GETTING TO KNOW TIFTUF

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda has been taking the lawn industry by storm in recent years. TifTuf has superior drought tolerance, speedy recovery, and just like its name is tough and hardy. Because of traits like this, TifTuf is now commonly referred to as the ‘smart grass’ or ‘alpha grass’.

The TifTuf Story

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda is the product of almost 25 years of research and development from one of the world’s leading turfgrass breeders, the University of Georgia in Tifton. Tifton is famous for grasses like Tif Eagle, Tif Sport and now Tiftuf

TifTuf was hand selected out of almost 30,000 different Bermuda or couch grass varieties, showing superior qualities in drought tolerance, shade tolerance, wear tolerance and winter colour, while maintaining excellent turf quality.

The breeding program out of Georgia in recent years was focused on finding grasses that were more environmentally friendly and drought tolerant.

This research resulted in TifTuf, or DT-1 as it is scientifically known, meaning drought tolerant number 1. DT-1 was developed by industry renowned turf scientists, Drs Wayne Hanna, and Brian Schwartz.

Further extensive independent trials and assessments were then conducted on TifTuf in Australian conditions. TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda was a clear stand out performer in these trials outperforming all other available couch grasses.

Lawn Solutions Australia Turf Research Facility

TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda’s release to the Australian market

TifTuf was then released to the Australian market exclusively through the Lawn Solutions Australia national network of turf suppliers.

Here in Australia TifTuf is the first and only grass to be awarded the Smart Approved Water Mark for these exceptional water saving benefits that it was bred for.

TifTuf can be established with a fraction of the water that most other varieties require. Part of this is due to its rapidly establishing root system that can see it take root in less than 7 days, which can be up to 75% quicker than other varieties. 

TifTuf has a very fine leaf blade with dense growth, making it ideal for a wide variety of applications. Its density enables it to handle high wear situations like backyards and sports fields whilst its fine blade ensures shade tolerance and a very soft leaf to walk on.

Tiftuf Growing sample

TifTuf Maintenance

TifTuf is a fast-repairing grass, so when damage does occur it is able to bounce back fast. With its fast-growing nature comes a bit more mowing throughout the warmer months.

If are unable to mow for a few weeks while the turf is actively growing the lawn can get a little long and the likelihood of scalping is possible. When this happens, it is best to reset the height of your lawn.  

To do this, mow the lawn a notch or two below your preferred mowing height. Please note after this the lawn won’t look great for the first few weeks, but TifTuf is tough and will bounce back quickly.  

On your next mow, raise your mower to your preferred mowing height and continue to mow regularly. Doing this will bring down the grasses stem height so the new green leaf can grow in at a lower height. 

We only recommend doing this in the warmer months when the lawn is actively growing.

Plant Growth Regulators (PGR)

If you can’t mow TifTuf as regularly as you would like, a PGR like Primo Maxx can come in handy.

PGR’s will suppress the lawns vertical growth diverting its energy into lateral growth activity helping it to become denser. This will significantly reduce your required mowing frequency.

Fertilising Rates

TifTuf has been bred to require fewer inputs. For TifTuf we only recommend giving the lawn a fertilise twice a year, once in Spring and again in Autumn.

In the warmer summer months, fertilisers are often not needed at all. Excessive fertilising with high amounts of nitrogen should be avoided.

If you want genuine TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda, contact your local Lawn Solutions Australia accredited turf member.