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Ultradwarf Variety Selection

5 posts
  1. Heath Puckett
    Heath Puckett avatar
    0 posts
    8/13/2012 3:08 PM
    From my perspective, it seems MiniVerde is gaining in popularity, Champion has enjoyed an outstanding marketing campaign, while Tifeagle isn't mentioned as often but performs just as well. To those of you who have converted from bentgrass to one of the ultradwarf varieties...
    Which one did you pick and Why?
    Would you make the same choice if you could choose again?

    Thanks.



  2. Steven Huffstutler
    Steven Huffstutler avatar
    11 posts
    8/13/2012 4:08 PM
    We looked at all of them and chose Champion. Having taken care of all of them except MV, i thinkChampion performs best in the winter when we need it to. You wont go wrong with any of them, but check the foundation stock before you buy.



  3. Kevin Girt
    Kevin Girt avatar
    0 posts
    8/13/2012 7:08 PM
    Heath,
    I had Champions at Shiloh Falls in Pickwick Dam TN, which is just a few miles north of you. Tifeagle I feel is more suited to warmer climates. Due to financial restraints my hardest time with the Champions was in the fall when the greens started getting to much shade. I had a pythium outbreak in October on 4 greens in areas that had no direct sunlight during the day. The other greens were fine till the next year when I had a couple suffer from rhizoctonia that washed in from slopes behind the greens, again due to lack of moneys for fungicide and fertilizer. Being in an area that your greens will go dormant, putting them to bed healthy and under no stress is the best bet. And by all means paint in the fall, don't even consider over-seeding, Mine held up great through the winter with only a few coverings of the tarps. In-fact you can hit them earlier in the fall with a pre-emerge for poa and add some revolver with your paint after dormant to take out any break through. But also, with all of the ultra-dwarfs, lots of verticutting,topdressing and a healthy dose of fertilizer and you should be good.
    Best of luck next year when you convert.



  4. Heath Puckett
    Heath Puckett avatar
    0 posts
    9/26/2012 4:09 PM
    Thanks Steve and Kevin for your replies.
    We are planning to make the transition from bent to bermuda next summer, and would like to hear others' opinions and experiences. Tifeagle is much less expensive and from what I've seen and been told, it can be just as good as the other two. It doesn't cost any more for a sod farm to grow one variety than the other. Of course it hasn't been marketed as heavily or received the attention that Champion/Miniverde has. I'm not sure how much of a problem the "off-types"/mutations/contamination may be, but it is definitely a valid concern. Any success stories or lessons learned you'd be willing to share? If you prefer to discuss privately, please shoot me an email to hpcgcs@gmail.com.



  5. James Smith
    James Smith avatar
    112 posts
    10/1/2012 12:10 PM
    We have had Tif Eagle since 1999 and love them. we are a very low budget course but seem to get by. Since I am outside of New Orleans and have a very warm climate I think Tif Eagle is the way to go here. I do not have to deal with overseeding and in the winter time my greens can roll 14's easily if they are completely dormant. Most winters my greens go into and come out of dormancy about 5-10 times and we just roll with the punches. Maybe others further up north can give you the information you need.



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