Are you building a putting green?

I'm not planning a putting green, more so mowing at fairway height 1/2"-3/4".

I'm not planning a putting green, more so mowing at fairway height 1/2"-3/4".

I would spend all my time NOW perfecting the surface for seeding and then NEVER topdressing again. Just put that idea out of your thought processes.

Stop! Go back. You're heading to the 'darkest side' of homeowner lawns!! Yes, I'm smiling! But before making the plunge make sure you consider what bent means and research the heck out of it. Quality bent fairways are cut 2-3 times weekly and aerated regularly to maintain that appearance. They don't take weekends off or go on vacations. In my opinion, I also think 3/4" is too high for the density of a T-1. For a fairway bent I suggest you back off on the density and opt for more traditional fairway types. I'm a big fan of Crystal Bluelinks. Fast coverage, developed with fairways in mind, and a unique blue-green color. There's also the 'old-school', such as Pennlinks II, Penneagle II, or blends of such. Remember too that when you go bent, you 'never' go back. It's difficult to maintain and just as hard to get rid of! In 36 years of doing this I've seen one quality 'residential' bent turf. It was owned by a gentleman named Fluor ( as in Corporation ) and he had a personal 'greens keeper'! Of course, he could afford it! Check out the Jacklin Seed website on T-1 and their other bents. The guy who wrote the specs and maintenance guides has made a career out of bents and golf courses. It's good stuff and well written. For the CBL and other PennBents check out Tee-2-Green's site. Also well done. Good luck!

I am sure you have put a lot of thought into this but just to make sure. (1)Your going to need a reel mower and going to need to mow at least twice a week in the summer or more if you don't use growth regulators.(2) Fungicides required at least every two weeks mid spring through early fall.(3) Automated irrigation system. (4) Pre emergent herbicides spring and late summer to help keep out crabgrass and poa. (5) Core aerifications and or vertical mowing mid spring and early fall to help manage thatch.
Your cultivar selection I think you should reconsider. The newer ultra dense bentgrasses do not like to to be mowed over a quarter if an inch. A mowing height of half to three quarters of an inch would be more suited to a variety like Penncross.

I'm glad you're here polyguy.

Alwaysomething, why did you decide on bentgrass?

Just a follow up on the progress, and thank you for the input. I seeded and starter on August 9, and seedlings showed on the 13th. I watered 3 times a day for 5 minutes for the first 2 weeks, then adjusted in down to twice a day. I am mowing it a 1/2 inch about every 4 days now, it was every other day. The pictures are taken on my phone, and they don't do it justice. I get some many complements on how it looks and feels like carpet. I just hope it makes it through the winter.

Very nice. How are you watering it now? Still 2x per day? Because that's waaaaay too much.

I am watering maybe once a week, we have been getting some light rain. So it gets watered 2 or 3 times a week. It has been in the 40's at night and 60's during the day. I don't think I want to much moisture, then it would be more susceptible to disease?

With temps in the 60s and zero rain, you would be watering no more than once a month. With any rain at all, just watch the grass for signs of wilting. Then you could water deeply.

Oh, so I am still watering more than I should.

That's right. Watering properly seems to be the hardest part of growing grass. The amount of water your grass needs is a complicated function of soil type, soil structure, soil temperature, soil moisture content, air temperature, humidity, sun/shade/clouds, wind (and even wind direction), grass type, grass height, soil organic matter, grass height, and root depth. I'm sure I'm leaving out other factors. We do what we can to simplify the process, but it's just something the grass has to tell you. If you watch the grass for wilting and simultaneously watch your calendar, you'll see a pattern emerge. For most of us, when the temps are consistently in the 70s, and if we have developed an infrequent watering habit, then the grass can go 3 weeks without wilting. With temps in the 80s it takes only 2 weeks to wilt. With temps in the 90s it will wilt in a week. Remember this is for grass which is used to deep infrequent watering. Then when the temp gets into the 100s every day, you might have to go to watering every 5 days. THIS IS A GENERAL GUIDELINE. But as a guideline it is much MUCH better than the idea of simply watering every day or every other day. Oh and when the temps fall into the 60s or below, you can water monthly until mid spring.

Some people have a special gene which makes them want to water on a fixed schedule all year long. For my niece's husband that is daily. Unfortunately for him, he lives in California. When the water restrictions kicked in, his grass had no roots and he lost his entire lawn in about 2 weeks.

Just a quick update, the lawn came in nice after the winter, which I was worried about being the first year. I fertilized soon after the snow melted, and am pleased, and it was green well before the neighbors and look so much better. I think I am going to do the front yard this year. I get so many compliments on it, and as long as I have time to keep up with the maintenance it, I enjoy the barefoot feel.