Buchloe dactyloides 'Legacy'®

Legacy® buffalo grass is a vegetatively produced female clone that is the perfect choice for environmentally friendly lawn areas. Blades are narrow and soft, making an ideal turf grass that thrives on only 1/4" of water per week - most other turfgrass requires 1 to 1 1/2" per week. The root system grows several feet deep, making it super-drought tolerant. Legacy® buffalo grass grows to a maximum height of 4-6".

Since buffalo grass lawns are brown during cold weather, it's important to think about adding winter green to border and foundation plantings. With an emphasis on foliage, texture, height and evergreen contrasts to the overall landscape, the focus can be directed away from a traditional expanse of green lawn to a more seasonally changing landscape that directs focal points to different areas at different times of year when they areat their best.

Requirements: Grows best in full sun, requiring a minimum of 6 ­ 8 hours per day of direct sunlight. Good soil drainage is essential. Avoid sandy soils.

Planting: April through May if irrigation is not available. Plant one plug per square foot for coverage the first season. Can be planted June though August with available irrigation, but may not fill in completely until the following growing season. (One 98 plant tray covers 98 square feet, or about a 10' x 10' area.)

Kill existing turf with an application of Roundup. Sometimes two applications are necessary, spaced a couple ofweeks apart to allow newly exposed weed seeds to sprout. Remove thatch by raking with a hard rake. When planting plugs, do not till the soil. Tilled areas require more water and are prone to erosion. Keep the grass mowed to a height of 2 to 3 inches during establishment to encourage the buffalo grass to spread and to control weed growth.

Mowing: Cut grass no lower than 2 to 3 inches. Low maintenance areas may be mowed taller, or left unmowed altogether. For a manicured turf, you can mow once every two to three weeks. For a soft, natural look, leave it unmowed. Growth rate is affected by amount of watering and fertilizing. Bagging is not required. It is recommended that you mow it at least once a year in early spring.

Fertilizing: Mid-May to June is best. We reccomend Bradfield's Luscious Lawn organic fertilizer.

Weed Control: Avoid frequent watering, short mowing and over-fertilizing. Minimize early season watering. Plugs spread very quickly and more easily than seed, with less of a battle with weeds during the initial lawn establishment.

SharpShooter is the latest generation of turf-type buffalograsses available as a seed. It is a low-growing plant with a darker, more dense turf than previous buffalograsses. SharpShooter is adapted from Texas to the Dakotas. Plant SharpShooter for a water conserving, low-maintenance lawn.

Planting Rate
2 to 3 lbs per 1000 square feet for lawns, sport fields and other locations requiring complete turf establishment within one season.
3/4 to 1 lbs per 1000 square feet for outlying areas where turf establishment within 2 seasons can be tolerated.
.10 to .33 lbs per 1000 square feet for pasture or other areas where 3 to 5 year establishment can be tolerated.

Seed cost is the most obvious economic factor in choosing a seeding rate. Do not overlook the expense of weed control which is necessary during the establishment period.
Higher seeding rates result in faster turf establishment and will reduce the time and expense required for intensive weed control during establishment. Other factors which
greatly influence time required for establishment are seed bed quality, rainfall or irrigation (timing, frequency and intensity) and weed control.

Seed placement
Buffalograss should be seeded into a seedbed free of established weeds. Ideally seeds are 1/4” deep, no deeper than 1/2”, with soil packed tightly around the seed. Firming the seed bed after planting will improve seed to soil contact. Completed seeding sites should be firm to walk across leaving only shallow shoe imprints. Large scale seedings are best accomplished with professional grade grass drills or slicer seeders. Smaller seedings can
be completed with very light tillage or harrowing of the soil in order to create approximately 1/2” of loose soil on the surface. Broadcast buffalograss seed and follow with
another light tillage to stir the seed into the soil. Seed bed should be firmed with a roller, foot traffic or vehicle traffic afterward.

Irrigated Seedings
Where irrigation is available a wide window of seeding dates can be used, roughly June through August. After seeding , use irrigation to keep the seed placement zone moist. The surface may be allowed to dry between waterings without any consequences. Buffalograss seed frequently exhibits uneven germination characteristics with seedlings emerging over a period of 2 to 3 weeks after the first sprouts have appeared. Presoaking the seeds prior to an irrigated seeding will speed germination and cause more uniform emergence with most sprouts appearing within 5 to 6 days after the first sprout has appeared.

Mowing: Buffalograss is by nature a low growing turf. If left unmowed it will rarely exceed 6” to 8” in height. Another feature unique to buffalograss is that it does not form seed heads above the turf. Small delicate pollen flowers, about the size of the matchhead, extend 1” to 1 1/2” above the turf line if not mowed. Pollen flowers are
attractive and do not create a weedy unkempt appearance. In contrast other turf grasses produce unattractive seed heads which require frequent mowing to maintain a neat appearance. As an example, bermudagrass seed heads extend above the turf, resemble crabgrass seed heads and can make a lawn appear weedy even when it is weed free.
A naturally low growing turf and no visible seed heads- -these features make buffalograss the “mowing optional” turf.

Buffalograss will tolerate a wide range of mowing heights. In fact, in some instances it may not be mowed at all! However, you can follow these guidelines:
Home Lawns — 2-3 inches
Golf Course Fairways — 1 inch
Sport Fields — 1 1/2—2 inches
Parks & Grounds — 3 inches or higher
Natural Areas — Spring cleanup only

No more than 1/3 of the turf height should be removed with a single mowing. Removal of more than 1/3 of the turf weakens the plant, reduces vigor and makes the buffalograss less competitive against weeds. Because of this, short mowing heights require more frequent mowing.

Fertilizer
Nitrogen: Nitrogen fertilization during the seedling year does little to improve the vigor of buffalograss, though it does make weeds much more competitive. Sites with exposed subsoil or that are highly eroded may benefit from small additions of nitrogen in the seedling year. Additional nutrients are frequently lacking in such a situation.
Once established, modest nitrogen amendments improve the color and density of the turf. As little as 3/4 lb. Nitrogen per 1000 square feet annually will frequently produce the desired improvements. Application rates above 1 lb. Nitrogen per 1000 square feet should be split applied. Annual application should not exceed 2 pounds nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.

This native warm-season grass is an important range grass, pasturing native animals since before the last ice age. This prairie original is enjoying new interest as people recognize its value as an ecologically sound, low maintenance lawn turf. Perfect for homeowners wanting a large attractive lawn during summer with minimal work, it withstands heavy use and has excellent drought tolerance. Because the grass is low growing, it requires little mowing while retaining a uniform look. It has a low fertility requirement and maintains good density without supplemental fertilization, which is good for the prevention of excessive nitrogen in runoff into streams and rivers.

With all of these fine attributes, it's important to remember that buffalo grass is a warm-season turf that turns brown with fall's first freeze. It greens up when warm weather returns. Sometimes during summer drought, buffalo grass will go dormant if no supplemental water is provided. This is one way the turf survives without help! Buffalo grass is not a good choice for shady areas, and because of aggressive runners, can require edging along walks, driveway and flower beds.

Buffalo grass will grow on heavy and compacted soils, but is easier to start and keep on good loam soils. Heavy soils may be improved by applying a good quality organic, matter such as peat moss, aged manure or compost. Applying a phosphorus fertilizer stimulates root growth. Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied in early summer when stolon development has started.