The mulch may reduce the frequency of watering from 5 to 7 times per day to 2 to 3 times per day. Under ideal conditions germination may begin five days after seeding. Frequent fertilization is also helpful to establish a cover of bentgrass on these sand mixtures. A starter fertilizer might be applied before seeding and one month later. Soluble nitrogen fertilizers can be applied at light rates at 10-day intervals after seeding until a complete cover develops.
Early fall is the best time to seed bentgrass in the South.
Spring planting dates do not allow adequate growing time for plants to mature prior to summer stress. Intensive management and frequent observation are keys to the success of bentgrass golf greens in the South. Watering, fertilization, mowing, cultivation, and pests must be closely managed to keep bentgrass greens during summer months. Water must be closely managed to meet the moisture needs of the grass, but not exclude oxygen from the soil. Water also serves to moderate the temperature during heat stress periods.