Why should you choose Buffalograss?

It was native Buffalograss over which the settlers drove their wagons when they crossed the Missouri River heading west, and it was on the Buffalograss prairie that the American Indians found the buffalo that provided them with food, clothing and implements for their ceremonial rites. Buffalograss is the only turfgrass that is native to North America and, at one time, it was prevalent from Canada to Mexico. Today, this great grass is making a comeback! Pressures that range from water conservation to the demand for low maintenance are bringing Buffalograss back into the picture in a big way as landscape architects, golf course superintendents, landscape contractors and homeowners seek the many attributes that this fine turfgrass offers. For Pioneer Plaza in Dallas, Michael S. Kendall, ASLA, (American Society of Landscape Architects) noted that Buffalograss was used for several reasons. "The entire theme of the project was to be native and Buffalograss was native to this part of the country before civilization moved in. Besides that, we wanted the grass to grow just as high as it wanted to and then the people would make the paths where they wanted them to be as they strolled through the site." He added, "within the family of plant materials, Buffalograss gave us the look we wanted and, added to that, demands one-fourth the amount of water and doesn’t need to be mowed. It is also a tough grass that grows in hard soils and that is what we had on the site. We’re extremely pleased!" Water conservation was one of the prime reasons why Larry Clark, ASLA, vice president of Bender, Inc. of San Antonio, chose Buffalograss at La Cantera, the development in which Fiesta Texas is located. "We chose Buffalograss for all the areas outside Fiesta Texas because it is a beautiful grass without irrigation and in many places, irrigation was not feasible, especially along the Parkway and medians running through the development. Besides that, the low fertilizer needs attracted us because the area is in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone and heavy fertilization can cause problems," Clark continued. Low maintenance has been a factor in the use of Buffalograss by highway departments along major highways. The height of six inches and the turf coverage that it
offers has also been important in many residential uses.

Why Buffalograsses? Because it answers the needs that those who deal with the design, planting and maintenence of turf grasses in a myriad of circumstances have found to work best!

Should you use seed or sod?

Residential Lawn with Seeded Buffalograss

If cost is no object and instant green is a requirement, then sodding is the only way to accomplish this feat. But, today, cost is definitely a factor in almost ever instance and seeding is the answer. According to figures released by Bamert Seed Company, the cost of one pallet of Prairie Buffalograss costs $175. That pallet contains 450 square feet of sod making the average cost per 1,000 square feet $390. "Two pounds of Topgun Buffalograss seed is approximately $18 and covers the same 1,000 square feet," Nick Bamert said. "Buffalograss seed is less than 5 percent the cost of sod." He continued, "add to that the cost of laying the sod at approximately $.15 per square foot, adding $150 to the cost per 1,000 square feet. "To carry that equation further, the cost of the sod and its installation costs $540 per 1,000 square feed or $23,220 per acre. "The cost of planting seed will vary depending on the type of installation – whether a landscape contractor uses a hydromulcher or a homeowner plants his yard using his fertilizer spreader – but, an estimate of $10 per 1,000 square feet would be a good average and that would make the cost of seeding 1,000 square feet, just $28, or $430 per acre," Bamert estimated. Seed can be purchased in the burr or dehulled. Dehulling is the process of removing the caryopsis from a burr about the size of a matchhead.

Each burr contains four or five caryopsis. Dehulled seed, which is obviously more expensive, begins germinating within five to seven days. Seed still in the burrs begins  germinating in 10 t0 14 days and the cost of dehulled seed is about $45 per pound with a planting rate of one pound per 1,000 square feet. A pound of primed Buffalograss seed currently costs $7 to $12 per pure live seed (purity X germination + hard seed) pound, depending on quantity. It is planted at the rate of two pounds per 1,000 square feet for lawns and in lesser amounts for parks and outlying areas. If cost is a consideration and so often it is – then seed is the answer – seed is 5 percent of the cost of sod.

Can it be planted anywhere?

Mowed Buffalograss at the Muleshoe Historical Museum

There are few situations — with the possible exception of very shady areas — where Buffalograss is not the answer!

