CELEBRATION BERMUDAGRASS

Sod Busters, Inc. is pleased to introduce Celebration Bermudagrass, a selected mutation of Cynodon dactylon, a hybrid cultivar of Bermuda, chosen specifically for its dark blue-green color, low growing habit, adaptability to light-moderate shade, excellent drought tolerance and ability to reduce production costs while demonstrating desirable growth characteristics.

Celebration Bermudagrass is an Australian Breed developed by renowned turfgrass breeder Rod Riley that offers specifiers, landscapers, golf course designers, sportsturf managers and homeowners exceptional performance across a wide spectrum of applications. Celebration requires less mowing than typical bermudagrass varieties and has tough runners, rhizomes, and deep roots that provide excellent sod strength, wearability, and improved drought tolerance. While shade tolerance research is ongoing at the university level, Celebration is the first bermudagrass to exhibit improved tolerance in sportsturf comparisons. Celebration has also been included in several comparative bermudagrass studies including the 2002 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) trials where early observations are very promising.

Reduced production costs are achieved by Celebration's rapid expansion rate, reproduction from rhizomes, and natural chemical resistances (similar to other Bermudagrasses) for easier weed control. Celebration has proven its ability to thrive in hot, humid conditions in a variety of applications and has performed well in sandy and clay soil types with aggressive growth from its runners and rhizomes. Celebration can be mowed with a standard rotary mower due to its broader leaf and open growth habit. This versatile turfgrass has thrived in agricultural zones 6b-11 and is being tested in zones 5 and 6a for cold hardiness extremes.

Genetic purity and preservation of the Celebration Bermudagrass variety is of the utmost importance to Sod Busters. All Celebration Bermudagrass grown and distributed across the United States is certified by local state crop certification agencies that provide rigid standards and regulations for production, harvesting, and handling, that when adhered to, ensure a genetically pure, high quality, "certified" product. Additionally, all licensed Celebration production is monitored by Sod Busters through on-going quality control and quality assurance programs.

Maintenance

Best Maintenance Practices for Celebration

To ensure optimum quality and performance of Celebration, users must accomplish necessary care and maintenance. This care and maintenance has been formalized below in the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Celebration Bermudagrass.

These BMPs are written as a guide and should be modified as local climate, soil, and environmental conditions dictate. It is important to note that no “magic fertilizer” or “super-chemical” will solve all problems or make any turfgrass perfect.

Through consistent application of the BMPs and on-going evaluation, education, and modification of these practices, however, users will greatly enhance the quality and performance of Celebration Bermudagrass.

Read detailed description of BMPs

Irrigating Newly Installed Celebration

Proper watering upon installation is essential to successful establishment:

• Prior to installation, ensure irrigation systems are working properly and covering all areas to be planted
• Water thoroughly upon installation ensuring that both the Celebration is wet and the soil is moist to a depth of 3"
• In hot weather, water within a few hours of installation to mitigate severe damage or loss due to heat / dehydration stress
• To promote root establishment, water as needed to maintain moist soil to a depth of 3" for the first 1-2 weeks
• Shaded areas and heavy soils require less water than full-sun areas and sandy soils
• When proper rooting is evident, alter irrigation program accordingly
• Visit our Watering Tips for more information on proper irrigation

Mowing:

New installations are often uneven and care should be taken not to scalp high spots:

• Mow within 10 days of installation and bag clippings the first few mowings
• See Post Establishment Mowing below for more information

Fertility:

Use a transplant-friendly regimen that will help reduce shock and minimize disease:

• Use a starter fertilizer that is low in Nitrogen and higher in Phosphorous and Potassium

Post Establishment Celebration

Mowing: Mowing is a critical and often under appreciated cultural practice: Maintain Celebration at 0.5-2" (1" is optimal) Heights above 2" will reduce quality Rotary mowers are preferred for heights 1" or higher Reel mowers are preferred for heights below 1" Mow every 5-7 days during the active growing season Mow every 10-14 days, or as needed, during cooler weather Never cut more than 1/3 of the total length of the blade at any one mowing If a scheduled mowing is missed and clippings clump on top of the Celebration, bag or vacuum clippings to reduce shade-out Vertical mowing (verticutting) may be performed to renovate Celebration Insecticides: Avoid stress from insects by performing insecticidal applications as needed: For any insecticide application, always read and follow label directions carefully Early identification and treatment of insect stress minimizes inputs and injury Make routine observations of the landscape being aware of seasonal pests like Army and Webworms Grubs can reduce quality if critical populations are reached Control Army and Webworms with Sevin, Orthene, Diazinon or Permethrin-based products Consult with local experts and see Problem Solving for insecticide recommendations Herbicides: Proper mowing, irrigation and fertilization of Celebration will reduce weed problems. If a weed problem persists: For any herbicide application, always read and follow label directions carefully Improper use of herbicides can severely damage or kill Celebration Make routine observations of the landscape being aware of seasonal weeds Identify the type of weed causing the problem before using any chemicals controls Celebration, like Common and Tifton 419 bermudagrass, is tolerant of many commonly used herbicides Consult with local experts and see Problem Solving for herbicide recommendations

