Author: Sarah

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games have finally come and gone, completed in 2021 for reasons well known but also to confuse future trivia buffs. We enjoyed seeing the Aussie success in the pool, out in the ocean and on the hard surfaces, but what we really enjoyed as turf enthusiasts, was the sports played on natural turf.

Hundreds of hours of wear experienced over a short two-week period really put the turf to the test. The sports ground curators responsible for getting these fields ready for competition and maintaining their quality throughout the games, really are magicians.

Tokyo 2020 involved 33 sports, with 339 medal events, held across 42 venues.

Here’s some insight into some of these turf playing surfaces that featured during the games…

The National Stadium

The National Stadium in Tokyo was the main stadium for the games, with construction completed in November 2019. The National Stadium hosted the athletics, rugby and some soccer games, along with the opening and closing ceremonies.

The turf used for the playing surface at the stadium is TifGrand Bermudagrass (Couch), developed by Tifton University in South Georgia USA. The same turf development program grasses such as TifTuf and TifWay were released from. Japan National Stadium was built on the site of the formerly demolished old National Stadium in preparation for the games. The grass used at the old stadium was another Tifton bred grass called TifSport.

TifGrand can handle the humid conditions of Tokyo and the high traffic experienced at the games. It has increased shade tolerance which was also important with the stadium’s high walls and roofing. TifGrand also has a great dark green colour which is ideal for televised sport. The stadiums roof collects rainwater that is stored in underground cisterns, which is used to irrigate the arena turf as well as the numerous plants on the top storey promenade.

Sapporo Dome

The Sapporo Dome is an incredibly multi-functional venue for sport. The dome throughout most of the year hosts baseball and soccer, through a retractable playing surface. Baseball is played on an artificial turf field, while football is played on a real grass/turf surface that can slide in on top when required. Sapporo Dome hosted soccer events during the games.

The ‘hovering’ natural turf surface is 120m in length, 85m wide and 1.38m deep. Because the Sapporo Dome has a permanent roof, the playing field needs to be out in the open to receive sunlight. The surface is then moved into the dome shortly before being required for matches.

A surface of such size is incredibly heavy (8,300 tonnes) and has taken some clever ingenuity for it to be moved in and out. Air is blown underneath the surface lifting it up and effectively reducing its weight by 90%. 24 sensor-guided wheels then roll underneath allowing the surface to be put in place over a four-to-five-hour process.

Yokohama Baseball Stadium

Home of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars baseball team, Yokohama Stadium is one of the only baseball stadiums in Japan to have a natural turf outfield. This wasn’t always the case though, with the previously artificial surface being replaced with real turf in 2016. This change was part of several improvements designed to convince hometown fans that the stadium would be more enjoyable. With the major league-style grass being mowed to create a more attractive MLB-style checkerboard pattern.

Miyagi Stadium

Miyagi Stadium is in Rifu and has hosted many international sporting events over the years including the 2002 FIFA World Cup matches. The stadium was used for track and field competitions and soccer matches at the Olympics.

The turf is grown especially for the stadium by East Japan Reconstruction Lawn Growing Enterprises run by Seiichi Otsubo. The grass used is a composite of three different varietals of Kentucky Blue Grass due to the stadium being nearly 5 hours north of Tokyo experiencing a milder climate. Two of the varietals are known as ‘Granite KBG’ and ‘Sudden Impact.’ This combination provides a durable surface and dense coverage, which Otsubo believes to be fitting of his recovery or reconstruction turf, given it is being used at an Olympics being dubbed the ‘Recovery Olympics.’

Kasumigaseki Country Club (East Course)

The home of golf at this year’s Olympics, Kasumigaseki Country Club first opened in 1929.

The club features both an East and West Course, with the East Course being used for both the men’s and women’s Olympic events. The East course underwent a full renovation in 2016 in preparation for the games. The course previously featured 2 greens per hole, one with warm season grass and the other cool season to manage the extreme seasonal conditions experienced. For the games, each hole was transitioned to a traditional layout with just one green per hole, enabling them to extend the course length by 500 yards.

