Grass with Endophytes

Next time you want to fight off bugs eating your lawn, try doing it right from the start. That's right, there is a way to build insect resistance into your turf and it comes right in the seed.

Endophytes (pronounced END-O-FIGHTS) are technically a plant within a plant. Simply put, they make your lawn undesirable to bugs... things like billbugs, chinch bugs and sod webworms.

These endophytes will also help a lawn perform better through a drought and even help your lawn resist a couple common lawn diseases like dollar spot and red thread.

Pretty much a win-win situation for most homeowners. One caution would be for anyone raising livestock not to use the endophyte grass varieties since they will make animals sick.

Unfortunately, you won't find endophytes in Kentucky Bluegrass and creeping bentgrass just yet, but they are commonly available in fescues and perennial ryegrass varieties.

Even more than other types of grass seed it is very important for the seed to be fresh, no older than 12 months would be best. Seeding is done at the same seeding rates that you would use when applying non-endophyte seed.

The chart below lists some of the varieties available for you to try.

Endophyte Grasses

Perennial Ryegrass
Manhattan 4
Palmer III
Pennant II
Pinnacle II
Seville II

Chewings Fescue
Jamestown II
Shadow II
Treasure

Creeping Red Fescue
Jasper II

Turf Type Tall Fescue
Constitution
Justice
Mustang 4
Rebel Sentry
Tuxedo

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