I picked up a 30lb supply of "Galaxy Plus" from Rose Agri-Seed for a steal a couple weeks ago. It's a 30-30-30-10 blend of three types of premium KBG and a 10% mix of a perennial rye which, from what I understand, is only included as a type of initial ground cover for the germinating KBG since it can take up to 21 days to germinate.

David, there is KBG and then there is KBG. Here is a chart, from Scotts, that will identify the various categories, and, should you be serious, there is a lot of reading to do from there.

Do the reading first, if I may suggest it: then, I would like for you to post, and ask for advice from our user Bestlawn, on this forum. She is positively outstanding in her knowledge of the various cultivars of KBG, and how they fit, and don't fit, together in a lawn.

You will also learn that mixing three or so (I suppose you could do only two, or as many as four) KBG cultivars together is not the same as mixing KBG with a perennial rye, and mixing that with some fescue: you are correct, those are 'mixed' lawns, and can't visually compete with an all-KBG lawn, in either appearance or performance.

Here is a link that might be useful: KBG Cultivars

I didn't see you there, Philes. I began this post around 11 this morning and did a hundred other things in the meantime. Thanx for the kudos!

Many of the America types look like Midnight but tolerate some shade and therefor resist powdery mildew.

Thank you all for the advice and information. Bestlawn I called Pawnee and they do not have sod quality Kingfisher. I am looking for a source where I can order both at once to save on shipping/hassle. I suspect I can find a place that caries both by searching, but I am posting again as I appreciate dealing with known, good quality companies based on recommendations

philes21, I think you meant to include a link.

I am frustrated how hard it is to find good photos of the various types. It would be nice for a site to post both photos with multiple types in patches as well as close-ups. I suppose the demand for such detail is not there to warrant the effort, but I for one would likely buy from such a site. For me the ideal would be to have side-by-side patches with a Macbeth Color Checker chart included in the photo, and when one moused over the various patches, enlarged photos would pop with insets of close-ups of the leaf. I think having this would help my wife and I come to agreement as well. She is concerned that the selection might be too dark.

By the way, perhaps I should modify my weather information. Yesterday it hit an unusually high 94 here - what a day to work outside.

Right now, I have a trench partially dug for wire and water conduit.

Back to work...

I did indeed, sorry about that. Let's see if it works this time

Here is a link that might be useful: KBG Categories.

Arkansas Valley Seed 303-320-7500
or 970-535-4481 ask for Brian

AV is normally more expensive than most. I'll look to see if I can more suppliers for Kingfisher or try to convince more of them to order it. Pawnee Buttes did upon my request along with Bedazzled, so perhaps Williams or someone else will considerate it also.

I should point out it may become impossible to purchase both Kingfisher and Moonlight SLT from the same place. We'll see.

Bestlawn, Philies21, and anyone else that wants to chime in, one final question (I hope)...

I showed my wife the picture from another gardenweb posting in which I believe you participated (see below), which shows one side with an elite (Midnight II, Moonlight and Bedazzled) KBG mix and the other with an off the shelf KBG mix.

She likes the color of the lawn on the right....

{{gwi:81381}}

Do you have a recommendation for a KBG that will more closely approximate the color from the right side of the lawn? I think what I was about to buy is probably like the left side, though if I am not correct, please let me know.

Recall my biggest concern is Powdery Mildew.

Thank you all for your excellent advice.

Brilliant
Serene

You can purchase these from:
Roselawn Agriseed at 503-651-2130
or
Tri-Turf 3751 800-636-7039 Blair Townhall Rd. Traverse City, MI

Don't forget to ask for sod quality seeds.

If you like the lighter-colored grass on the right, just pick up any old bag of KBG from Scotts at Home Depot. That is my neighbor's yard on the right and that is exactly what he used.

I believe the main cultivar was kenblue.

Oops,

I didn't see you there Mallory.

David, go with Bestlawn's suggestion. Those cultivars will be more disease resistant than Kenblue.

"David, go with Bestlawn's suggestion."