The Diversification of Yarramalong Turf

Farmers of any kind will understand the joy that their beautiful farms can bring. At Yarramalong Turf in Wyong NSW, they have opened their doors to the public, diversified their business and are providing more than just turf for sale at their very own slice of paradise.

Alan and Renai Doggett had big plans for the Wyong, NSW turf farm when they took the helm in September 2018 and less than a year later, they were breaking new ground.

The Turf

After purchasing the farm, the Doggett’s invested what they could in new machinery and infrastructure. Yarramalong Turf joined Lawn Solutions Australia (LSA) and were able to utilise their newly formed relationship for information and LSA members Greener Lawn were able to help with supply while they were low on stock. Being able to grow relationships with other members has been a blessing, “we love the fact that people in the industry are so willing to help each other” Alan said.

Glen and Paige, a family that the Doggett’s know and love also moved in at the turf farm, where Glen would soon begin helping make the farm what it is today.

 In 2019, it was time to start renovating paddocks after turf had been harvested. During this time, Alan and his team learnt a lot about the importance of good soil testing and understanding their inputs.

In 2020, the farm undertook their second major paddock renovation, turning four older paddocks into one laser graded paddock, on a scale unheard of for their little farm to date. Supply was still coming from partner farms during this time, with a lot of advice flowing freely and learning the depths of the trade. Alan realised they would never have enough turf supply with the current farm size, so he planted the seed within his network for ways to expand supply.

In December of 2020, Yarramalong Turf took delivery of their first auto harvester, upgrading the older Kesmacs for a JD Brouwer, which was of great excitement for Alan and his team, “600mm rolls were finally coming from our farm!”

The seed Alan had planted earlier in the year had started to develop and an opportunity to purchase some neighbouring land was also showing some positive signs.

The Coffee

“To begin with Renai started our Turf Hut Espresso,” Alan said. “That has been a great way of starting to open the farm to other opportunities and a great way to get to know more locals and tourists alike.”

Having a farm that is not only productive as a turf farm, but one that could also be a place where people could come and hang out seemed like a good idea to Allan and his family. The open space, the country feels and yet literally minutes from the M1 at Tuggerah (75kms south of Newcastle) was just waiting for new avenues to be explored. The farms rear boundary is Wyong creek and follows its twists and turns, so there are many areas that may not be great for growing turf but are perfect quirky little spots for growing other things and community activities.

The Sunflowers

Coffee may have started conversations, but what’s really got tongues wagging is Yarramalong’s sunflower harvests.

“Initially there was an idea by a staff member for a green manure crop before replanting in paddocks that were in fallow,” Alan said. “It was suggested millet, ground-breaking radishes and for a bit of fun a strip of sunflowers.”

Alan had drawn a positive response with sunflowers in the past.

“When I was younger there was a house on the main road at Lisarow,” he said. “They have a little roadside store set up that I used to buy my girlfriend – now wife of 22 years – sunflowers on my way home from work. So, I thought as a surprise for Renai and my kids, definitely throw the sunflowers in.”

“Unbeknown to us people were stopping on the side of the road, jumping in the field and taking selfies,” he said. “This became known to us as they started appearing all over Facebook and Instagram, along with comments thanking us for putting them in.

Social media surprises suggested sunflowers were a solid selection. That is when we decided that if we were going to do it, we should do it properly and create an environment that was not only fun but safe for people to enjoy.”

Interest in the January harvest was “overwhelming.” Social media may have played a part again by the second harvest day on the Mother’s Day weekend.

“We had a car counter and averaged out over 1000 cars an hour for the eight hours, so I guess that means there was a lot of people who got to enjoy the day,” Allan said. “Some stayed just long enough to grab a big bunch, others just got some pics and others hung out on a picnic rug and soaked the atmosphere for hours.”

Alan said his whole family got involved with the entire operation.

“The crops have all to this stage been planted by hand mostly by Renai, the kids and I, also Glen and his family that reside at the farm and are also a big part of the harvest day,” he said. “We deep rip the paddock, run the tynes, rotary hoe, plant, and then roll the seeds in. It is a fun thing to get out in the paddock, enjoy family time and the results speak for themselves.”

