It can survive through summer, and droughts, by going dormant. Seed should be kept moist until it germinates. Those who are interested in planting tall fescue would be better suited planting the aforementioned Turf Type Tall Fescues. Leaves are medium green to blue green with a fine texture. Your email address will not be published. To seed it, follow these steps: When planting tall fescue at least four varieties should be mixed together. Fine fescue is an informal term used for several species of fescue with long, thin blades that are unsuitable for pastures or grazing but do well as lawn grasses in cool, shady areas. Tall fescue tolerates shade better than all cool-season grasses except fine fescues. Fescue Pros: Fescue has a thicker turf, with a beautiful color. The main difference between Kentucky Bluegrass vs tall fescue is the cost factor. Dr. Fergus visited the farm and was struck by how green and lush this grass was even in drought conditions and how it managed to remain green even during the relatively cool Kentucky winters. Remember, contrary to what is often said, more does not equal better in this context. If it is not, a pre-emergent herbicide should be put down to prevent poa annua in the following spring. Because it’s the safest way to plant fine fescue. It also is used for reducing soil erosion, recycling nutrients from manure and biosolids, and turf. This genus contains between 400 and 500 individual species of grass. For new lawns tall fescue should be seeded at 8 to 9 pounds per thousand square feet. Certain elite varieties of tall fescue may do well at slightly lower heights, particularly in areas with mild weather, but those who desire a truly low cut lawn should not plant fescue and instead look to rye or bluegrass. Fescue will get very tall, if it is not kept mowed and maintained. The research being put forth into developing better fescues is incredible with new cultivars bred for disease tolerance, drought and heat resistance, and even insect resistance. The larger blades form clumps as opposed to a carpet, and are several times thicker than fine fescue. Fine fescue (Festuca sp. Those in cooler climates – Zones 4 and 5 – may want to seed as early as mid-August. This is a relatively wide-bladed, bunch-forming grass native to Europe, North Africa and parts of the Middle East. Tall fescue is a broad-leaved fescue with wide, flat blades typical of lawn grasses. Will you choose it for your lawn? Description. Fine fescues are some of the most fine-textured turfgrasses available. Fine Fescue Pictures and Facts. If seeding is required, the steps outlined in the previous section should be followed. For new lawns tall fescue should be seeded at 8 to 9 pounds per thousand square feet. For severely compacted soils, liquid aeration products can be applied any time during the growing season. This grass type is a cool-season grass—it takes better to cooler weather. Enter Turf-Type Tall Fescue [TTTF]. Grasses grown for home lawns are split into one of two camps: cool season and warm season. Fine Fescues are the types listed on this page, while Fine Leaf Fescue is an older name for "'Turf-Type' Tall Fescue". Tall Fescue is a cool-season grass that has been the grass seed of choice in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states for nearly 30 years and for about the last decade in the Midwest and far-western states like California. Fescue does not grow quite as quickly from seed as does rye, but it grows and establishes much faster than bluegrass. That said, it is safe to say that tall fescue does best in Hardiness Zones 5, 6 and 7. Fine fescues are tolerant of drought and shade, but they are not very tolerant of heat or wear. species include creeping red (Festuca rubra), chewings (Festuca rubra ssp. Because the word “fescue” can mean many different things to many different people, it is worth taking a step back and defining our terms. Those with large yards should expect to pay thousands of dollars for high quality sod and hundreds more for installation. In areas that receive two or three hours of sunlight fine fescue – or perhaps a mix of fine and tall fescues – would be a better choice. However, unlike Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue … Bluegrass and rye can also be included in the mix, if desired. Yes. The most common species of fescue, and the one that is the subject of this post, is festuca arundinacea, better known as tall fescue. Tradition Fine Fescue Mix can be added to Kentucky Bluegrass seed to make a lawn or turf mixture that has the qualities of fine fescues with the beauty of Bluegrass. The tall fescues are finer leafed than K-31 but not as fine leafed as the fine fescues. Except in rare circumstances one cannot both apply a pre-emergent and seed. Mechanical aeration should be done at least once per year, preferably in the fall.

Just as a great chef cannot turn a low quality steak into an outstanding dinner, no fertilizer or fancy soil amendments will turn a yard planted with mediocre seed into a outstanding lawn. and ssp.) They can also have a lighter green color than other grasses. Plus, we can spruce up your landscaping with new lighting, water features, plants, trees, and more! Tall fescue requires about 1 lb of nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 sq. These tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass trials used to develop these best performers evaluated 680 tall fescue entries and 454 Kentucky bluegrass entries. Tall fescue is grown primarily for pasture, silage, and hay. For better or for worse, there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation for watering times or frequency; these will vary depending on the weather, climate, and soils of the lawn being seeded. The grass discovered and then bred by Dr. Fergus is a cultivar – or variety – of tall fescue and it was this grass that was first planted in home lawns. Many growers have trouble determining if they have fine fescue vs. t… eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'greenthumbplanet_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_5',134,'0','0']));One of the main things to consider with a grass like fine fescue is irrigation. Some tall fescue seeds on the market today claim to spread via rhizomes. Planted in pastures by farmers throughout Kentucky during the 1940s and 1950s, it soon spread to the Midwest, South and then to the rest of the country. Is there any truth to this? While there is plenty of K-31 grass seed available and often sold as a lawn seed, more desirable tall fescues are available for establishing a fine lawn. Cool season grasses – which include fescue, bluegrass and rye – do best in the central to northern parts of the United States or in milder parts of southern California. However, even in the thickest lawns some weeds will make it through.

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