Growing Fine Fescue Learn About The Care And Uses For Fine Fescue

How do you maintain fine fescue?
What is the difference between tall fescue and fine fescue?
What is the best fine fescue grass seed?
Can you mix fine fescue with tall fescue?
What does fine fescue grass look like?
Will fescue grass fill in bare spots?
Does fescue come back every year?
Will fescue choke out weeds?
How fast does fescue spread?
When should I reseed fescue?
Is hard fescue good for lawns?
Is fescue or Kentucky bluegrass better?

How do you maintain fine fescue?

However, if the grass is to remain unmowed, fertilize only once a year in fall. It can be mowed as low as 1.5 inches, but 2 to 3 inches is better. HIgher mowing rate produces deeper root growth and maintains longer blades for maximum photosynthesis. Most fine fescues prefer drier soils.

What is the difference between tall fescue and fine fescue?

The Tall Fescue grass species is a coarser bladed, dense clumping grass that grows well in shady areas. The Fine Fescues are fine, shorter fescue grass varieties named creeping red, hard fescue, chewings fescue and sheep fescue. Click on the previous links or scroll down to read about each fescue seed variety.

What is the best fine fescue grass seed?

Creeping red, chewings, and hard fescue are the most commonly planted fine fescue grass seed. These fescue varieties are not suitable for livestock grazing or pasture use.

Can you mix fine fescue with tall fescue?

Turf-type tall fescues are often mixed with fine fescues for a finely textured, shade-tolerant lawn.

What does fine fescue grass look like?

The majority of the species clump and form tufts with the exception of the red creeping varieties, which spread by rhizomes. The leaves are medium green to blue green with a fine texture. Many growers have trouble determining if they have fine fescue vs. tall fescue.

Will fescue grass fill in bare spots?

Consider perennial ryegrass, chewings fescue or tall fescue, all bunch-type cool-season lawn grasses that can be used to fill bare spots. Note that tall fescue should only be used to fill in bare spots in an existing tall fescue lawn. ... Check with a local lawn care provider, garden center or extension service.

Does fescue come back every year?

Fescue is a cool-season grass; that means it grows best in the spring and fall when temperatures are cooler, and it struggles during the heat of summer. Under the right conditions, fescue is green year-round, but it can go dormant (brown) during severe heat and drought.

Will fescue choke out weeds?

Fescues will NOT choke-out a Bermuda grass lawn. The Bermuda will eventually dominate and wherever summer temperatures may rise above 85 degrees F., Fescues will become heat-stressed and will weaken or die during droughts so the heat-tolerant Bermuda will take over (if there is enough water).

How fast does fescue spread?

The fescue grasses, when planted properly, germinate within 10 to 14 days. Fall is the best time to plant fescue and other cool season grass. Planting in the Fall presents the least risk of planting failure for cool season grass.

When should I reseed fescue?

Late summer to early fall is the best time to plant tall fescue seed. Fall offers several advantages not available any other time of year. As air temperatures drop in autumn, soil still retains some summer warmth.

Is hard fescue good for lawns?

Hard fescue is a cool-season grass often used in cool-season grass seed mixtures when shade is an expected problem. It does well on low fertility soils and in shaded areas. This species is good as a non-mowed turf for slopes, median strips, and nonused areas of parks. It does not recover well from severe injury.

Is fescue or Kentucky bluegrass better?

Rich, thick Kentucky bluegrass tolerates foot traffic and heavy use better than either hard or red fescue. However, coarse-bladed tall fescue is more tolerant of foot traffic than Kentucky bluegrass and can withstand the wear of people getting in and out of vehicles.