# Champion GQ Perennial Rye Grass vs Barenbrug RPR



## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

Anyone have any experience with Barenbrug RPR? Last fall I did a complete reno with 100% Champion GQ PRG and am thinking about overseeding this fall with Barenburg RPR to gain it healing attributes like KBG. I already have my spring overseed planned with another round Champion GQ. My concern is the color difference. I am not sure if there is one between the Champion GQ and the Barenburg RPR or any other PRG for that matter.

Any insight would be helpful :thumbup:


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## jha4aamu (Oct 16, 2017)

i have used both. and the barenbrug RPR was noticably lighter the the GQ.


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

jha4aamu said:


> i have used both. and the barenbrug RPR was noticably lighter the the GQ.


Thanks for your insight :thumbup: I love the way GQ grass is looking. I wonder if PGR would help deepen the color of a Barenbrug RPR lawn..


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## DTTG13 (Apr 14, 2018)

You could also look into Natural Knit PRG. I've used it before and had good success with it. Decent color and density, but like a lot of PRG, has some winter die off.

https://ledeboerseed.com/Natural_Knit.html

https://horttrades.com/assets/1421942325.IPM_Symposium_-_In_Search_of_the_Magic_Bullet_-_Pam_Charbonneau.pdf


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

DTTG13 said:


> You could also look into Natural Knit PRG. I've used it before and had good success with it. Decent color and density, but like a lot of PRG, has some winter die off.
> 
> https://ledeboerseed.com/Natural_Knit.html
> 
> https://horttrades.com/assets/1421942325.IPM_Symposium_-_In_Search_of_the_Magic_Bullet_-_Pam_Charbonneau.pdf


Sweet! Will have to look into this grass seed. Thanks for the info :thumbup:


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Champion GQ is a blend of SRO PRG seeds, so the mix of cultivars changes over time. Do you know if any of the bags of Champion GQ you have used have contained "Sideways PRG"? If so, this is know to/marketed as a spreading PRG, so you may have some self healing properties on your lawn, already.

I used Champion GQ in an overseed before I reno'd and the bag I received from Hancock seed was 40-50% Sideways.

If not, maybe that would be a good choice for your overseed, since it boasts lateral spread, and should mix well, since it is often a large component of the blend.

http://www.sroseed.com/Files/Files/SRO_USA/Tech_Sheets/Turfgrass/Perennial_Ryegrass/Sideways_ts.pdf


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

gm560 said:


> Champion GQ is a blend of SRO PRG seeds, so the mix of cultivars changes over time. Do you know if any of the bags of Champion GQ you have used have contained "Sideways PRG"? If so, this is know to/marketed as a spreading PRG, so you may have some self healing properties on your lawn, already.
> 
> I used Champion GQ in an overseed before I reno'd and the bag I received from Hancock seed was 40-50% Sideways.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your input! I had no idea I may have had some of the sideways mix in my GQ :shock: . Unfortunately I have no idea if the bag of Champion GQ i ordered from Hancock last season contained any "sideways PRG". I have a bag of Champion GQ arriving this week from Hancock and will definitely look into the mix cultivars. Hopefully It will contain some sideways.. :thumbup:


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

@Seeking_Turf take a picture of the seed label when you get it and dint delete it. You'll want to renember what you out down this time :thumbup:


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

SR4600 is a spreading type, too.


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

Jconnelly6b said:


> @Seeking_Turf take a picture of the seed label when you get it and dint delete it. You'll want to renember what you out down this time :thumbup:


Definitely! Won't make that mistake again going forward :thumbup: When I decided to go with the PRG I already accepted the fact of constant overseeding to fix any damaged areas ect... But after reading about lateral spreading PRG i was intrigued :lol:


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

Green said:


> SR4600 is a spreading type, too.


Fingers crossed that it contains some SR600. According to hancock's description, Champion GQ contains some SR4600.

https://hancockseed.com/products/champion-gq-perennial-ryegrass-seed


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

It looks like one of the other cultivars I received (Mighty) is listed as spreading as well. I think to address your original question, unless you have some adverse results, I would keep throwing down GQ. The blend is targeted at golf courses (GQ = Golf Quality), it appears SRO has intentionally focused on self repairing qualities to meet golf course requirements. No need to look elsewhere!


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## Jayray (Aug 8, 2018)

gm560 said:


> It looks like one of the other cultivars I received (Mighty) is listed as spreading as well. I think to address your original question, unless you have some adverse results, I would keep throwing down GQ. The blend is targeted at golf courses (GQ = Golf Quality), it appears SRO has intentionally focused on self repairing qualities to meet golf course requirements. No need to look elsewhere!


Right now you are 100% KBG? Are you thinking of overseeding it with Champion PRG? It seems to be all the rage (or maybe it feels that way since Connor did it) but I'm debating doing an overseeding with it this year.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

No. I am not overseeding with PRG. I just reno'd my lawn last fall with all KBG. I was trying to help the OP with his question about the merits of one blend vs another.

