H
ow do turf managers keep bermudagrass fields
green all year long? Is there something in the
water that allows the fields to stay green? Is it
magic? Well, maybe, but in reality the majority of
turf managers are overseeding their bermudag-
rass fields with a cool-season grass to keep them green
when the bermudagrass goes dormant.
After the first couple of frosts bermudagrass turns
brown or goes dormant. Brown grass is an unsightly
appearance for users, so each fall season the decision is
made to overseed sports fields. In the Transition Zone we
overseed from September through November and some-
times continue to reseed in December/January. In other
zones seeding is done at different times depending on
temperatures and schedules. Overseeding can be simple
or complex depending on the level of maintenance
required.
PROCESS
The simplest method to overseeding warm-season
grasses is to mow low, spread the seed, drag in, and water.
Mowing the grass a little lower than you typically do
will allow the cool-season grass to grow higher than the
warm-season grass. Essentially the warm-season grass is
slowing down in growth to harden up and prepare for
the winter. The cool-season grass will grow higher than
the dormant short cut grass giving you green instead of
brown dormant grass showing. You will want to be care-
24 SportsTurf | September 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com
OVERSEEDING
BERMUDAGRASS ATHLETIC FIELDSS
FIELD SCIENCE
■ BY SCOTT STEVENS, CSFM
Short frequent cycles of irrigation will help
the seed to germinate more quickly.
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This field has been overseeded
