SR 7200 velvet bentgrass is the first velvet
seed in 30 years released by Seed Research
to meet the unique environmental needs of
golf course professionals and golfers. The
result of a long term improvement program
by Dr. Richard Skogley of the University of
Rhode Island, in cooperation with Seed Research,
SR 7200 velvet bentgrass combines the low
maintenance aspects of older velvets with
a dark green color and good seed yields. Velvet
bentgrass is the finest-textured, densest
bentgrass.
PREMIUM PUTTING QUALITY
Velvet bentgrasses have long been recognized
as forming the best putting surface. Much
of the mystique and putting quality of many
older golf courses into the 1960's was due
to the predominance of velvet bentgrass in
their putting greens, from the "South
German" bentgrass they had been seeded
with. Under conditions of acid soils and low
fertility velvet bentgrasses were usually
the primary bent present. With the increased
usage of water and fertilizers, the velvet
bentgrasses developed softer, weaker growth
and began to suffer. Due to excessive management
a low maintenance bentgrass developed a reputation
as requiring high levels of management. SR
7200 allows a return to the highest quality
putting surface.
LOW MAINTENANCE
SR 7200 has a darker color than 'Kingstown'
velvet bentgrass. It retains this color even
with the low fertility that is best for velvets.
Velvets do best with only 2-4 lbs. of nitrogen
per year so they are ideal for sensitive sites.
Since velvets do well on acid soils, use of
ammonium sulfate as the fertilizer source
is a natural method of Poa annua control without
herbicides. Properly grown velvet bentgrass
is very disease resistant. SR 7200 is very
low growing and can be mown as low as 3/32
inch. It can also be used for home lawns.
In 1940 Sprague wrote that velvet bentgrass
has the widest range of usefulness of any
bent species. SR 7200 has also performed well
in fairway trials at Rutgers University in
New Jersey. It showed high levels of resistance
to brown patch, copper spot, and dollar spot.
LOW WATER
USE
Velvet bentgrass is very drought tolerant
and SR 7200 has been selected to preserve
this characteristic. Overwatering encourages
Poa annua and lush growth that is less wear
tolerant, so it should be avoided.
SHADE TOLERANT
Velvet bentgrasses are the most shade tolerant
of the bentgrasses. It is often difficult
to grow other bentgrasses in these sites so
SR 7200 is highly recommended for shaded greens.
AERIFICATION
AND TOPDRESSING
Due to the density of velvet late summer to
fall aerification is recommended to avoid
excessive thatch. Topdressing should be applied
at this time and after monthly verticutting.
* Dark green color
* Velvet putting surface
* Dense, fine-textured
* Good seed yields
* Low fertility
* Shade tolerant