PARKWAYS AND MEDIANS - Once again the fact that it is virtually impossible – without a water truck – to get water to these areas and they need to look good with just the moisture the rains afford, plus the fact that mowing is expensive, give Buffalograss the "edge" in these situations.

GOLF COURSES – The "rough" can be just what it should be with Buffalograss and recently, some golf course designers and superintendents are opting to use Buffalograss in the fairways and mowing it, primarily because of its low water requirements, according to Bill Campbell of B. D. C., Inc., who is currently using Bamert’s TOPGUN Buffalograss seed at The Field of Greens Golf Course in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In the Midwest and the Southwest, water – or the lack of it – is sometimes a most important factor and Buffalograss will stand up to the vagaries of   the weather – heat, cold, drought – better than any other type of turf.

Sodded Buffalograss at Fiesta Texas

RESIDENCES – More and more homeowners are discovering Buffalograss. Gone are the days when everyone wanted to spend lots of time watering their yard or their money buying a sprinkler system, not to mention the choice of mowing "once in a while" compared to getting out the lawnmower every week. This combined with the recommendation that no fertilizer is actually required – although Bamert suggests that it is beneficial to apply a 13-13-13 fertilizer at the rate of 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet at planting to help promote growth. "After the lawn is established, an annual application of nitrogen will improve density and increase competitiveness against weeds," Nick Bamert suggested. No matter the situation, Buffalograss can make life a great deal easier for whomever has the responsibility of making sure the "grass is green all around!" 

Why is Bamert Seed special?

Bamert Seed Company facilities, Muleshoe, TX

Bamert Seed Company, one of the largest native grass seed producer in the United States, is proud to lead the industry in the release of the first two turf type seeded varieties of Buffalograss – TOPGUN AND PLAINS. Both varieties were entered in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Trials. These growouts compared all sod and seed varieties in 22 locations throughout the United States. TOPGUN and PLAINS excelled in all categories, especially in color and density ratings.

TOPGUN

Topgun is our best turf variety, was developed for its color, density, height, early green-up and late dormancy. The dark green color and short growth – 4 to 5 inches – make it the most desirable for the landscape. It is faster spreading and has a denser turf than most other varieties. TOPGUN is the first Buffalograss that is approved under the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVP) and is certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture. In the National Turfgrass Evaluation Trials, it was rated high for its leaf texture, density and frost tolerances, meaning it stays green longer in the fall.

PLAINS

Plains is a taller, greener, faster spreading variety of Buffalograss was released by Bamert Seed Company in 1992. Its upright growth of 5 to 7 inches aggressively shades out weeds and other competing grasses. Being slightly taller and having a more extensive root system makes it more desirable for roadsides and in low maintenance areas to help control erosion. In the National Turfgrass Trials, it was rated highest in genetic color, spring greenup and frost tolerance.

OTHER NATIVE GRASS VARIETIES

Buffalograss is not the only native grass produced by Bamert Seed Company. They also produce Bluestem, Grama Grass, Indiangrass, Kleingrass, Lovegrass,   Switchgrass, Wheatgrass, Forbs and miscellaneous other grasses, plus forage sorghum and millet field seed. Jerry Williams of Landscape Design, the contractor who planted Bamert TOPGUN at Pioneer Plaza said, "We have bought a number of native grass seeds from them and we will continue to do so."

THE HISTORY OF BAMERT SEED COMPANY

It all started in 1951 when Carl Bamert began producing native grass seed for the farmers who had put their land in U. S. government’s sponsored "soil bank",  which meant they had to take land out of crop production and plant it in grass. The farmers were paid for the land they did not plant in crops. Side oats were the first "seed crop" that Bamert planted and sold. The Bamert family not only produces many varieties of seed on their farms in Bailey County near Muleshoe, Texas, but their processing facility is one of the most up-to-date in the country.

In 1995, the Conservation Reserve Program designated highly erodable land be planted back to native grasses to prevent further erosion. Again, Bamert had the types of grasses to answer the need. Almost 20 years ago, Bamert Seed Company began producing Buffalograss and today they are the largest Buffalograss seed producer in the country, furnishing Buffalograss seed to customers throughout the United States from Disney World to the coast of California. The other huge variety of grass seed the company produces is also shipped all over the country.