“On our most recent harvest we had the sunflowers, a turf display showcasing our newest grass varieties, the turf hut espresso, barbecue, live music, local beekeeper selling their honey, local fresh produce grown at Kulnura, Trader Vic’s stand (local surf shop), jumping castles and even pony rides.”

The enterprising farmer said Yarramalong had received positive feedback from local businesses who had benefited from the harvest days through increased trade, and the events brought people from not only Sydney and Newcastle but also further afield.

Alan said charities had also benefited from the events and money is being reinvested.

“We have made some direct donations to charities on behalf of the harvest, as well as donating flowers and time to multiple, smaller, more personal events,” he said. “It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to do this. We are now reinvesting into attaining all the appropriate permits for an event this size and are in the process of working with the council to make “YTs (Yarramalong Turf’s) Central coast Sunflower Harvest” a must-do for locals and tourists well into the future. We also have other farm events in the making so it’s definitely an exciting time for the farm.”

The Produce

The Doggett family hasn’t stopped there, earlier this year preparations were put in place to bring what was known as Wyong Creek Produce in under their umbrella. Plans were set in motion and the final major renovation at the existing farm was put on hold to allow resources to be available for works on the new venture.

The produce shed is now named ‘Yarramalong Farm Supplies’ and has been a successful addition to an already diverse product offering.

In May the Doggett’s were honoured to be given the go ahead to be a Ringers Western country clothing supplier. A lawn store was also added to supply Lawn Solutions Australia lawn care products and Husqvarna Automowers, with an indoor display and a working 80m2 plot of their three premium grasses. They have even enjoyed being able to remodel the produce shed to include an express drive thru, which has been beneficial throughout COVID restrictions.

Alan has been pleased with how well things have come together. “I guess for us although it seems like there is a lot happening, the way the businesses integrate with each other sometimes even surprises myself.”

“Our staff from each side of the business really want each to succeed and they work in together so well. Stock food deliveries are being taken by the turf team and unloaded with Moffets; the produce team are picking up fertiliser along with the feed runs, the girls in the produce shed are learning to load trucks. It’s a real team effort across all areas.”

“I feel the diversification we have undertaken, although at times has some hurdles helps create its own form of peace of mind. It certainly also keeps things exciting!”

‘Tif’ grasses, have become synonymous with sporting surfaces across the world. Grasses like Tifway, Tifdwarf, Tifton 419, TifEagle and more recently the highly awarded TifTuf. These grasses were all bred at the University of Georgia, Tifton in the USA, driving the moniker ‘Tif’.

The University of Georgia has one of, if not the most highly successful turf breeding programs in the world. Turf research at the facility began in 1946 with the introduction of an annual grant provided by the United States Golf Association (USGA). The goal of the grant was to develop a better Bermuda (couch) grass to replace the sand greens and seeded Bermuda grass greens.

In 1947 trials began using plugs taken from the best greens from several golf courses in the Southern area. These plugs were planted along with by-products of the existing pasture grass breeding program that already existed. In addition, a seeded plot of common Bermuda grass was included.

After 3 years of testing with golf green management, the common Bermuda grass that was planted from seed was the poorest performer in the test. The best grass was a hybrid created from a dense dwarf type and a disease resistant selection originating in the pasture breeding program. This grass was released in 1952 and was known as Tiflawn. Unfortunately, it was later found to be too coarse for golf greens.

Development didn’t stop there though, with a wave of new superior grasses developed over the following years – such as Tiffine with a finer softer leaf, a better putting-green grass named Tifgreen, leading into the introduction of Tifway in 1960. Tifway had superior green colour, frost tolerance, a denser profile and was more resistant to pests and diseases.

Tifdwarf, a sterile triploid, was released in 1965. This grass was first discovered by USGA Green Section agronomist James B. Moncrief, widely known as Monty. Tifdwarf was a natural mutant of Tifgreen. Tifdwarf has many of the same characteristics of Tifgreen, but with shorter and smaller leaves.

