T U R F TA L K
Athletic-Field Dyes For
Winter Color By Casey Reynolds, NCSU Turfgrass Research Associate and NC Certified Turfgrass Professional, and Art Bruneau, Ph.D., NCSU Turfgrass Management Professor and Turf Extension Specialist
B
ermudagrass is a primary choice for athletic fields for several reasons. First, its aggressive growth habit from rhizomes and stolons allows it to tolerate the wear and tear commonly associated with highly used athletic fields. Second, bermudagrass is fairly simple to manage. The proper implementation of basic fertilization, irrigation and mowing practices will produce high-quality fields with dense, green turf throughout the summer months. Also, for those fields requiring winter color, bermudagrass can easily be overseeded.
The good and bad of overseeding Overseeding is the process of applying annual or perennial ryegrass during the fall, as the bermudagrass enters dormancy, to supply winter color. The advantage to this, of course, is that by overseeding bermudagrass (a warm-season species) with ryegrass (a cool-season species), you are able to achieve a green field year-round. However, like most things, this decision to overseed comes at a price. Winter overseeding requires a significant amount of effort and money through equipment, materials and manpower. It is a timeconsuming process that not only gets expensive but can also have a negative effect on the overall health of the bermudagrass. For certain situations, like those that exist at professional or college facilities, this is more than likely a fair tradeoff. Managers at these facilities typically have the proper resources in manpower, equipment and budget to not only overseed but also to chemically remove the ryegrass in the spring, as well as re-plant any thin bermudagrass areas through sprigging or sodding. Also, there is usually enough pressure from administration, coaches and other “non-turfgrass managers� to have a lush, green field year-round, that the idea of seeing dormant bermudagrass for seven months by not overseeding is simply unacceptable. There are usually much different circumstances for athleticfield managers at the high school, middle school or municipal 22
TENNESSEE TURFGRASS
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2006
Email TTA at: tnturfgrassassn@aol.com