Creeping Bluegrass has good drought and grazing tolerance, with strong creeping stolons (runners). Suited to a wide range of soil types. Bisset is finer in the stem, later maturing and more stoloniferous than hatch. Creeping Bluegrass can be slower to establish than other grasses.
Hatch and Bisset are often characterised by their prostrate growth habit and invasive stolons pink stolons root readily at nodes to facilitate its spread. It can be invasive if not controlled. It is suitable for grazing, weed or erosion control.
Bisset replaced Hatch for the drier areas and it has better leaf rust resistance and drought tolerance. It is a composite of two accessions registered by DPI in 1990.
Africa, India and Sicily
Growth habit – low growing tufted perennial with invasive stolons. Stolons root readily at the nodes to give it a creeping characteristic. The plants can form a dense sward and can be invasive. Leaves and stems have a characteristic smell.
Uses – for grazing and for erosion/weed control. It can tolerate heavy grazing and frequent grazing can reduce stem lignifications. Its invasive and persistent growth habit makes it particularly suitable for erosion or weed control, as it can provide a complete ground cover or suppress other species.
Adaptation – can grow well in 700mm – 1,000mm rainfall zones and may need to be controlled due to its invasive growth habit. It can tolerate drought and remain persistent.
Seeds are small, light and chaffy – can affect seeding operation, thus recommended the use of coated seeds. Bare seeds averaged at 1.2 million seeds/kg (often clustered as a seed unit with 1 sessile and 1 pedicellate spikelet).
Seed dormancy – can be a problem in freshly harvested seeds, requiring seeds to be aged for 4-6 months.
Bare seed 1-4kg/ha
Coated seed at 2-8kg/ha
Planting Rate (kg/ha): Marginal Dryland 6-8, Good Dryland 10-12, irrigated 12-15