Sterile triploids like Tifdwarf, cannot be developed through the same means as traditional turf breeding methods. These grasses can however be modified through the exposure of dormant sprigs to gamma rays. This method was undertaken in 1970 on Tifway, Tifgreen and Tifdwarf, resulting in 158 new mutant strains. These strains underwent evaluation until 1981, before the release of Tifway II, an improved version of Tifway. Tifgreen too had an improved mutant released known as Tifgreen II.

After Tifgreen II, the focus of the breeding program pivoted more towards the development of hardier Bermuda grasses for winter conditions. This resulted in the inclusion of a hexaploid Bermuda grass collection being included from a lawn in China. This grass had a dark bluish-green colour and was quite winter hardy. It had a coarser leaf, with lower wear tolerance than Tifway. This grass was later released in 1988 as Tifton 10, by Dr. Wayne Hanna.

While there had been significant successes in developing successful Bermuda grass types for release, there were still demands and improvements required to improve putting green quality when compared to bent grass. They simply could not tolerate the conditions and low mowing height required to perform at the same standard of quality.

This culminated in a new goal for the breeding program, developing dwarf cultivars of a higher standard for short mowing. More mutations were introduced to the program along with continued gamma radiation. In 1995, a new grass known as TifSport was released. This grass was followed shortly after in 1997, by TifEagle. These two grasses were the first patented hybrids from Tifton.

Improved characteristics in other areas were identified, initially shade tolerance was priority. Six genotypes with lower light requirements were crossed with six cold tolerant varieties. In 1999, 60 hybrids were identified and studied for reduced light performance. The standout was a dark green dwarf-type genotype later named TifGrand.

In more recent years the breeding program has changed its focus towards grasses that could withstand longer periods without irrigation. Those with a higher drought tolerance, that could perform well in a broad range of environments. This continues to become significantly more important with water restrictions and drought conditions becoming more common occurrences, not just in the US but right across the world.

This research resulted in one of the latest commercial turfgrass releases, DT-1. DT-1 is an interspecific hybrid triploid that succeeded in 19 drought-stress trials. After more than 20 years of continued evaluations the grass was released in 2014. This grass was named TifTuf.

TifTuf maintains better coverage, stays greener and requires significantly less water. After introduction and continued trials and assessments throughout Australia, TifTuf was released to the Australian market exclusively through the Lawn Solutions Australia national network of turf suppliers.

TifTuf is now the benchmark in Australia for not just couch grasses, but all grasses, and is showing all the superior characteristics achieved through a highly successful breeding program. Lawn Solutions Australia has led the way for TifTuf to be made available through significant investment and trials. This trial data and continued observation has culminated in the awarding of the Smart Approved WaterMark to TifTuf. TifTuf is the only grass to achieve this level of recognition for its water saving benefits.

We can’t wait to see what the team at Tifton come up with next.

Western Plains Turf

It’s not the famed Western Plains Zoo we are talking about here, but another iconic local business. Located in the heart of NSW, Western Plains Turf (formerly known as Orana Turf) started from humble beginnings. Over the years, it steadily grew into a business that services all of Central and Western NSW. The original name Orana Turf, traces back to over 25 years in and around Dubbo and the Orana Region.

The business is owned and operated by father and son partnership Mick and Tim O’Neill.

Tim and his wife Simone live on the property with their four children – Milla, Sully, Ellie and Halle. Born and bred in Dubbo, Tim was fortunate enough to spend most of his childhood outside in the backyard playing football and cricket with his mates, on his parents’ lawn. Tim has been heavily involved in the Dubbo community through the years, attending St Johns Primary and College as well as being a proud member of the Dubbo community through his passion for rugby league.

The family were originally timber cutters, Mick was 4th and Tim was 5th generation. A lot of the state forests around the area became national parks making it a dying trade with sourcing timber getting harder and harder. The family were at a crossroads as to what they should do. Tim’s uncle had the Orana Turf business, but it was a small farm. There wasn’t enough work for the three of them, so Tim and Mick made the decision to take on the business and expand.

Established in 2017, the family purchased a forty-five-acre property, converting it from mixed farming and horsing into a fully irrigated operating turf farm specialising in residential and commercial instant lawn.

“Soon after purchasing the farm, we stood a 200m centre pivot for paddock irrigation. Six months later a storm rolled through and blew it over on the last day before the Christmas break and it took four months to get any money to fix it,” said Tim.

