Combat Extreme™ Southern Zone
The bluegrass hybrid that is in Combat Extreme™ grass seed mix is SPF 30. It is a cross between Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Texas bluegrass (Poa arachnifera), and it is well suited for bluegrass turf applications for improved heat and drought tolerance. SPF 30 features a low-growing, moderately dense growth habit with a medium, bright green color and a medium-fine leaf texture and offers improved shade tolerance. SPF 30 mixes well with most other cool-season grasses such fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrasses, and tall fescue. Because of its Texas bluegrass component, SPF 30 is well suited for areas with temperate to hot summers and more temperate winters. It is well suited to mixes with turf-type tall fescues, affording improved density and recovery from damage. SPF 30 has exhibited the following characteristics:
Why Combat Extreme™ Southern
Thick Even Lawn
Wear Tolerant
Deep Root System
- Excellent heat tolerance. This grass, in fact, seems to grow better the warmer it gets in the summer. The growth and vigor of most Kentucky bluegrass varieties will generally decline under high heat (upper 80s-100s), which can reduce its traffic and wear tolerance during the hottest times of the growing season. The Texas hybrid blue grass appears to maintain more active summer growth, which translates into better traffic tolerance and ability to recover from traffic injury.
- Deep and extensive root production. These hybrids produce an extensive root system, which enhances heat and drought resistance. A dense root system will also improve traffic tolerance, ability to recover from wear, and will improve footing (traction) in a sports turf application.
- Extensive and aggressive rhizome formation. These grasses form large, extensive and aggressive rhizomes (underground stems). Different from roots, rhizomes contain growing points that produce new grass plants. Grasses that produce rhizomes are better able to tolerate traffic and will recover more quickly from traffic-induced wear – often without the need to re-seed the worn areas. An aggressive rhizome system also means better traction in a sports turf situation.
- Low mowing height tolerance. Its excellent heat tolerance and aggressive root and rhizome formation characteristics allow this grass, when necessary, to be mowed at lower heights than many Kentucky blue grasses – especially during the heat of summer. This can be important for “showcase” sports turf applications.
- Potential to require less irrigation. There is a good anecdotal field evidence to suggest that the hybrid blue grasses require less irrigation than some of the Kentucky blue grasses, and perhaps less than the turf-type tall fescues. This ability to sustain growth and vigor with less irrigation is likely due to its ability to form deeper roots than most other blue grasses, and its excellent heat tolerance.
Three Combat Blends To Optimize Varieties:
- Combat Extreme Northern Zone - USDA Zones 4 - 5
- Combat Extreme Transition Zone - USDA Zones 6 - 7
- Combat Extreme Southern Zone - USDA Zones 8 - 10
Each Combat Extreme™ mixture will perform well outside of the given zone. For example, there is no reason you could not use Combat Extreme™ Transition Zone in USDA Zone 8 or Combat Extreme™ Northern Zone in USDA 6. These USDA Zones are given as optimal guidelines, but not as fixed rules.
Characteristics of Combat Extreme™
| Self-repairing turf |
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| Strong, deep root system |
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| Produces a thick even lawn grass |
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| Excellent color and disease resistant |
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| Rapid germination and quick spring green-up |
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| Higher value for the home owner than conventional tall fescue grass seed |
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Blending fescue grass seed varieties together that have top performance on some of the desired characteristics allows the lawn to adapt itself to various conditions. In the shady areas, the grass seed varieties with good shade tolerance will prevail, in the high traffic areas the best wear tolerant grass seed varieties will prevail, etc. The result is a beautiful lawn grass everywhere, from the same grass seed mix. This is especially true when combined with SPF-30 hybrid bluegrass. SPF-30 is is extremely heat and drought tolerant as well as shade tolerant.
Combat Extreme™ fescue grass seed sets a new standard for home lawns. Not only is the Combat Extreme™ grass seed a blend of top performing seed varieties, now it has the ability to repair itself through outstanding tillering characteristics as well as requiring less water and fertilizer. That is why Combat Extreme™ grass seed is the only seed you’ll ever need! In our opinion, this is the best grass that we carry (for durability and hardiness) and the best tall fescue and bluegrass mix on the market today!
Seeding Rate & Planting Time
- New turf: Sow 6 - 8 pounds turf seed per 1,000 square feet or 240 - 320 lbs/acre for broadcast seeding
- Over-seeding: Sow 3 - 4 pounds lawn seed per 1,000 square feet or 120 - 160 lbs per acre for broadcast over-seeding
- Plant Combat Extreme™ grass seed when soil temperature reaches 55 degrees in spring up until a minimum of 6 weeks before frost in fall