Tips for Grow-In and Maintenance of Seashore Paspalum

By Stacie Zinn, president and international marketing director, Environmental Turf, Inc.

 

SP cultivars are highly adaptable to soil pH levels between 4 and 10. Immediately after installation, a granular fertilizer with a 1-1-2 or 1-2-3 mixture and full minor package should be applied.

Landscapes, sports fields and golf courses in warm-season climates all over the U.S. are converting from St. Augustinegrass and Bermudagrass to seashore paspalum (SP) cultivars such as SeaDwarf?EUR??,,????'?????????????? and Aloha?EUR??,,????'?????????????? because of the grass?EUR??,,????'?????<

While potable water can irrigate this grass, SP is so salt tolerant that it can be irrigated with poor water quality sources?EUR??,,????'?????<

So, if the grass needs that much less water, that much less fertilizer and can handle high levels of salt, it only makes sense that the grass would thrive when the landscape manager or superintendent water it less, fertilizer it less and even use salt as an herbicide. Right? During grow-in, it may be productive to be somewhat aggressive with irrigation and fertilization of this grass, but once established, the grass performs best when moderately irrigated and fertilized with nitrogen even less.

Seashore paspalum requires only about half the water needed to irrigate Bermudagrass and it takes up to 75% less nitrogen for fertilization, according to Environmental Turf.

Establishment

Landscape superintendents generally sod the grass to create instant turf. To get started with SP, eradicate the soil?EUR??,,????'?????<

Appropriate soil amendments may be added. SP cultivars are highly adaptable to soil pH levels between 4 and 10. The top two to three inches of soil may be tilled, made level and then sod installed. Rolling the sod behind planting will make for a more uniform surface.

Irrigate the fertilizer in as soon as possible at 1/5 to 2/5-inches per acre per day, depending on soil type and rain amount. For the next two-to-four weeks, irrigate 1/10 to 3/10-inches per acre per day, depending on soil type and rainfall amounts, until grass has a well-established root system. Fertilize again in approximately 30 days with the same mix.

Rex Cunningham, V.P. of agronomics, Environmental Turf, displays his company?EUR??,,????'?????<

General Maintenance

Once established, the sod can be gradually mowed down with a high-speed rotary or reel mower with sharp blades to desired height. Increments of 1/4-inch to 1-inch height reductions may be used, keeping in mind that no more than one-third of the leaf blade should be removed at any one time to avoid scalping. The University of Florida recommends mowing heights of between 3?4-inch and 1.5-inches to create a dense turf that should choke out most weeds.

Fertility and irrigation should be reduced once the grass is established. The University of Florida suggests no more than two-to-three pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. per year in a landscape situation and no more than four-to-six pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. annually in a sports field application.

The grass is fairly drought tolerant. Irrigate on an as-needed basis, depending on rainfall and weather conditions.

The University of Florida suggests that when irrigating, apply only about 1?2 to 3?4-inch of water to the entire lawn surface. SP is sensitive to some herbicides and not all products are yet labeled for the grass.

DRIVE, Trimec Southern, Kerb and Ronstar Granular are common herbicides used successfully on SP, however, a high brine solution or ordinary table salt also works quite well to treat weeds without injuring the turf.

A free copy of ?EUR??,,????'?????< www.environmentalturf.com or by request at info@environmentalturf.com.