HOW MANY LIVE BERMUDAGRASS SPRIGS I N A BUSHEL?
Glenn W. Burton
As a buyer o f a bushel of bermudagrass sprigs, I would l i k e an answer t o t h a t
question.
As a s p r i g g e r who p l a n t s s p r i g s on a custom basis, I need t h a t answer.
I
w i l l need i t t o a d j u s t my p l a n t e r t h a t i s u s u a l l y c a l i b r a t e d i n "bushels p e r acre".
The bushel has been t h e u n i t used t o measure bermudagrass s p r i g s f o r a l o n g time.
Yet a t t h e f i r s t bermudagrass spriggers workshop, February 26, 1992, t h e r e was no
c o n s i s t e n t answer t o t h e question, "what i s a bushel?"
C e r t a i n l y , t h a t q u e s t i o n must
oe answered b e f o r e a count o f l i v e s p r i g s can mean v e r y much.
Since February, 1992, we have been t r y i n g t o answer t h a t question.
Here a r e t h e
r e s u l t s o f our e f f o r t s :
What i s a bushel?
1.
It i s a volume measurement.
2.
It c o n t a i n s 32 q u a r t s o r 8 g a l l o n s o r 1.25 c u b i c f e e t .
3.
Length x w i d t h x depth i n f e e t d i v i d e d by 1.25 o r m u l t i p l i e d b y .8 w i l l i n d i c a t e
t h e number o f measured bushels a t r u c k o r t r a i l e r box can hold.
The problem i s t h a t s p r i g s a r e f l u f f y and v a r y i n size.
S i z e w i l l be determined
by t h e amount o f tops (above ground) growth and t h e adjustment o f t h e d i g g e r .
Other
than s p r i g s i z e s , compaction t o reduce f l u f f i n e s s w i l l determine t h e number of s p r i g s
t h a t can be p u t i n a bushel.
We t h i n k t h e r e i s a need f o r a standard bermudagrass s p r i g bushel t h a t i s
r e s t r i c t e d b y volume and compaction and d e f i n e d as f o l l o w s .
STANDARD BERMUDAGRASS SPRIG BUSHEL
contains
Two times t h e s p r i g s i n a 5 - g a l l o n bucket compacted t o t h e 4 - g a l l o n mark on a s i m i l a r
5 g a l 1on bucket.
1.
A p r a c t i c a l measuring procedures f o l 1ows:
O b t a i n 2 empty 5 - g a l l o n buckets (such as those used t o s e l l farm chemicals) t h a t
measure about 9 7/8 inches i n diameter a t t h e bottom, 11 1/4 inches i n diameter a t
t h e t o p and about 14 1/4 inches deep.
gallons o f sprigs.
One bucket w i l l be used t o measure 4
The second bucket w i l l be i n s e r t e d i n i t t o a p p l y compaction.
2. Put 4 gallons of water (one-half bushel) in the sprig-
bucket and measure the distance from the water to the top
of the bucket.
It will be about 4 inches.
3. Mark that 4 inches on the outside near the bottom of the
packing-bucket so when i t is inserted in the sprig-bucket
to that mark it barely touches the water.
4. Fill the packing-bucket with 50 pounds of sand and use it
to pack sprigs in the sprig-bucket. Add sprigs until
packing bucket reaches that 4-inch mark on its outside.
Multiply the cumber of live sprigs in the sprig-bucket by
2 to get the number of live sprigs in a standardbermudagrass-sprig-bushel
.
Do several of these and use
an average to indicate the number of live sprigs in the
standard-bermudagrass-sprig-bushel that you will sell,
buy or plant.
5.
To determine the weight of a standard-bermudagrass-sprig-bushel , weigh the sprigs
in each standard-bermudagrass-sprig-bucket prepared as described in 4 before
counting the live sprigs. The amount of soil left on the sprigs and the amount of
green leaves will no doubt cause different lots of sprigs to vary in weight.
6. To estimate the number of standard-bermudagrass-sprig-bushel s in a trai 1 er or
truck box, subtract its empty weight from its weight full of sprigs and divide by
the average weight of a standard-bermudagrass-sprig-bushel of the same kind of
sprigs. Dormant sprigs will weigh about 4 lb/half bushel,
7. To estimate the number of 1 ive sprigs in a standard-bermudagrass-sprig-bushel of
dormant sprigs, put 1/2 Ib. in a 6 Ib. brown (kraft) paper bag, fill it with
water, pour 'it off quickly and place bag and sprigs in a plastic grocery bag.
in a warm place, count sprigs with live shoots. Live sprigs/bushel
per 1/2 Ib. x 2 x pounds per standard bushel.
=
Put
live sprigs