The farm only had forty irrigation pipes available to keep twenty acres of turf alive through forty-degree heat. The pipes needed moving four times a day for two months, just to keep the turf alive. At this point, the family had realised they had bought into the business during one of the worst droughts in history. The rain had stopped, and the dust just kept rolling in.

“By the end it was nothing to have two or three major dust storms a week,” said Tim.

This put a lot of strain on relationships and the family financially. Dubbo then brought water restrictions in which has never happened before, without any warning. The families only income stopped. Two weeks before restrictions came in, Tim sprayed out twenty-five acres of lucerne, not knowing that could have been a small income to help them through.

“We were just about to give up… when it finally rained.”

“I still remember the storms rolling in, looking out the window you could see the rain once it hit the river it followed it and kept going around us.”

Since then, they haven’t looked back. Covid hit and they initially weren’t sure of what would happen, but business was good, and sales have been consistent. The family had managed to build the business from the ground up through the worst drought in history.

As of now, Western Plains Turf have three employees full-time and four casuals. Tim said they have been slowly building up and investing in their equipment, acquiring a bigger truck and forklift as well as a turf harvester.

“We have absolutely built our name and business up through hard work and pride in all the work that we do, from the first phone call to the way we leave each job site and our after sales service,” said Tim.

Western Plains Turf are now one of the exclusive suppliers of TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda lawn in Central and Western NSW. Tim believes TifTuf is the perfect grass for the region and has seen some incredible results in challenging conditions to date.

Tim is looking forward to what the business can continue to achieve in the west over the coming years. They might have a brand-new name and logo, but the same great people and product remains.

Queensland Country Bank Stadium Queensland

After 13 years maintaining the North Queensland Cowboys’ former home ground, 1300Smiles Stadium (AKA Dairy Farmers Stadium), Head Groundsman Bruce Fouracre wistfully locked up his shed for the final time on February 6^th, 2020, to begin a shining new chapter at Australia’s newest venue, Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

The $293.5 million, 25,000 seat venue, built in the heart of Townsville’s CBD, was set to put the region on the map for major events. It would be a big job, but Fouracre’s time at 1300Smiles Stadium coupled with years under legendary Curator Tommy Parker at the Sydney Cricket Ground (1993-2008), meant Fouracre knew he has what it takes to tackle the role.

“It was an honour to be asked to be the Grounds Manager at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, and I am really grateful to Stadiums Queensland for giving me this chance. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, and one that I will never take for granted,” Fouracre said.

With construction on the venue only finalised in December 2019 and the turf laid a month later, Fouracre and his assistant Adam McNeil a former colleague from the SCG, had just four weeks to get the surface as healthy and strong as possible ahead of the Elton John Concert scheduled for late February and the start of the NRL season just two weeks later.

“It wasn’t the ideal preparation, but we just had to do our best. The weather up here is pretty good for establishing grass, so I was confident everything would bounce back after the concert and be right for the start of the NRL season,”

The turf differed from that used at the previous stadium. The key difference was the use of the “Eclipse” Hybrid System which combines artificial fibres and natural turf ensuring turf is “ready to play” and can be used with 48 hours of being laid.

After some teething issues, Fouracre shaved 10-15 mm off the playing surface at the end of the NRL season, allowing artificial fibres to sit closer to the surface, improving both the cosmetic appearance and the stability for the year ahead.

“Since the start of the year where we had the Maori/Indigenous All-Stars Game right up to the recent State of Origin Game, I’ve been really happy with how the surface has looked and has played”

“A lot of people don’t realise that last year, the ground was being used 2-3 times a week for training, as well as the game on the weekend, so it was getting a lot of traffic. All that has changed now, with the Hutchinson Centre of Excellence Training field next door now open. This has really helped take some of the traffic off the main field, and the grass has responded accordingly!” Fouracre explained.