I second that. She really gives some excellent advice.

turf_toes, I thought I'd let you know I like your lawn much better. That is sweet.

Well. at the risk of seeming fickle, I have decided to go with the Midnight II, Moonlight and Bedazzled mix used by Turf Toes. Essentially, I was able to convince my wife that going darker was better. She just wants me to move on it and get our lawn back to something other than dirt.

At some point, I will post pictures of the renovation.

Bestlawn & others, I appreciate all the advice you have given, and I gained not only from this string, but others you have posted in Gardenweb. I have read many - many of them.

I used an older list Bestlawn published of a bunch of suppliers, and visited many of their web sites and/or called them (though not all of them). The only two I could find who have all three varieties in sod quality is Steyer farm and Williams Lawn Seed. Steyer called me back but did not have the price in hand - he will Monday, but it only comes in minimum 50lbs. WLS did not have the price Friday but will Monday as well, I do not know about the minimum quantity. Rose Agriseed no longer caries Bedazzled. By the way, they also do not carry Brilliant nor Serene. Also, their Galaxy is not sod quality.

I did not want to go with their Galaxy mix as it has Prosperity and I do not want to replace Bedazzled with something darker.

My next challenge is finding the mix in sod quality, without having to purchase a large quantity. I probably only need 15 to 20 lbs.

I know I could go with non-sod quality from a place such as summitseed.com, but I understand that it may introduce a lot more weeds than sod quality.

If I have to, I will go ahead and buy the larger quantity and then try to sell what I do not use. Any idea how long seed is good for, assuming it is kept fairly dry and cool?

No matter what, I am purchasing tomorrow 5/16/08.

Thank you all again.

David

David, David, David.

You are taking this stuff SERIOUSLY....

Yes, you gave it some thought. Yes, your choice, after giving it some thought, has been made.

Yes, you're going to have to buy 'more' than a perfect fit. Have you ever bought pizza for a buncha kids on a sleepover? Four kids? Three pieces of pizza each? Makes twelve? And you bought twenty pieces of pizza, figureing out that you and your wife could have a piece of pizza each.

Silly Boy! Not one piece of pizza left.

You gotcher choice. You gotcher quantity, and yes, you'll have to buy more than a perfect fit: You'll figure out who to give any left over seed to.

We wanna hear about Davidator! The Madman! The Mass Murderer of Weeds (no mercy)!! The Stone Kold Ciller of irritating grasses! That's it: We want you to get out there and kick some grass!!

And start having fun with it.

Roundup? (Ah......problems there. But it solves a buncha problems too.....)

Raking? (Don't EVEN get me started....)

Seeding? Hand, or machine? With, or contrary to, Spouse's Advice?

Watering the seeds? Standing by, patiently, in the Seedbed Waiting Room? Haw! We've all been through it.

After all of that, after all, every bit, of that, You Got Sprouts!!!

That will cause a whole host of sentences, for another day. But you see my point. When do we start?

When do we get this show on the road? This is going to be outlandish fun (more than outlandish work), and yes, you have done the serious stuff, and made your decisions.

When does the fun start? And yes, you have to approach this as fun, rather than as a task. And what are we going to do, in what order?

But if you don't approach this as fun, you're missing something here......

We're all (this is fun) ROOTING for you!!

We're all (this is fun) ROOTING for you!!

Fortunately I don't think he's Australian or you just gave him a moderate insult...

Well. at the risk of seeming fickle

Eh, we all do it. I changed my mind six times before finally choosing the Mag 3.

Make sure to order more than you think you'll need. That way, you have some left over for patching the inevitable holes where something ugly grows, or that don't take the first time.

David, I have bought from Williams Lawn Seed twice. Sod quality, 15 pounds, no problem.

Good luck, and post pictures :)

Thanks for all the feedback. I purchased from Williams Lawn Seed, I was thankful they sold in smaller quantities at a very good price.

Dennis was friendly and informative, and he gave no indication that my small order was any kind of nuisance to him - which I really appreciated.