# Platinum Te Paspalum



## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

Anyone on here have some real world experience with Platinum Te? pros and cons. I know it's mostly Bermuda in the forum and the only stuff I can get near me is Celebration and Tifway 419. I hear the platinum tolerates a lower height of cut which would be nice since I have a Flex 21. Rolling out sod in the next 2 weeks and have to make a decision. I was set on latitude 36 but the farm next to me just sold out &#128078;.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

I don't know how low Te can go, but I've seen firsthand Celebration at .225". Not sure what your target is, but bermuda can get quite low and remain healthy with enough inputs.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@southernguy311 has it, but I haven't seen him post in a long time.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

Basically I'm limited because of my mower being 1/2" max Hoc. I have the time because of my job to mow 4 times a week and with Pgr it should help. I was told that Platinum could be mowed down to 1/8". I'm not going for that but would have to be under .5. I'm bummed they sold out of the Latitude 36.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

419 and Celebration can thrive @ a hoc under .500". I cut my collars (419) @ .250" and have 0 problems.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Seashore Paspalum is a finicky PITA unless it is growing on sand and irrigated with salt water. Something academics and people wanting you to buy grass will not tell you


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

@Greendoc that's good to know, they are growing it at Westcoast turf a couple miles south of me and it seems to be doing pretty good. I don't really know much about it I just read all the good stuff and never hear any of the real life issues that arise from it.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

@viva_oldtrafford I heard celebration loses that good color when mowed to low, whether that's true I don't know. I actually have the option of 419, Tifgreen, Tifdwarf, Celebration, or Platinum Te.


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Why not just opt for the tifdwarf?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

If someone has a greensmower, Tifdwarf is a good choice.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> If someone has a greensmower, Tifdwarf is a good choice.


Is Tifdwarf related to Seadwarf? 
Edit: Whoops, sounds like a Bermuda, not a Paspalum.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Seashore Paspalum is a finicky PITA unless it is growing on sand and *irrigated with salt water*. Something academics and people wanting you to buy grass will not tell you


There goes my future waterfront home dream!

Guessing Hawaii uses a lot of it...


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Green said:


> Greendoc said:
> 
> 
> > If someone has a greensmower, Tifdwarf is a good choice.
> ...


No relation. Tifdwarf is an old Bermuda variety. Tried and true. Seashore Paspalum has only been around as long as I have been in the lawn and landscape business since the 1990s. It was touted as some kind of miracle grass that does not live up to its billing in real life.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

I have a Toro Flex 21 so I have the mower for Tifdwarf or Tifgreen. What's the maintenance difference between a dwarf and other hybrids?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Tifgreen is even older than Tifdwarf. Difference I can see is in terms of density, color, and disease resistance. Tifdwarf grows lower and maintains density. i would use Tifdwarf.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> I don't know how low Te can go, but I've seen firsthand Celebration at .225". Not sure what your target is, but bermuda can get quite low and remain healthy with enough inputs.


Platinum TE is a greens grass. HOC 0.1 Not good unless you are irrigating with salt water. Because that green is soon taken over by contaminating grasses. Without constant irrigation by salt water, Bermuda and Zoysia if it is present in the environment will contaminate. That is what happens to most Seashore plantings in Hawaii that are not being irrigated with salt water.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Seashore Paspalum has only been around as long as I have been in the lawn and landscape business since the 1990s. It was touted as some kind of miracle grass that does not live up to its billing in real life.


I like the look of it at a 1/4-inch HOC. And it feels nice barefoot. Too bad it's not as robust under non-salt conditions. Sounds like it literally has to be near the ocean to hold up well.

I wonder how far North you can push it on the East coast and avoid Winterkill...


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Green said:


> Greendoc said:
> 
> 
> > Seashore Paspalum is a finicky PITA unless it is growing on sand and *irrigated with salt water*. Something academics and people wanting you to buy grass will not tell you
> ...


Most of it has issues with weeds and diseases that are hard to control. Other than being under siege by Armyworm and Sod Webworm a few times a year, Celebration and Tifgrand are rather easy to live with. Those grasses also make it through the time of the year where there is little to not sun for up to 6 months with flying colors. If he can get it, I actually like Tifgrand if it is going to be mowed with a greens mower.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Green said:
> 
> 
> > Greendoc said:
> ...


Sounds like he's considering all this advice...


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

I wish I could get TifGrand but Arizona is the closest state out west that has it. One small section has a pecan tree that's thinned out and canopy raised up to 18 ft. That's why I wanted to go Tifgrand because even though it's a small bit of shade at certain times of the day it's fine and can be mowed low.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I really mean it about the sand thing. Worst thing to do to this grass is plant it on clay or dirt. Because if you plant it on dirt, applying salt to the ground becomes risky. The clay will accumulate enough Sodium and Chlorides such that not even the SP grows. I have had to remediate a multi acre property where that happened. They were putting salt in a broadcast spreader to kill weeds. That area needed 2 tons of gypsum per acre applied every year to get rid of the salt so the grass would be healthy again. SP is not a simple no brainer grass to deal with. Someone that says that is not telling the truth or is dealing with it under its ideal conditions.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

So there's nothing for SP in regards to killing the weeds? Is that the main issue with it?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Yes. You are S O L if there is invasion by grassy weeds or contamination by Bermuda or Zoysia. You are also S O L if broadleaf weeds come up. Because the only products labeled are some PBI Gordon stuff like Speedzone Southern or Trimec Southern. I and the golf guys are lucky in that the regulatory agency looks the other way if I apply something not specifically listing SP. As long as no one files suit concerning injured or killed grass.