Some of the major events that have been on the ground since the stadium opened include:

• Elton John Concert (more than 22,000 fans)
• North Queensland Cowboys NRL games
• Horn vs Tszyu Boxing Match (more than 10,000 people)
• Queensland Opera
• Trans-Tasman Super Rugby game – QLD Reds vs Chiefs
• A 3-day International Rugby 7s event featuring Australia, New Zealand, Fiji & Oceania
• Several fully catered functions for over 300 people on the playing field

Following Covid restrictions in Victoria, the 2021 State of Origin match on 9 June, became a highlight in the still short history of Queensland Country Bank Stadium. With just 10 days’ notice, Queensland Country Bank Stadium and the whole of Townsville, pulled together and put on a spectacular event that will be remembered forever by locals, and whoever was lucky enough to be in attendance.

An extra 2,000 temporary seats were erected at the northern end of the stadium to try and fit in as many people as safety restrictions would allow.

It is estimated the event contributed more than $7 million into the local economy, with 22,500 room nights booked during this period. Around 10,000 people watched big screens in Flinders St, whilst nearly every shop was decorated with maroon balloons and streamers.

“There was an absolute buzz around the whole city! It was the only thing people were talking about. The support shown from our partners and contractors was outstanding and there was more than 1,000 staff working at the venue that night, doing everything from security to catering. The stadium was also lucky enough to have additional staff flown up from other Stadiums Queensland venues to assist with Administration, IT, Ticketing and other matters and it was an amazing experience for our whole team!” exclaimed Fouracre.

With other big events in the pipeline, such as the “Kiss – End of the Road Tour” concert in December, it is shaping up as a blockbuster year for the team at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Watch this space!

By Bryan Tolar, Tolar Capitol Partners

“It’s not easy being green,” goes the saying. As far back as 1975, the legendary country and blues singer Ray Charles of Georgia, USA, with the 1960’s hit “Georgia on My Mind” recorded the song “Bein’ Green.”

“It’s not easy being green,” he sang. “It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things, and people tend to pass you over …”

It’s not easy, either, for turfgrass growers and associated businesses, for whom “green” is crucial to the industries they have built and the jobs they have created for so many. Their customers and the communities they serve strive to be green.

So perhaps it’s fitting that it is Ray Charles’ home state of Georgia that has produced a turfgrass cultivar that demonstrates amazing potential: TifTuf bermudagrass is anything but ordinary.  The environmental community, utility managers and economic developers are seemingly eager to embrace the water conservation characteristics of TifTuf.

How has this happened?

For well over a decade, in Georgia and in communities across the globe, outdoor water use has been vilified, often labeled as wasted water. The numerous benefits of turfgrass have been overwhelmed by the bully pulpit of government leaders and activists, their viewpoints regurgitated in media outlets that buy ink by the barrel. A conversation about turfgrass management has historically been a non-starter – until now.

Yes, green is the colour of spring…  and TifTuf personifies the green of conservation, and for the first-time environment-focused communities are taking notice.

TifTuf has captured the attention of one of Georgia’s fast-growing conservation communities, Athens-Clarke County. Normally this local government focuses on water re-use and storage, low-flow fixtures, and changes to lifestyle practices to conserve. They have now discovered the benefits of TifTuf through water conservation advocacy efforts of the Georgia Urban Agriculture Council, the state’s premier green industry association for professionals involved in all sectors of the landscape industry.

In April 2021, the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government awarded the “Water Conservation Leadership Award Winner for an Individual” to Dr. Brian Schwartz and his work to produce the drought-tolerant bermudagrass TifTuf. The reduction of water use by 38% over the most popular bermudagrass cultivar and the expanded availability of TifTuf across the USA and in Australia were key to him winning this special, well deserved recognition.

In addition to being intensely focused on environmental stewardship, Athens-Clarke County also happens to be home to the University of Georgia (UGA), the flagship turfgrass research institution where the cultivar TifTuf was bred under the leadership of Dr. Schwartz and his turf research staff. TifTuf can be found on the beautiful and iconic quad of UGA’s North Campus, covering the area between the famed Arch and the UGA President’s Office. It endures frequent foot traffic from students and tolerates moderate tree canopy shade, performing beautifully for more than five years.

Presenting the award, Athens-Clarke County’s Water Conservation Coordinator Laurie Loftin acknowledged this: “Thank you, Dr. Schwartz, for your efforts to help us all use water efficiently while maintaining a beautiful lawn.”