Fungicides: Celebration has shown resistance to most fungal problems and controls should be used only as needed: For any fungicide application, always read and follow label directions carefully Early identification and treatment of disease stress minimizes inputs and injury Make routine observations of the landscape being aware of unusual symptoms Consider a broad-spectrum fungicide application if predictable seasonal problems are noted Ask your Celebration grower to apply fungicide 1-2 weeks prior to harvest during times of high, disease-inducing stress Consult with local experts and see Problem Solving for fungicide recommendations Irrigation: Established Celebration exhibits drought tolerance due to improved plant genetics and growth characteristics: Watering requirements are greatly dependent on soil type, season, geography and other factors Ensure irrigation systems are working properly and covering all areas covered by Celebration Make routine observations of the landscape and learn the signs (i.e. wilting) that indicate when irrigation is required Shaded areas and heavy soils require less water than full-sun areas and sandy soils Encourage deep root growth by watering until the soil is moist to a depth of 3", shallow watering encourages shallow roots Infrequent deep watering maximizes drought resistance and tolerance Visit our Watering Tips for more information on proper irrigation Fertility: Proper fertility practices will encourage healthy, disease and insect free Celebration: Perform soil tests to understand your soil type(s) and condition and best determine your specific fertility needs Make routine observations and fertilize according to what the landscape tells you Understand what and how much fertilizer you are applying Avoid disease and insect inducing growth flushes by reducing Nitrogen rates Improve color and limit growth surges by utilizing iron sources Higher Nitrogen rates should only be applied in the spring, for injury recovery, or for planned "peaking" of Celebration Apply lower rates of Nitrogen in the summer and fall

SPECIFICATIONS

Color Excellent / dark blue-green Hot Weather Tolerance Excellent / thrives in hot humid and desert areas Cold Tolerance Good / zones 6b-11, research ongoing for zones 5-6a Frost Tolerance Excellent / browns only after several frosts Winter Color Good / dormant in most zones except 9b-11 Spring Greenup Excellent / very rapid, especially at lower mowing heights Shade Tolerance Fair / handles light-moderate shade similar to Centipede

Wear Resistance Excellent / recovers rapidly from injury Salt Tolerance Excellent / thrives near coastal areas Mowing Height 1/2-1 inch / 1/4 inch possible when maintained properly - heights of 1/32 inch have been documented Mowing Frequency 7-14 days / roughly half that required for most Bermudagrasses Recovery from Injury Excellent / runners and rhizomes fill-in damaged areas quickly Use Lawns and sports fields / residential, commercial, golf, sports, parks

Root Structure Fine, deep, massive, rhizomes spread underground Drought Tolerance Excellent once established Texture Fine, soft / aesthetically pleasing Mechanicals Internode Length: 13.6 mm Internode Diameter: 1.3 mm Leaf Width: 1.7 mm

TIFTON 419

Tifton 419 is an improved hybrid Bermuda developed from the famed Tifton, Georgia turf-breeding program. Tifton forms a fine textured, dense hybrid Bermuda turf that excels in high traffic areas or under athletic field conditions. It is more aggressive than Tifgreen and holds its color longer going into the winter months. Tifton performs at its best in full sun with a mowing height of 1/2-3/4 inches. When fully established, it has excellent drought and heat tolerance and will recover quickly from abuse or neglect.

Recommended Uses

Tifton 419 is recommended for full sun turfgrass areas with high traffic and heavy use conditions. It is best utilized on well maintained athletic fields and golf fairways and tees.

Composition

Tifton 419 is grown from high quality stolons that are propagated in a controlled cultural environment. This results in a healthy sod which is virtually free of weeds, harmful turf insects, and disease.

Temperature Tolerance

When properly maintained, Tifton 419 is both heat and drought tolerant and can withstand temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wear resistance

Tifton 419 is the most wear tolerant of the hybrid Bermudas and recovers quickly from damage during the growing season.

Shade Tolerance

Tifton 419 prefers a full sun location with little or no shade.

Color

Tifton 419 exhibits a dark green color during the growing season. Tifton is darker green than Tifgreen, but lighter than GN-1. With proper maintenance practices, it produces little seed head.

Dormancy

Properly maintained Tifton 419, will exhibit good 'winter color' during mild or moderate winter along Southern California's coastal belt. Dormancy in inland areas will generally last from late November through mid-March.

Salt Tolerance

Tifton 419 has very good tolerance to saline soil and water conditions found in both coastal and desert areas.

Thatch

All hybrid Bermudas develop thatch over a period of time. Tifton 419 is very similar to Santa Ana in producing thatch and does build thatch faster than Tifgreen and GN-1. Maintenance practices that include a regular mowing schedule during the growing season, a low to moderate fertilization program, and an annual verticutting will help keep thatch under control,

Establishment & Maintenance

Watering:

To avoid drying out and enable the new sod to root down, newly planted Tifton 419 should be watered daily and kept wet during the first 7-10 days. Once the new sod has rooted into the soil, watering frequency should be reduced. Due to varying soil and climate conditions, it is difficult to recommend a definite watering schedule. However, a deep soaking every 5-7 days is generally adequate during the growing season. Desert environments may require more frequent deep waterings.

Mowing

Tifton 419 should be mowed at least weekly during the growing season with a reel mower. Clippings are best removed. It should be mowed to a height of 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Avoid scalping.

Fertilization

To maintain its beauty, color, and density, Tifton 419 requires a consistent monthly fertilization program. During the spring, summer, and fall months it should be fertilized with 3/4 to 1 pound of nitrogen applied to each 1,000 square feet of lawn. Read and follow all instructions regarding fertilizer use and application.

Weed, Insect & Disease Control

Tifton 419 is virtually free of weeds, insects, and disease when it is delivered. However, in some installations, weed and insect problems may occur from close proximity to neighboring lawns having these problems. Various cultural practices may be used to reduce these problems; however, should chemical controls be required, they should be used in accordance with the written instructions provided by the manufacturer.