SOD SPECIFICATIONS:
EXCALIBRE-SEASHORE PASPALUM
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Excalibre Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum), is a blue-green, warm season turf species with a medium textured, upright leaf blade. Propagated from stolons, Excalibre is a moderately aggressive turf that exhibits more than double the salt tolerance of the bermudagrasses. With a heavy network of both stolons and rhizomes, Excalibre also exhibits excellent heat and drought tolerance and grows well in both acid and alkaline soils, sand or clay.
RECOMMENDED USES: Excalibre performs exceptionally well in all turf areas irrigated by effluent or non-potable water and has been widely used by both the golf industry and municipalities in Southern California. It is an ideal grass for turf areas planted immediately adjacent to the ocean, where salt spray and high waves are common occurences.
COMPOSITION: Excalibre is grown from high quality stolons which are propagated in a controlled cultural environment. This results in a healthy sod which is virtually free of weeds, disease, and insect problems.
SHIPPING STANDARDS: Excalibre is harvested by machine to a uniform thickness of 3/4 inch, plus or minus 1/8 inch, plus top growth. It is folded with the soil facing out to protect the grass from damage. Each full pallet contains approximately 500 square feet of sod. Excalibre is shipped sufficiently dry for transportation and handling, yet moist enough to facilitate installation. It should be installed immediately after delivery. Shipping pallets are the property of Pacific Sod. Should pallet pick-up be required, please make arrangements with the office from which the sod was ordered.
DROUGHT & TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE: When properly maintained, Excalibre will withstand the summer heat of Southern California's deserts. Its drought tolerance is similar to the bermudagrasses and greater than tall fescue and St. Augustine.
SALT TOLERANCE: Excalibre is extremely tolerant to high salt contiditions, exhibiting more than twice the salt tolerance of the bermudas. In salt tolerance tests, Excalibre remained healthy despite regular applications of salt solutions equivalent to 50% sea water.
WEAR TOLERANCE: Excalibre exhibits good wear tolerance, but is not as wear tolerant as the bermudas. It will recover well from moderate damage.
SHADE TOLERANCE: Excalibre has greater shade tolerance than the bermudas, but less than St. Augustine.
COLOR: Excalibre has a brighter, darker color than most bermudas with a blue-green color very similar to Kentucky Bluegrass. Excalibre produces very little seed head.
DORMANCY. Along the south coast, properly maintained Excalibre will generally exhibit a 'winter color' similar to GN-1 and Tifway bermudagrasses, with only short periods of dormancy. Dormancy in inland areas will generally last from late November through mid-March.
THATCH: Excalibre produces less thatch than most hybrid bermudas and St.Augustine. Maintenance practices that include a regular mowing schedule during the growing season, a low fertilization program, and an annual light verticutting to help keep thatch under control.
 
ESTABLISHMENT & MAINTENANCE
WATERING: To avoid
drying out and enable the new sod to root down, newly planted Excalibre should
be watered daily and kept wet during the first 7- 10 days. Once the new sod has
rooted into the soil, watering frequency should be reduced. Due to varying soil
and climate conditions, it is difficult to recommend a definite watering schedule.
However, a deep soaking every 5-7 days is generally adequate during the
growing season. Desert environments may require more frequent deep
waterings.
MOWING: Excalibre may be mowed from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch,
depending on preference and growing conditions. Using a reel mower, Excalibre
should be mowed at least weekly during the growing season. Avoid scalping.
FERTILIZATION: Four pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn applied
over a 12 month period is considered the minimum for a good quality turf. Water
soluble nitrogen fertilizers, such as ammonium sulfate, are the most effective
products for Excalibre turf. Should a complete fertilizer (N-P-K) be required, fall
applications are the most beneficial. Three one-pound applications of nitrogen per
1,000 square feet in the fall months, followed by a single one pound application
of nitrogen in the spring is considered the ideal program. Do not fertilize during
the summer months.
WEED, INSECT AND DISEASE CONTROLS: Excalibre is
virtually free of weeds, insects, and disease when it is delivered. However, in
some lawn installations, weed and insect problems may occur from close
proximity to neighboring lawns having these problems. Various cultural practices
may be used to reduce these problems; however, should chemical controls be
required, they should be used in accordance with the written instructions
provided by the manufacturer. Excalibre is very susceptible to damage from
Phenoxy-type herbicides.
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