I had experience overseeding with Champion GQ prior to killing it. The seed was great. My one issue was the stalks in the summer. I think the reel low guys avoid this with frequent haircuts.


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## Kissfromnick (Mar 25, 2019)

Here mix of rpr, hgt and rtf from barenbrug.


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

Kissfromnick said:


> Here mix of rpr, hgt and rtf from barenbrug.


Looks great! Thanks for sharing...


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

Just received my 50lbs bag of Champion GQ Perennial Rye Grass. Here are the cultivars:

32.95% - Cutter II Perennial Ryegrass
32.92% - Harrier Perennial Ryegrass
32.45% - SR4650 Perennial Ryegrass

According to http://www.sroseed.com/Files/Files/SRO_USA/Tech_Sheets/Turfgrass/Perennial_Ryegrass/SR_4650_ts.pdf
The SR4650 has some Early development of spreading rhizomes...

What makes this different from lateral spreading PRG? 
Does it mean it only spreads during germination and not throughout its life cycle?


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Seeking_Turf said:


> The SR4650 has some Early development of spreading rhizomes...
> 
> What makes this different from lateral spreading PRG?
> Does it mean it only spreads during germination and not throughout its life cycle?


It means that after one cold cycle (Winter) the SR4650 tends to start being able to spread. It does not mean that it will only do so the first year.

"Rhizomes" is not really accurate, though; I think their marketing people must have come up with that.

The way most PR grows, is it's a bunch-type grass. The SR4650 is also a bunch-type. The difference is, it has "determinate stolons", which are like modified tillers; they're longer than the usual tillers, so it's less bunchy and can fill in small holes under the right conditions. But they start to form after one cold cycle in general.

Here's a photo I took showing how TTPR spreads. Note the daughter plant on the left:








This was actually an ASP cultivar and not an SR cultivar (different company's grass). But they're essentially equivalent in growth habit.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Also, I believe @fusebox7 used Harrier back when he had TTPR.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Not sure about their marketing language. But I think its fair to say it will achieve your goals. Looks like it did well in the 2015 NTEP stress trials:



And was top rated cultivar in North Central Region, too:


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## Seeking_Turf (May 2, 2018)

Thanks for all the great information!!


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

@Green - yes Harrier has been observed to spread away from the parent plant, though very closely as you've noted. I'd consider it "extended tillering" as it's nowhere near the robust rhizome development and length that KBG plants have.


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

I actually just ordered some more Champion GQ for quick repair needs in some areas I'm expanding the yard into near the woods. Same cultivars listed as you. CGQ is always known to have at least 2 spreading types.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

fusebox7 said:


> I actually just ordered some more Champion GQ for quick repair needs in some areas I'm expanding the yard into near the woods. Same cultivars listed as you. CGQ is always known to have at least 2 spreading types.


Where did you purchase if I might ask?
And do you mean they always try to include two spreading varieties out of the three? I'm currently using up the last of my old bag.


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

@Green I've always purchased Champion GQ from Hancock Seed in Florida. Always had a good experience dealing with them. Maybe I didn't mean to say what I did but in the 3-4 bags of CGQ I've purchased in the past I've found at least 2 of each of the 3 cultivars to be noted as spreading types (whether in marketing or field studies). In this case we know Harrier and SR4650 are definitely spreaders. Don't know much about Cutter 2 but supposedly is very hardy and "vigorous".


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

@fusebox7, it does sound like Cutter II may be a spreader, too.

Mine has SR4600, SR4420, and Zoom.

I guess DLF Pickseed owns SRO. Cutter II is branded under Pickseed.

I noticed DLF also has a cultivar called Hancock. I would not be surprised if it's named after Hancock Seed. Just a guess. I guess in Northen Florida, they use PR for Winter overseeding in Bermuda golf courses. In South Florida there's no need for that, as Bermuda and other warm season grasses stay fairly green all Winter, since temps are still in the 60s to 80s during the day and mostly 60s at night.


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## Muddysneakers77 (Nov 3, 2018)

I ordered and planted a few weeks ago, some champion GQ, from Hancock, in Florida. 2 of the 3 were Harrier 4650 iirc and one other. Took 9 days to germinate and I was mowing it 3 weeks. It is the darkest, most beautiful emerald green I have seen in grass. Thick and healthy. Buying more in the fall to overseed my old lawn.


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## fusebox7 (Jul 27, 2017)

Green said:


> I noticed DLF also has a cultivar called Hancock. I would not be surprised if it's named after Hancock Seed. Just a guess.


Maybe... seems like "Hancock" is a pretty popular surname in the turf industry. MSU has Hancock Turfgrass Research Center, for example. I still need to get over there and make some friends since it's right down the road from me


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