That is not all. SP is susceptible to Dollar Spot, Leaf Spot, Pythium, Take All, and Nematodes. The problem is very apparent on SP being grown on dirt and irrigated with fresh water. Irrigate with salt water on dirt or clay and you have the problem I described previously. Irrigate with fresh water on sand and you will need to apply salt as if it were a fertilizer.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

I wonder if it's growing good in our area cause we are mostly sandy loam and fine sandy loam soil? Westcoast turf is growing it and mowing it at .500, I didn't see any weeds in it. Would mowing low 3-4 a week choke out the weeds with a dense turf? Ultimately might just be easier to go with the Celebration


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I do know people that have weed free SP. They do not work. They are retired. They have time to mow 3-4 times a week. They also have time to walk their entire lawn every day and pull every weed before it goes to seed.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

I'm a firefighter I work 2 days on duty 4 off, so I have the time and being it's only 1700 sq ft yard. Just don't know if that's a road I want to go down. I know Celebration would be an aggressive beast of a grass.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Celebration is easier to live with. Key is to not apply 1 lb of N per month. I have never experienced crazy, fast growing Bermuda unless it is over fertilized. I have experienced crazy Zoysia. All it takes for that is a little too much water. I wish could see crazy SP. It is normally in situations not to its liking because the academics and sod people sell it as grass that can grow anywhere under any conditions.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Jackofalltrades said:


> @viva_oldtrafford I heard celebration loses that good color when mowed to low, whether that's true I don't know. I actually have the option of 419, Tifgreen, Tifdwarf, Celebration, or Platinum Te.


No, quite the opposite, honestly (my experience).

Do not get tifdwarf. I manage 4 acres of tifdwarf (my greens) and it is, by no means, a type of grass that a homeowner should own....at all. You do not have enough money and time to keep it looking good. Trust me.

Paspalum grasses are saline tolerant, yes. But this does not mean that they need salt to thrive. They can do extremely well in low EC (salt) environments - they're popping up more and more on local golf courses.

Salt ≠ sodium. Salt issues and sodium issues are two very distinct issues with each having its own method of curative action.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

In low salt environments, it is extremely hard work to keep the stand pure. #1 problem in Hawaii courses planted to Paspalum is Bermuda and Zoyisa contamination, in addition to difficulties controlling Crabgrass and Goosegrass.

I agree on the no Tifdwarf or even Tifgreen for that matter. 30 years ago, almost every maintained lawn in Hawaii was Tifgreen or Tifdwarf. Loss of Diazinon, Mancozeb, and Chlorthalonil, along with a change in the climate caused just about every one of those lawns to die. Many of those lawns were replaced with SP. Those died as well. The ones that died were re done a third time to Zoysia. Most of those did rather well provided the Nematodes did not become a problem.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

So is the Celebration the way to go than? It'll do ok between .350-.500?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I think so. More is known about Bermuda than Seashore Paspalum. Like I said, no such thing as SP 40 years ago. Celebration also handles partial shade rather well. Does not weaken next to houses, fences or under trees.


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## jayhawk (Apr 18, 2017)

I would search southernguy311 posts. It was looking great.....he's advanced, not a noob

There are others in California with it on here.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

I read or someone on here said that Celebration is best at 1". Something to consider if you like to mow low. I asked about the difference between tifway, tifgreen, and celebration yesterday if you want to find that thread. A lot of people had some stuff to say about celebration.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Or get a pallet of tifgrand shipped in


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

@jayhawk ya I've been looking through them, he's lawn looks great but wonder if it's worth rolling the dice or going with a well known tried and true grass. Like I said earlier my max Hoc is .50 and I can't get tifgrand or latitude 36. That's why the Platinum TE is so appealing.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

@Movingshrub the shipping out here was twice as much as the grass when I started looking into getting grass sent here.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Jackofalltrades said:


> @Movingshrub the shipping out here was twice as much as the grass when I started looking into getting grass sent here.


Road trip.

In all seriousness, not to sound like a sprig fan boy. You can get sprigs shipped in a climate controlled truck. Have you considered that? The weight is way less versus 3-4 pallets of sod.


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## Jackofalltrades (Jul 17, 2018)

I thought about that, closest road trip to get tifgrand is 10 hours, latitude 36 is 8 hours and tiftuf is 6 hours away. I've never really considered sprigging.


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## southernguy311 (Mar 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> Seashore Paspalum is a finicky PITA unless it is growing on sand and irrigated with salt water. Something academics and people wanting you to buy grass will not tell you


Actually

Some that might be true, but not for all.

Pike Creek in Adel, GA tried to talk me out of buying Paspalum and attempted to steer me towards Zoysia instead.


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## southernguy311 (Mar 17, 2017)

Jack,

Greendoc and OldTrafford have offered you very honest and valuable advice.

Paspalum= less water, N, Mowing, verticutting. More micro nutrient management, more fungal issues, more expensive specialty herbicide needs.

Bermuda- More water, more N, more mowing, more verticutting. Easier herbicide management, less chance of invasion.

Both have their positives and negatives. I love my Paspalum, but it's definitely challenging at times. I love the way it looks and it brings me joy.

If you do decide to go the Bermuda route, my personal recommendation is Latitude 36 even if it costs you a little more transportation.

Come on You Spurs


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

southernguy311 said:


> Jack,
> 
> Greendoc and OldTrafford have offered you very honest and valuable advice.
> 
> ...


What makes you suggest lat36 over all the options out there?


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## southernguy311 (Mar 17, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> southernguy311 said:
> 
> 
> > Jack,
> ...


NTEP trials, first hand experience from multiple sports turf managers I know, cold hardiness. I also prefer the blade size and turf color compared to celebration.


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