Seashore paspalum produces a dense and high-quality turf. However, there’s a new cultivar, Sea Spray, which is established by seeds. The species doesn’t produce a large amount of viable seeds, and seed production generally isn’t reliable. Typically, it’s propagated vegetatively (by sod or sprigs). But, if you can find it, establish it and manage it under the right circumstances, you might well be able to ensure security for your course in a not-too-distant future when water options are exceedingly limited. Its newfound popularity and the relative difficulty of producing it in quantity (sod or seed) had made paspalum a scarce commodity. As a side note, the biggest issue associated with paspalum continues to be availability. However, the trade-off will be more intense management practices – particularly through establishment. Paspalum has the potential to be a revolutionary turf for some facilities. However, those potentially could be offset by lower inputs of fertilizer and/or reduced water costs for facilities able to secure less-expensive effluent water. That, of course, presents some budget challenges. On a 14-day rotation, disease management costs will likely be higher than with traditional Bermudas or even the improved bents increasingly grown in warm-season areas. In this case, facilities likely will have to consider a preventative fungicide program similar to those used by Northern courses managing bent/poa mix. Like many turf management choices, the decision to use paspulum comes with consequences. That said, nothing is perfect and, as the article above points out, vulnerability to patch disease can be a problem. Better yet, newer, finer-leafed varieties have excellent playability characteristics and numerous courses love it as a putting surface. As potable water becomes less of an option for courses, paspalum is a marvelous alternative. And why not? It’s tolerant to many environmental stresses, including salt, heat and most heavy metals in effluent water. That said, if any one species could be described as a “sensation,” it would have to be paspalum.ĭuring the past five years, in particular, many in warm-season climates have jumped on the paspalum bandwagon. Let’s face it: It’s a little hard to get “jump up and down” excited about most turfgrass varieties. Impact on the business: Getting objective about paspalum It can be used as a turfgrass for lawns, athletic fields and golf courses but also to control erosion and stabilize dunes and coasts. It’s used mainly in mild to warm climates when the soil salinity and sodicity are high, when drainage is a problem and the water quality is poor. This halophytic, perennial warm-season grass, which undergoes winter dormancy in colder climates, produces a beautiful turfgrass surface during its growing season. Swartz), described as the environmentally friendly grass, is among the most salt- and sodium-tolerant turfgrass species.
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