Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Green
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Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » January 10th, 2019, 3:11 pm

I'm having trouble finding a seller that has or expects to have Rugby II KBG seed in the near future. I've called a bunch of the usual suspects where I've purchased it in the past, but they all say they don't/won't have it this year, or that there's a small chance of having it this Spring. One told me that a lot of this depends on the seed yield of the variety, and the acreage planted that year, as well as the weather. Another salesman said he strongly suspects this cultivar might be on its way out. If true, this means that two of the three KBG cultivars and one of the two TTTF cultivars in my lawn mix may be on their way out. Not cool. Anyone know of a place that has or expects to have Rugby II this Spring?

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andy10917
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Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by andy10917 » January 10th, 2019, 9:34 pm

Here's how I go about locating a difficult-to-find cultivar, or find out I'm wasting my time:

Call the company that owns the cultivar and ask them who they're selling to (wholesalers). Then call those wholesalers and ask where I can get the cultivar. If it's going to be distributed, that's the trail to follow...

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » January 10th, 2019, 9:39 pm

andy10917 wrote:
January 10th, 2019, 9:34 pm
Here's how I go about locating a difficult-to-find cultivar, or find out I'm wasting my time:

Call the company that owns the cultivar and ask them who they're selling to (wholesalers). Then call those wholesalers and ask where I can get the cultivar. If it's going to be distributed, that's the trail to follow...
Yeah, I actually called another company today seeking info about the status of a different cultivar, at the urging of a dealer who also suggested doing that. I found out that particular cultivar wasn't grown in 2018 at all, and might or might not be in 2019. It only took a two-minute conversation with the company that owned the rights to it to find out.

I suspect the same for Rugby II, as that's what the dealers thought was likely, but I would like to call Simplot to find out for sure...just need to look up their number.

Thanks also for the wholesaler tip when asking them.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » January 10th, 2019, 9:45 pm

How do you usually approach it when you do it that way...
Do you ask specifically which wholesalers they sold that cultivar to in the past year? As I understand it, don't they (owners of it) sometimes sell directly to the dealers we use, as well?

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by andy10917 » January 10th, 2019, 9:54 pm

You can keep chasing "the usual suspects" one at a time, but you're more likely to get a hit if you ask the top of the food chain. I've found them to often be very accommodating...


Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » January 10th, 2019, 10:03 pm

Cool, thank you again.

PW405
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Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by PW405 » January 12th, 2019, 11:30 am

Green - I actually bought some Rugby II from Hogan in September. Unfortunately, I only bought a few lbs and have less than 3lbs remaining, otherwise I'd be happy to part with what I had left over.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » January 12th, 2019, 1:17 pm

PW405 wrote:
January 12th, 2019, 11:30 am
Green - I actually bought some Rugby II from Hogan in September. Unfortunately, I only bought a few lbs and have less than 3lbs remaining, otherwise I'd be happy to part with what I had left over.
Thanks for the info. According to another member, that Rugby II was sod certified seed at Hogan. If I had known it was going to go out of stock and be impossible to find, I would have bought a couple of pounds back then. I have about 1 lb left, but it was tested in 2013 and germination percentage was very low last year. I'll test it again to see if it still works at all. Hopefully some of it does.

I'm hoping to find out from the company that developed it whether it's still being grown.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » January 15th, 2019, 1:34 pm

Good news. Jacklin says they guarantee it will be grown for 2 more years. I believe that's their standard line for current varieties. If it remains popular, it could be grown long into the future. Still working on a potential lead from them to find some seed.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Looking for Rugby II KBG seed

Post by Green » October 4th, 2021, 2:09 pm

Update: It's been a couple of years. I recently called Hogan's on a whim to check and see if this seed was available this year. They said they got some in over the last few weeks. Since I missed out on the previous period of availability, I ordered some. I had been reseeding spots without it the last few years, as my remaining handful or two of seed had severely expired and nothing germinated when I tested it last year. With two of the other cultivars in my lawn discontinued, I'll take what I can get.

Jacklin was right: this is still a current product; they did contract to grow it within two years as stated. If anyone else is looking for some Rugby II KBG seed, it's available again!

It's one of the few medium-dark green Midnight types available that blends well with other less dark KBG cultivar classes and legacy TTTF cultivars introduced between 2005-2010 or so. Back when I was selecting cultivars almost 10 years ago, a member here at the time advised not going for the very darkest KBG, so everything would mix well, but I needed a solid-performing Midnight type in the blend.

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