Everything to Know About Growing Tall Fescue Grass

Tall Fescue Grass at a Glance

• Cool-season grass that can tolerate heat, drought, and shady conditions
• Easy to care for; doesn’t require wintering
• Can handle foot traffic
• It does not require dethatching
• Requires overseeding to repair brown patches

Types of Fescue Grass

Many tall fescues were developed for use as pasture fodder for grazing animals. The varieties created for turf lawn use are mostly dwarf varieties of F. arundinacea.

Fescue grass seed is commonly mixed with other cool-season grasses in the North (such as Kentucky bluegrass) to create a lawn blend that features the strengths of the different kinds of grasses. For example, Kentucky bluegrass holds up well to foot traffic, while fescue has greater shade tolerance.

• ‘Black Beauty‘: Blend of tall fescues noted for having good disease resistance
• ‘Dense Shade Mix’: Blend of fescues noted for good performance in shady locations and fast growth
• Kentucky 31 tall fescue: Coarse; tolerates higher traffic areas; shade tolerant; drought tolerant
• Creeping red fescue: Deep green; fine blades; shade tolerant
• Hard fescue: Highly fertile; does not require as much mowing; commonly used on golf courses
• Chewings fescue: Grows upright; fine, thin blades; drought resistant
• Sheep fescue: Improves soil conditions to prevent erosion
• 5-Way tall fescue: A blend of Falcon IV and Renegade DT varieties of tall fescue grass
• Falcon IV tall fescue: A variety that is both heat and disease-resistant; also tolerant of foot traffic
• Renegade DT tall fescue: Heat and drought-tolerant
• Tuff Turf tall fescue: A great option for new lawns that is resistant to foot traffic

Tall Fescue Grass Care

Tall fescue grass is a cool-season grass with increased heat tolerance. The best time to plant it is during peak growth periods in the fall and spring. Do know that tall fescue needs to be mowed often; however, tall fescue grass does not tolerate a close mowing height. This grass tends to bunch, so it can benefit from periodic overseeding to keep the density but avoid a clumpy appearance.

This type of grass is drought-tolerant and does not require a lot of fertilization. The roots develop a very deep system, reaching between 2 and 3 feet. Because of this, tall fescue survives well without regular watering and is a good eco-friendly choice where water is scarce.

Tall fescue doesn’t have a very long lifespan, but it can be used as an indoor container plant for visual interest if it gets ample sunlight.

Wait until a new lawn is well established, with blades 4 inches or more in length, before mowing for the first time. If the lawn is entirely tall fescue rather than a mixture, it is often recommended to keep your mower set at its maximum blade height. Bag the first cut of spring to discourage the spread of snow mold or other fungal diseases.

Cool season grasses such as tall fescue are best kept at 3 to 4 inches in length and should be mowed so that you are removing no more than one-third the total length of the grass blades. Keeping lawn grasses relatively long is the best way to block out weed growth.

Light

Tall fescue grass can grow in full sun to partial shade. These grasses are shade tolerant and grow well in areas where it’s too hot for cool grasses but too cold in the winter for warm-season grasses.

Soil

These grasses are adaptable to many types of soil. The deep roots can find nutrients and moisture in almost any soil type.

Water

Water the grass weekly, with 1 to 1 34 inches of water. While weekly watering is beneficial, it is not essential. When watering, the goal should be to wet the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. The long roots make tall fescue grass quite drought-resistant. Only water when there’s not adequate rainfall.

Temperature and Humidity

Tall fescue has good cold tolerance, though it can suffer from winter damage in the coldest areas of the northern United States and Canada. It can withstand hot temperatures provided it gets adequate water, but extreme heat combined with drought can kill this grass.

Fertilizer

Tall fescue grass will do best if fed yearly at a rate of 3 to 4 pounds of nitrogen-based fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn.

Seasonal Care

There will be different care needs for tall fescue grass depending on the season. Below learn more about the specific care requirements for each season of the year when it comes to tall fescue grass.

Spring (March Through May)

• Mowing: Begin mowing once spring growth begins, keeping grass length at the recommended height of two to three inches.
• Watering: Give your grass around 1 inch of water weekly.
• Fertilizing: Fertilize soil before temperatures reach 55°F.
• Seeding and overseeding: Seed or overseed once soil temperatures reach between 50°F and 65°F.

Summer (June Through August)

• Mowing: Increase the grass’s mowing height to 3 to 4 inches during the summer.
• Watering: Water your lawn as needed, ensuring your grass receives 1 to 1.25 inches of water per week, from both irrigation and rainfall.

Fall (September Through November)

• Mowing: As the weather cools down in the autumn, adjust your mowing height for tall fescue grass back to 2 to 3 inches. If you live in northern climates, continue to mow until you see the growth ceases.
• Overseeding: Overseed your tall fescue grass during the early fall.
• Watering: In northern regions, water your tall fescue grass with 1 inch of water every 10 to 14 days. In the south, water once weekly, with an amount of 1 inch.
• Aerating: Aerate your lawn during peak fall growth.
• Raking: Rake your lawn to remove leaves because this will reduce the risk of winter lawn disease.

Winter (December Through February)

• Mowing: In southern climates, you can continue to mow your tall fescue grass throughout the winter months. You should not mow your tall fescue grass during the winter if you live in a northern climate.
• Watering: In southern environments, ensure your grass receives around 1 inch of water per week. Skip watering in northern climates during the winter.

How to Grow Tall Fescue From Seed

Tall fescue grows best from seed. Plant when the soil temperature hovers between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit for daytime temperatures). Seed it in bare soil, if possible, to a depth of about 12 inch. Keep the soil damp while you wait for the seeds to germinate. Wait until blades are 4 inches or more in length before mowing for the first time.

Each blade of grass only lives for about 40 days; it’s important to overseed tall fescue to ensure the best coverage possible. Make sure not to use pre-emergent herbicides for 90 days within seeding.

Common Problems with Tall Fescue Grass

Overgrowth

One of the most common tall fescue grass problems is that it can dominate other grasses in a mixed-grass lawn. If you must eliminate tall fescue, at least two possible control methods exist. One is for those who do not mind using chemicals; the other is for those who want to stay organic. Also, as an alternative to tall fescue, you can instead opt for ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, or even blue fescue for a well-seeded lawn and uniform appearance.

Since tall fescue may already be around in the spring before your Kentucky bluegrass greens up, this is a good time to spray with a glyphosate-based herbicide. You’ll then have to wait a month or more before you seed your lawn (read the label on the herbicide for exact instructions). If you reseed in the fall, remove thatch before you do it.

Alternatively, you can practice organic tall fescue control, removing it by digging it out. But be prepared for a workout because the roots of tall fescue grow thick and deep and do not come out easily. And if you leave little pieces of root behind, the plant can reappear.

Common Plant Disease

Dwarf varieties of fescue commonly used in turfgrass mixes are prone to a fungal disease called brown patch.