Improved spring transition on ultradwarf greens

Adoption of ultradwarf hybrid bermudagrass (Champion, FloraDwarf, MiniVerde, MS Supreme, TifEagle and others) for use on greens presents several new challenges for superintendents. Prominent among them is the difficulty of promoting a smooth spring transition when the greens have been overseeded the previous fall.

When spring and warmer temperatures arrive, bermudagrass will normally begin to grow rapidly — so rapidly that it can penetrate the thick layer of sand, organic matter, mat and turf created by the overseed during the…