.97 56.19 11.3 58.49 80.27 29.72 5.65 34.88 48.59 69.22 6.63

9‐Jun 40.07 66.49 73.41 22.32 55.82 71.2 57.3 12.56 77.48 45.38 71.26 16.21

16‐Jun 54.24 44.03 35.45 47.43 58.72 61.17 53.5 42.08 64.22 30.93 46.15 34.39

23‐Jun 92.34 95.76 93.59 74.72 91.15 98.16 94.59 65.5 97.2 81.83 96.72 61.53

30‐Jun 100 100 100 74.39 100 100 100 73.14 87.94 50.73 100 69.497‐Jul 100 100 100 87.81 100 100 100 92.81 98.4 87.85 100 89.02

14‐Jul 100 100 100 99.62 100 100 100 100 100 98.16 100 97.27

21‐Jul 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

100% Coverage

Blankes pulled, lots of weeds, Sprayed for weeds, low density, not mowed

Mowed 8‐May

Weeds, just germinating 

Pulled Weeds

S ‐ Soil

C ‐ Compost

SB ‐ Soil BlanketCB ‐ Compost Blanket

Rain March/April 20161.19 1.49

Average RainMarch: 3.45”April: 3.31”

PRECIPITATION (in)

DEP.   MAX        DAYS OF RAIN FROM   OBS.          OVER

YR MO  TOTAL  NORM   DAY  DATE .01   .1   1‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐17  1  1.78   0.00  1.34   23    4    3    117  2  0.59   0.00  0.20   28    4    3    017  3  3.92   0.00  1.63   31   11    6    117  4  2.72   0.00  0.72    6   10    7    017  5  7.24   0.00  1.34   25   15   13    117  6  0.78   0.00  0.24   19    8    2    017  7  3.05   0.00  1.10    6    7    6    117  8  3.42   0.00  1.64    7   11    3    117  9  1.73   0.00  0.70    2    4    4    017 10  1.63   0.00  0.53    9    6    3    017 1117 12‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

26.86  0.00  1.64  AUG   80   50    5

Rain March/April 20173.92 2.72

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Can you establish Bermuda grass without irrigation?

Yes…..But

Both 2016 and 2017 trials prove it can be accomplished but best results are when you use compost…. When mother nature gives you moisture makes a big difference...…

Buffalo Grass Seed

Convert Parking Lot islandsPreparation

• Spray Out Vegetation– Glyphosate and 2-4D– Two applications

• Lime can be applied at this time• Till soil

Till Soil3 March 2017

Sundancer Buffalo Grass Seed2 Lbs. per 1000 SQ. Ft. 5 March 2017

Sprayed with Quinclorac rate 1 Lb. per Acre then covered with ¼ inch Compost 7 March 2017 All Islands Seeded and Covered

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First

Germination4 April 2017

Coverage 6 June 2017

Island Coverage14 July 2017

Dormant Buffalo Grass14 Dec 2017

Wrap-Up

• User buy in• Follow the plan• Patience • Questions