This was by no means the first special recognition of TifTuf or Dr. Schwartz, but it was the first by a local government with a laser focus on water conservation. In 2020, both the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate recognized TifTuf for its characteristics as a high quality turfgrass with extraordinary water conservation characteristics. In doing so, they also lauded the research of Dr. Schwartz, as well as his predecessor Dr. Wayne Hanna.

In addition, the Smart Approved Watermark label established by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is an important component of consumer recognition. With water use reduction of 38% over the most popular bermudagrass, the conservation benefit reputation resonates.

At the same time, there is an expectation that consumers and property managers take action to reduce irrigation and to adapt their turf management habits for TifTuf to make its mark. There is no doubt the Smart Approved WaterMark label educates consumers who clearly want to make informed choices when seeking products that use water efficiently, thus reducing per capita water consumption.

A recent move to advance the drought-tolerant characteristics of TifTuf in a large population center took place in June 2021. The metro area around Atlanta, Georgia, is the ninth largest and one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the United States. It serves over 6 million people and grew over 15% in the last decade. Oversight for water conservation and planning for the communities in this area is the responsibility of the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District. After months of engagement by landscape industry advocates, along with supporting testimony from Dr. Schwartz, the planning district’s board voted to support and promote education to the public that “encourages the installation of drought tolerant turf such as TifTuf.”

This includes updating the district’s printed and digital education materials on landscape and irrigation resources to include drought-tolerant turfgrasses. TifTuf is the only cultivar specifically mentioned.

Much as the song by Ray Charles begins as a self-pitying list of disadvantages of meeting the challenges of being green, it evolves into a full-throated embrace of the many benefits of being green. After all, as the song goes,

“Green is the colour of spring…I’m green and it’ll do fine. It’s beautiful and I think it’s what I want to be!”

With over 25 years of research, TifTuf is now in its sixth year of commercial production and expected to surpass 10,000 acres in the United States this year. By any measure, this is an incredible milestone for such a short time in commercial production. In 2020 alone, over 21.3 million square metres of TifTuf were installed, bringing the total to nearly 69.5 million square metres since its release in 2015.

So, what does this mean for being green? The 2020 figures indicate that over 41.7 billion litres of water have been saved through the use of TifTuf. As the strength of sales continues through 2021 and the future, we will soon see total installations exceed 93 million square metres. Imagine the billions of litres of water saved each year. Indeed, “It’s beautiful and I think it is what I want to be,” could be the TifTuf anthem.

TifTuf and the tireless efforts of Dr. Schwartz and others like him, along with many turf and landscape leaders, will continue to make being green even more positively impactful in the future. Sharing the TifTuf conservation story with those in the environmental community is deservedly a point of pride. Environmental stewardship is a responsibility we all share and to which we all can contribute.

Congratulations to Dr. Brian Schwartz and the University of Georgia Turf Team on this special recognition of their water conservation leadership. TifTuf and the industry’s continued dedication to research that advance water conservation objectives show that being green is indeed the best colour to be. The legendary Ray Charles says so.

Brad Reynolds, Parks Coordinator – City of Busselton

The City of Busselton were looking for a way to improve the new diversion entry statement to the city. The road realignment and construction work were carried out with an emphasis on making the entrance to Busselton something special for everybody who drives into the town.

The entry statement consisted of a mix of native couch and kikuyu and looked unsightly. After a consultation process with council staff and local turf supplier Down South Turf, where turfing options were discussed, it was decided to use TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda. The reasons for this choice were simple – green colour year-round, low cost in maintenance, drought tolerance and speed of establishment.

Soil preparation for the area was limited, with no special or extensive site preparation completed prior to the sprigs being planted. The existing soil profile was simply levelled with a small amount of topsoil incorporated into gravel and road base subsoil. A small amount of fertiliser was then applied in preparation for planting.

The 3,000 square metre area was planted by a local contractor with stolons in August 2020 at a rate of 10% of area coverage. Once the stolons were planted the area was oversowed with ryegrass to provide some quick green up and coverage. The unwashed stolons were planted across the area without any irrigation used during the establishment. Not sure if this was good judgement, timing or grass selection, but rainfall figures tell a story of the months following installation.

