Patriot Bermuda is a medium-fine textured hybrid bermudagrass developed by Oklahoma State University turf research scientists. It is a dense, high performance turfgrass. Its appearance and quality is better than U-3 bermuda and is on par with the best commercial varieties such as Tifway 419, Tifsport, and Tifgreen. However; Patriot ranks higher in:

-Vigorous growth
-Rapid divot recovery
-Freeze tolerance
-Wear tolerance
-Early spring greenup

Patriot is well suited for areas requiring high quality turf such as: golf course tees and fairways athletic fields home landscapes commercial landscapes parks and playgrounds Easton Sod Farms, Inc., is the exclusive grower for Patriot Bermuda Grass in Oklahoma and Kansas.

SUPERIOR TURFGRASS QUALITY:

<PATRIOT_____U - 3>

Noticeable differences in texture and color- Patriot(on the left)/ U-3 (on the right)
Patriot's turfgrass quality has been on par with the best of the commercial turfgrass varieties. The NTEP data shows that its mean quality (6.3) was statistically equal to that of Tifway, TifSport and Tifgreen.

SUMMARY OF TURFGRASS QUALITY RATINGS:

*Summary of quality ratings in the 1997 NTEP test.

COLOR RATINGS AND SPRING GREENUP RATINGS:

Patriot is characterized by it's dark blue-green color with a relative high color rating. Its spring greenup rating is greater than Tifsport, Tifway or Tifgreen.

* 1997-2001 NTEP mean rating, 1= light green 9= dark green
** NTEP 2001 data performed from Stillwater, OK test site.

VIGOROUS GROWTH:
Patriot has vigorous growth relative to other turfgrass varieties. The rate of spread of Tifway and TifSport is moderate to slow when compared to Patriot.

Mean establishment ratings*:

Indicates percent cover. Test sites: Fayetteville, AR / Griffin, GA/ Lexington KY/ Starkville, MS
*Approximate sprigging rate of 300 bu. per acre

If sprigging is included in your project, Patriot is the clear choice for the quickest cover. As the table above illustrates an area properly maintained and sprigged with Patriot can be 97% covered in just 6 weeks.

RAPID DIVOT REPAIR:
Tests have shown that Patriot's vigorous growth rate translates into one of the faster turfgrasses for divot repair.

SUPERIOR FREEZE TOLERANCE:
Patriot has good low temperature tolerance which reduces risk of winter injury. Its winter hardiness approaches that of Midlawn (one of the most cold hardy varieties) and exceeds that of TifSport , Tifway and Tifgreen.

Mean winter injury ratings:

Higher rating indicates best performance, less injury at NTEP test , Wichita, KS in 2001.

Improved Resistance to Spring Dead Spot:
Patriot has shown better resistance to spring deadspot disease than Tifway 419 and equal to Tifsport.

Wear Tolerance:
Patriot has shown it retains stand density and visual quality in high traffic areas.

RULES OF THUMB MAINTENANCE:

The amount and frequency of watering, mowing and fertilizing depends upon the desired appearance of your turfgrass. Guidelines for maintenance procedures are offered below as good rules of thumb to follow on an as needed basis in maintaining healthy turfgrass with an attractive appearance.

MOWING:
Patriot provides an excellent material for tees when mowed at 3/8 of an inch. For fairways; a mowing height of Ѕ to ѕ inch is ideal. For other uses higher mowing heights provide excellent visual quality but should not be mowed over 1Ѕ inches.

FERTILIZING:
Mowing Patriot provides an excellent material for tees when mowed at 3/8 of an inch. For fairways; a mowing height of Ѕ to ѕ inch is ideal. For other uses higher mowing heights provide excellent visual quality but should not be mowed over 1Ѕ inches. Fertilizing Patriot responds well to fertilization. Keep pH in the range of 6.0-7.0 and the soil macro, secondary and micro nutrients in the optimum range. Patriot requires nitrogen fertility at 4-6 lbs. of actual N per 1,000 sq. ft. per year. Split into 3- 6 applications. Adjust fertility to local conditions and on level of visual quality and maintenance desired.

WATERING:
Patriot is less drought tolerant than some other Bermudas. During dry conditions apply minimum Ѕ inch water 2 times per week to maintain color. Add more water if vigor recuperative rate is needed.

WEED CONTROL:
Weed growth competes with turfgrass growth. Good maintenance practices help eliminate weed problems. However, it may be necessary even under the best of care, to apply herbicides to maintain weed free turfgrass. Contact your local County Extension agent or herbicide dealer for recommendations for your type turfgrass.

Note: Due to varying soil conditions and fluctuating weather patterns, it is impossible to offer general maintenance guidelines that an perfect for individual sites and situations. Please contact your local O.S.U. County Extension Offices or Easton Sod Farms for specific questions.