Bermuda and airstrip

HappyLandings – posted 07 June 2001 11:22

Putting airstrip in coastal bermuda pasture in NE GA. Am told coastal will come back after topsoil is replaced. Should I seed to speed the growth, if so w/ what? I eventually want a short grass w/ good root system, right now just want grass to grow.

seed – posted 07 June 2001 14:27

HappyLandings, I am having trouble picturing this. You are removing the organic topsoil in order to give the planes a good load-bearing landing surface? To what depth? And what kind of material are you using to replace the topsoil? Rock? And to what depth?

Whether the Coastal comes back depends on how much rhizome material was down there before disturbance, and at what depth.

Grass landing fields in Florida are normally planted to Argentine bahiagrass, but that’s not as cold tolerant as either Pensacola bahiagrass or Coastal bermuda. If you are below the Piedmont, however, Pensacola bahia can be easily established from seed. The Coastal is entirely planted from cuttings.

Downside is that when bahia produces its seedheads, it will be higher than Coastal.

Phil

HappyLandings – posted 08 June 2001 11:12

Am removing the topsoil for grading, then replacing it. The coastal in the topsoil should re-grow, however would like to use another type bermuda eventually, like common or Cheyenne. Another airstrip in this area has used Bahia and is very unhappy w/ it. I realize there are several hybrid bermudas and am looking for a good source on the characteristics of each. Sorry was so unclear in original post