Bermudagrass in the North?

As the Colts line up to take on the Eagles in Philadelphia today, I figured it would be a great time to spend a couple of minutes on bermudagrass. The game today will be played on bermudagrass that has been overseeded with ryegrass. Does that make a difference? Absolutely. Bermudagrass will go dormant and lose all color when weather cools and the first frost occurs. In Indiana and Philadelphia this is typically mid-late October. The turf will stay dormant until temperatures rise above 60 degrees in the spring, and then the turf will slowly start to green and will grow vigorously when night temperatures exceed 65 degrees. Please see the two photos. The first one is from the Colts training camp fields at Anderson University. This photo was taken last week. The other photo is from the Colts complex also taken last week. Both are Patriot bermudagrass. Obviously, the Colts complex has been overseeded. This practice field has seen in excess of 30 practices since Sept 1. The Eagles have a similar overseeded field. Purdue also plays on a similar overseeded field. Bottom line is, with proper maintenance, these surfaces provide a great surface for football.





In conclusion, this is something to keep an eye on. I truly believe we will continue to see bermudagrass push further north for athletic fields. For more info on bermudagrass in northern climates, click here.

Play on!
--Jamie