Callie Bermuda grass

[Flacowboy]

I'm in NW Florida and was wondering if anyone knew if I would be able to grow it this far north. We get a few hard freezes in the winter but very few days below 30 degrees.

 

[novatech]

The conditions in my area sound about the same as yours. I have tried it and it does very well. However when we get hard freezes there will be some loss. The rate of growth seems to make up for it. Given the cost of planting you are better off planting tifton 85 from the start. It has at least the same rate of growth but you do not have to worry about freeze in your area.

 

[1982vett]

Highly prone to rust if I remember correctly.

 

[Jogeephus]

There is a field of it here that has been there for as long as I can remember. Why Callie?

 

[BeefmasterB]

I'm in NW Florida and was wondering if anyone knew if I would be able to grow it this far north. We get a few hard freezes in the winter but very few days below 30 degrees.

An exerpt from one study out of Ona, Florida: "Average daily gain among the four grasses
during the cool season was not significantly different, even though cool-season ADG of yearling
steers grazing Callie Bermuda grass was substantially lower than that for the other three
grasses (table 1).

For the complete study see http://jas.fass.org/cgi/reprint/58/3/535.pdf

I might consider Tifton 85 as well because of high protein content but the few days under 30 degrees could be risky for any newer plantings.