Texas Tough Bermuda Grass Seed - 50 lbs.
- Utilized for grazing or haying. An outstanding selection of three perennial seeds adapted to Southern soils for extended germintaion throughout the growing season.
- Planted in pastures at a seeding rate of ten pounds per acre, or inter-seeded in existing pastures at a seeding rate of five pounds per acre.
- Virtually disease free, drought tolerant and easy to establish.
When to Plant: Texas Tough + is a warm season forage grass utilized for grazing or haying. Plant Texas Tough + in spring and summer when soil temperatures are consistently above 65° F (normally beginning April 15 – May 1). The optimum soil temperature for germination and root growth of bermudagrass is 75° to 80° F.
Site Selection: Plant Texas Tough + in full sun and well-drained soil in Texas and across the southern states where bermudagrass is currently grown. Proper drainage is essential for successful establishment and the development of mature, healthy forage.
Soil Test: Prior to seeding, a soil test is recommended. Results of this test will determine fertilizer and other amendments needed. Add lime as needed to establish a minimum 6.0 soil pH.
Seedbed Preparation: Loosen soil to a depth of six inches by disking. Level area to proper grade with approximately 1/2 inch pulverized soil at the surface.
Seeding Rate for New Pasture Applications: Plant 10 pounds of Texas Tough + per acre for new pasture applications. More seed may be needed when stands are established early or late in the season to ensure full coverage.
Overseeding or Repairing Established Bermudagrass: Texas Tough + may be over seeded into your existing stand of bermudagrass, such as coastal, to improve its overall forage quality or repair damaged areas of seeded bermudagrass and vegetative bermudagrass varieties. The suggested renovation-seeding rate is 5 pounds per acre. For bare areas, use the new pasture application-seeding rate. If the turf is in very poor condition, or the damaged areas very large, total removal of the existing grasses before seeding Texas Tough + is recommended for maximum stand uniformity and overall forage performance.
When overseeding into an existing pasture, care must be taken to ensure adequate seed to soil contact. Herbicides with NO SOIL ACTION may be applied to eliminate any undesirable grasses before seeding. Follow label instructions for usage and observe the required waiting period, if any, before seeding. Pastures can be aerated or disked to remove accumulated thatch areas during germination and the early establishment phase prior to first grazing or haying.
Planting: Care must be taken not to cover the seed with too much soil – no more than ¼ inch of soil covering the seed is recommended. Effective methods include broadcasting by hand or using seed spreaders followed by light roller or dragging. Because of the high seed count of Texas Tough + per pound the seed should be mixed thoroughly with dry sand at a ratio of 5 parts sand to 1 part seed and the spreader opened only 1/16 to 1/8 inch.
Moisture: Soil moisture around the seed is necessary for about 1 to 2 weeks. The seedbed should be kept moist during germination. Once established, less frequent, deep moisture encourages deep root growth.
Germination: Texas Tough + has very good seeding vigor. Under ideal conditions, germination begins within 7 to 10 days. Again, soil moisture is very important during the germination period. Allow 14 to 28 days after the first seedlings emerge for complete germination, fertilize per soil test once the seed has germinated.
Establishment Time: Under ideal conditions, full coverage is attained 4 to 6 weeks after seeding and normal moisture. If planting is early or late in the season, more time may be needed for establishment.
First Haying or Grazing, Minimum Height and Cutting Frequency: The pasture is ready for the first cutting or grazing approximately 8-10 weeks after seeding or when the grass has grown to 14-18 inches tall. Minimum recommended mowing height is 4 inches. After the first cutting for hay, mow every 28 days and add fertilizer each time. (In lieu of a new soil test 250 pounds of 17-17-17 fertilizer per acre is adequate.)
Winter Overseeding: Winter overseeding of dormant bermudagrass may be done for year round pasture. It is NOT generally recommended on immature pasture (less than 6 to 8 months of age). Late season plantings and newly established bermudagrass may be damaged by allowing ryegrass to get too tall, leaving it unable to compete with the ryegrass species during the spring transition.
BERMUDAGRASS STUDY* I
TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EXTENSION CENTER
OVERTON, TEXAS
DRY MATTER YIELDS (LBS/ACRE)
1997* 1998 1999 2000 4 YR AVG RANK
TEXAS TOUGH 2480 5262 11,749 6997 6622 1
CD 90160 2737 3550 9696 9479 6365 2
TIERRA VERDE 2085 4885 9054 7065 5772 3
RANCHERO FRIO 1943 2912 8984 9116 5739 4
COASTAL** 1611 3739 8507 8859 5679 5
CHEYENNE 2408 3430 6640 8159 5159 6
KF-CD194 1914 3664 7407 6826 4953 7
* STUDY PLANTED MAY 2, 1997
** HYBRID ESTABLISHED FROM SPRIGS
BERMUDAGRASS STUDY* II
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI
DRY MATTER YIELDS (LBS/ACRE)
2001 2002 2 YR AVG RANK
TEXAS TOUGH 9488 5888 7688 1
PASTO RICO 8418 6174 7296 2
TIERRA VERDE 7814 6012 6913 3
CHEYENNE 6857 5040 5949 4
GAUCHO 6762 4346 5554 5
SUN GRAZER 5150 3902 4526 6
STUDY PLANTED MAY 30, 2001