During the establishment period Busselton received 555mm rain for a 10-month period. While the two hottest months of the year, December and January only received 2.4mm and 0.6mm of rain respectfully. From around October the TifTuf was starting to take off and by November/December it was really starting to dominate and quickly cover across the ground. The ryegrass died out naturally during the warmer, drier months. The December average temperature was 24.2 degrees and January 27 degrees, with humidity averaging 71%.

A second application of fertiliser was applied in February and the council have been super impressed with the result. The entry statement area is mowed by council staff on a 4–6-week roster, with the area classified as a rough-cut area.

The success has now led Busselton Council to look at other opportunities within the region where they can utilise TifTuf to replace existing ground covers for a natural green environment with ease of maintenance and the saving in water use. The City of Busselton is building a new sports precinct called Dunsborough Lakes, where a number of new sports fields will be established for the community. TifTuf is proving to be the preferred turfgrass for these ovals based on what the council has seen with its performance at the entrance to the region.

The Busselton entry statement is now incredibly inviting and showcases a natural green environment for the community.

Turf is an essential part of the Australian landscape and choosing a variety for your specific climate and use is important to get right.

Many different varieties and cultivars are used as a turf cover for lawns, for sporting fields and local council areas. Turf is also integral to some of the most important places around our country, such as parliament house.

The hard work that goes into research and development of these turf varieties can sometimes go unnoticed, but the extensive trial process, usually conducted over many years is critical to their success.

Most of the current varietal stock in Australian trials has come from the University of Georgia, Bladerunner Farms and Texas A & M in the United States. The world’s leading institutes for turf breeding and research.

In Australia, trials and assessments have been conducted on these grasses by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI). STRI is the world’s leading research and consultancy organisation for sports turf. STRI manages trial protocols at each of the trial sites in Australia in conjunction with AusGAP, the Australian Genetic Assurance Program for turf. Many of the current grasses under assessment have been in these trial programs since 2016.

While maintaining genetic purity of certified grasses is the primary focus for AusGAP, they also play a big part in the expansion of trial assessments across different geographical and environmental localities. Testing couch grass, buffalo, and zoysia turf varieties in different climate zones provides an insight into their ability to maintain turf quality in a wide range of conditions.

AusGAP is currently working with different organisations on sites located in New South Wales, Victoria, Southeast and North Queensland. AusGAP recently announced the expansion of 12 new varieties chosen by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to be added to the already extensive trial area in North Queensland on the property of Harden Park Lawns (HPL) in Edmonton QLD. STRI evaluations led to these 12 grasses being selected with superior traits being observed during assessments.

There are now 44 different varieties of buffalo, couch and zoysia under assessment in Northern Queensland. This includes trials on some exciting native zoysia’s, as well as varieties of zoysia japonica, macrantha and matrella, along with sites also in Victoria and Southeast Queensland. It will be interesting to see how these varieties go in North Queensland at HPL given the climates extreme growing conditions of high humidity, rainfall, heat, and cloud cover. Michael and Melissa Denney at HPL are very invested in the trials with the excitement of hopefully finding new varieties suited for their tropical environment.

These new grasses have been subjected to monthly assessments over the last 18 months. Leaf texture, uniformity, density, plant growth and overall appearance all being observed.

Some of the trial grasses have had rust issues and thatching, a lot of seed heads. Michael noted that some other grasses however look like they might be great for the northern tropical and sub-tropical regions, with great lateral growth and minimal vertical growth, minimal thatching and no disease recorded to date. All samples have withstood all chemical applications at various temperatures with no adverse effects, so no trial plots have been removed from the program at this stage.

The trial work will continue for up to another 18 months to collaborate with other site data, with the hope of finding a turf variety or varieties that excel. Consideration will include varietal features that are suitable for applications such as presentation lawn areas, home lawns, fairways, stadium surfaces or putting greens standard. There is always the hope and possibility of finding one specific variety that can deliver the required traits for all applications and in all climates, which would be the ultimate achievement.