Get ready for more spring droughts – choose drought-tolerant 4turf® varieties

Spring drought is a relatively new phenomenon caused by climate change. It’s one of the great challenges that professional turf managers face in a changing world. Luckily our stress-tolerant 4turf® tetraploid perennial ryegrass varieties are ideal turfgrasses for coping with lower rainfall during spring.

4/15/2021

Choose turfgrass that can withstand a dry spring

Lack of water during the vital spring growing season reduces tillering and grass growth. This leads to poor-quality turf that lacks density and provides fewer playing hours. In the worst case, the grass plants die and seeding a new turf will be needed.

The best way to reduce the risk of low-density, drought-damaged turf or having to establish new turf is to choose turf that can withstand spring droughts. And that’s exactly what our 4turf® tetraploid perennial ryegrass varieties can do.

Faster establishment is key to surviving spring drought

Turfgrass needs well established roots to cope with spring drought. During a spring drought, soil still retains water in the deeper layers where only well-established grass with a high root-mass density can benefit from this available resource. Turf managers can, however, increase drought-tolerance in turf by using 4turf® varieties from DLF.

4turf® varieties establish fast. They grow a high root-mass density quicker. With their fast establishment and improved root structure these grasses develop a better tolerance to spring droughts. Choosing varieties that combine these features with a higher growth rate means that turf can also recover faster once the drought is over. The turf will look better and offer more playing hours.

Another big advantage of drought-tolerant 4turf® varieties is the way they reduce the maintenance costs and the environmental impact. Denser turf makes it harder for weeds to establish, which reduces the need for herbicides and for turfgrass repairs. 4turf® saves water too because it needs less irrigation to survive a dry spring.

4turf® provides better turf all year round

Turf managers who choose 4turf® save time, money and resources all year round. They maintain a healthier turf with fewer lost playing hours throughout a spring drought. This gives them a head start for the rest of the year. 4turf®‘s massive roots and healthier plants are more likely to survive other stressful events. If a summer drought were to follow a spring drought, the turf that coped best with the spring drought is the one that’s most likely to survive a summer drought.

Click here to find out more about DLF´s 4turf® tetraploid perennial ryegrass varieties or speak to your local area manager.