grass recommendations?

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Tropical Torts

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Looking for some opinions on wat type of grass seed to buy online or in a store, whatever. I used some of the mixes from Carolina pet supply but I didn't have great results. This is for redfoot/yellowfoot/and sulcata enclosures. I'm looking for a grass that grows quickly, is thick, is good for grazing, and gets somewhat tall. I'm in northwest Florida if that helps.

Any recommendations?

Thanks
 

kathyth

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I purchase weeds, flowers from Arizona Tortoise Compound, Tortoise Supply.
My primary grass is Bermuda.
Good luck!
 

Tom

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Go to "Peaceful Valley Farms" website.

http://www.groworganic.com/premium-horse-pasture-mix-irrigation.html

I've tried most of their stuff. The premium horse pasture mix grows so fast you can practically watch it getting taller by the minute. When spring and summer hit, you will have more than you know what to do with. A single 4x8' plot feeds my entire herd for a day and it regrows in a week in the spring and summer. I have not paid for food since last year (2011). I also got their non-dormant alfalfa mix. and their clover mix. All good for some variety. My favorite mix is still the Testudo mix that I got from Tyler and Sarah at tortoisesupply.com. That stuff is basically like having your own gourmet weed patch and it too grow like, well, weeds. Over the summer I collected about 20 5 gallon bucketfuls of food from one 4x4' patch of that stuff. That is equivalent to 60 Costco springmix tubs! It is still producing now, but way slower due to the cold temps, lower angle of the sun and shorter days.

If you amend and prepare your soil properly, and plant the few thing I mention, you will have all the food you need. I use cactus pads, mulberry leaves, african hibiscus leaves and an assortment of weeds, just as "bonus" material. You can also plant anything from the squash family to give smaller tortoises a place to hide and some good food to munch on. Pumpkin, cucumber, zuchinni, summer squash, crooked neck squash... all of them grow really fast and provide great cover for smaller tortoises.

Good luck and have fun with it.
 

Tropical Torts

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I just ordered the mix from groworganic.com. I cant wait to get it and see how well it does. Tom, when would you recommend planting it?
 

Tom

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I have not tried to grow it indoors. I planted mine outside in late winter/early spring last year. This will be my first year over wintering it. We have had some frost and many nights hovering around freezing, but it hasn't actually dropped into the 20s yet. My plots are all still growing, but much slower in winter.

I don't know what your climate is like there. Our winters typically have day time highs around 70 with nights usually in the 30's. We'll occasionally get brief spells of daytime highs in the 50s and nights in the 20s, but usually not more than a week or two of that total for the whole winter. If your area is warmer than that you can probably plant it now. I'd do a test patch in a small area and see how well it germinates for you.
 

Tropical Torts

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Ok I will do that, thanks. From what you have just described, our climate is almost identical to yours except more humid. I will give it a shot and see what happens.
 

Tom

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I planted some stuff last winter. We had temps around 80 from Mid-December until Feb., but it still took around 10 days or more for me to see sprouts. In summer I see sprouts from the same seeds in two days. SOme how the plants just know its winter even though it relatively warm. I think it must be the short days.

Anyhow, my point is, don't be discouraged if you plant some now and nothing happens for two weeks.
 
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