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Latest NTEP/LPI Ratings #879790

Asked August 01, 2024, 4:34 PM EDT

Would you happen to have the most recent NTEP and/or LPI scores for MD? Wanted to really look more into that this year prior to ordering my seed for overseeding.

Frederick County Maryland

Expert Response

The 2024 edition of the Recommended Turfgrass Cultivars publication (designated TT-77) is due to be released sometime in the first half of this month. We will update our web page links to the new version (as will the Maryland Turfgrass Council) as soon as it is available.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 02, 2024, 6:59 PM EDT
Oh awesome! Wasn’t sure when they come out honestly and based off what I’ve seen in 2023 (someone sent me that) there’s a lot of cultivars I’ve never heard of that out perform some of the popular well known cultivars I’ve already planted. Does the NTEP list generally change much from year to year and glad it comes out before I buy seed. 


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Jason 
The Question Asker Replied August 02, 2024, 7:09 PM EDT
The Recommended Cultivars list does change yearly, though we don't keep a tracking list of which cultivars drop off the list over a certain amount of time, if they fall short of the newest introductions that outperform them. You could save a copy of the 2023 version if you want and then compare it to the 2024 edition to see how many cultivars remain on the list or not. Unfortunately, yes, finding more than one cultivar from that locally-tested list of top performers used in a seed mix can be challenging, perhaps because the major manufacturers/distributors package seeds for regions more broad than just the mid-Atlantic.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 05, 2024, 9:42 AM EDT
Thanks! In your opinion is it better to overseed a mixed blend of cultivars or use a high rated single cultivar? Or does it not matter?


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Jason 
The Question Asker Replied August 05, 2024, 9:52 AM EDT
Mixed cultivars is best, so each brings its own combination of resistance/tolerance to stressors like certain diseases and environmental conditions (heat, drought, etc.), though admittedly, finding a seed mix that uses more than one of the recommended cultivars can be challenging.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 05, 2024, 12:21 PM EDT
Thank you for the clarification. I actually found one that has at least 2-3 of the top 20 cultivars from NTEP all in one blend.


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Jason 
The Question Asker Replied August 05, 2024, 12:33 PM EDT
Great, sounds like a good find!
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied August 05, 2024, 12:35 PM EDT

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