So in honor of the US qualifying this morning for the second round of the World Cup (my current obsession which is keeping me from blogging), here's a quick post on the controversy of the grass used for this year's World Cup in South Africa. (Though probably not as controversial as one of the referee's calls.) Evidently the original plan was to use kikuyu grass, which is native to Africa, overseeded with rye grass. Kikuyu is the norm on fields, or pitches, as some of our English-speaking cousins call them, in South Africa. Rye grass the norm in Europe. Evidently the kikuyu is tough and has a bit of bounce to it. But FIFA, the world-governing organization for soccer decided it wasn't green enough for television.
My favorite line: ''The ryegrass requires more water, fertiliser and maintenance than kikuyu." But as we all know people must have their visually perfect lawn. The rye grass fields won't last past the winter and will be replaced with kikuyu after the show.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
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That's the attitude that pretty much sums up lawn ownership by the masses. Must grow it at all costs. Silly thing is, as you travel the world, you realize only on television is soccer played on perfect turf...
ReplyDeleteAnd the only kikuyu in our South African garden are the weedy runners growing like triffids in the winter rain. We have no lawn, just those #### kikuyu runners coming up everywhere! We have a plague of golf courses, which have to be green all year round, year in, year out.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to admit it...I'm not much of a sports fan. But maybe I should tune in the games to view the ryegrass...
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting side note to an international phenomenon! You are a master at being on topic AND current with world news.
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