Tall fescue is a cool season grass that was introduced in the US and Canada in the 1800s. This grass type grows in bunches and forms a tight sod, and grows well in humid and temperate regions.
Tell fescue is popular due to its heat, shade, and disease tolerance (compared with other cool-season grasses). Its long roots help with better drought resistance. It can grow and thrive in wide-ranging climates.
Tall fescue requires less watering than Kentucky bluegrass (about 1 inch per week) and can handle foot and pet traffic well.
How to identify Tall fescue grass
The leaves are green with a glossy back surface. The leaves are rolled in the bud.
Tall fescue always grows in a bunch, and the stems are hollow and have a stem base.
If you look closely at the leaves, it has clear veins that go along the length of the leaves.
Tall fescue varieties
| Tall fescue variety | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Falcon IV | Better heat and disease resistance |
| Renegade DT | More dense, dwarf, dark green |
| Houndog | Better drought, and heat resistance. Handles foot traffic well |
| Bonfire | Semi-dwarf, suitable for use in sun or partial shade |
| Rebel | Thick, deep and dense roots |
| Kentucky 31 (aka KY 31) | Drought tolerance and persistence. |
| Kentucky 32 tall fescue | Endophyte-free, suitable for forage and animals (horses) |
Some other varieties include Agressor, Bullseye, Fat Cat, Foxhound, Tomcat, Olympic and Alta tall fescues.
Quick Facts about tall fescue
| Characteristic | Facts |
|---|---|
| Other names | Bunchgrass, Reed fescue, Randall, Evergreen |
| Type | Cool season grass |
| Cold tolerance | High |
| Heat tolerance | Moderate |
| Mowing height | 2 to 3 inches |
| Grows up to | 70 inches tall |
| USDA zones | 3 to 8 |
| Native or non-native | Non-native |
| Lifespan | Perennial (Year-round) |
| Thatch formation | Low thatch formation |
| Scientific name | Festuca arundinacea Schreb |
| Foot traffic tolerant | Yes |
| Dog traffic tolerant | Yes |
| Germination from seed | 2 weeks |
| Can be grown by | Seeding, sodding |
| Soil requirements | Slightly acidic |
| Water requirements | High |
| Shade tolerance | Moderate (better than Kentucky Bluegrass) |
| Drought tolerance | Moderate |
| Growth months | Spring and fall |
Soil requirements
Tall fescue grows best in moist soils with organic matter.
It is resilient and can grow in pH 4.7 – 9.5. It thrives in 5.5 to 7.5 pH.
If your soil pH is low, do a lime treatment. If it is high, then use sulfur.
This grass does best in clayey soil. This is because the grass has a long root system which allows it to suck water and nutrients from the soil that can hold more water and nutrients in it.
If your soil is too high-clay, spread some topsoil with compost and organic matter.
Planting Tall Fescue
If you are planting this grass for the first time, spring is the best season. However, you can also plant it in the fall if needed.
Seeding is the best way to plant it as turf because it germinates quickly and doesn’t require high maintenance when growing for the first time.
Seed in at a depth of 0.5 inches in the soil. You will need 6-7 pounds per 1000 square feet. Seed only when the soil is dry and water 5 inches after seeding (not all at once). You mustn’t allow the soil to be dry after you’ve seeded the grass
When planting this grass for the first time, the soil is about 4-5 inches deep.
Water requirements
Thanks to its deep root system, tall fescue requires less frequent watering. Therefore, you do not need to water your lawn daily.
You should be good at watering only once or twice a week.
When do I water my lawn?
Do not water your tall fescue until you you see signs of wilting or rolling leaves.
The only thing to remember here is that grass requires frequent watering this incredible season – not that you have to water every day, but you need water to percolate well to the soil.
So if your water runs off during grass irrigation, you need to wait for the water to seep into the soil, which is such soil that it can hold enough water during summer.
Mowing requirements
It is best to mow tall fescue, 2 to 3 inches high. If you mow lower, your grass may be dominated by other weeds and grass types.
You need sharp blades; do not mow when the grass is wet.
During summers, keep it at least 3 inches tall to make it resistant to heat. Also, mow only once a week.
During spring, it is advisable to mow twice weekly and keep the height between 2 inches and 2.5 inches.
Mowing height also depends on the variety that you are planting. Creeping red fescue can handle 2 inches, but Kentucky-32 should be mowed to 3 inches.
Remember that this grass grows through its crow,n which is delicate and essential for grass to grow, so do not mow too low that you scalp your grass.
If you mow regularly, you do not need to collect grass clippings. But if you mow infrequently (and do not maintain the 1/3 rule of mowing), you need to collect the clippings to avoid thatch buildup.
Fertilizer requirements
It is best to fertilize tall fescue with 3 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet a year.
If your soil is clayey, it can do well with just 2 applications per year. If your soil is more sand than clay, you’d need 3 fertilizer applications yearly.
If you’re applying a slow-release nitrogen:
Apply 3 pounds per 1000 square feet in September only.
If you’re using water-soluble nitrogen:
In September and November, apply 1 pound per 1000 square feet and 0.5 pounds in February and March.
Mixing with other grasses
Tall fescue is generally mixed with perennial ryegrass, orchardgrass,
Diseases, Weeds and Pest problems
Diseases
The most common diseases that plague tall fescue is the cause of the fungus. Crown rust, Stem rust, brown patch (east US), fusarium patch, and net blotch.
Crown rust (caused by Puccinia coronata) occurs during moist and warm periods, generally in July.
Fusarium blight causes problems in newly planted lawns, while brown patches commonly occur on older lawns, as the grass does not last much longer compared to other winter grasses.
Insects and pests
The most common threats include cutworms, white grubs, Masked chafers, Japanese beetles, and June beetles (Junebugs).
When do I treat for White Grubs?
When you see more than 3 white grubs in a square foot (tested randomly at 3 places), when you need to treat white grubs. Apply carbaryl or Triclorfon to treat.
Weeds
Most weed threats include broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, plantain, and crabgrass.
To prevent weeds in your lawn, keep your tall fescue as dense as possible and within recommended heights of 2-3 inches.
FAQs
Is Tall fescue good for the environment?
Tuf-type tall fescue with endophyte (E+) is disease-resistant but harmful to livestock and nonsustainable for the environment. In the United States, 80% of this type of grass is endophytic.
Which zone is tall fescue best suited for?
Tall fescue is best suited for the transition zone. Warm-season grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia don’t handle cold well.
Is Kentucky 31 the same as Kentucky bluegrass?
No, Kentucky 31 or KY-31 is a persistent and drought-tolerant variety of tall fescue grass. Kentucky bluegrass, also a cool-season grass, has different varieties, but none of them are called Kentucky 31.
Maintenance Calendar with activities for KBG
March, April, May
Mowing
Maintain a recommended height of 2-3 inches.
Watering
Water 1 inch per week, ideally not all at once. Water regularly with 0.33 inches 3 times in a week.
Overseeding
Overseed to make your tall fescue look dense.
Weed control
Apply a crabgrass weed control (pre-emergent such as Dimension). If you’ve just seeded or overseeded, skip the pre-emergent.
June, July and August
Mowing
Mow to 2-3 inches.
Watering
Water 1 inch per week. This includes rainfall, so adjust accordingly.
Pest control
Treat with insecticide.
September, October and November
Mowing
Mow to maintain a height of 2-3 inches.
Watering
You will need only 0.5 inches of water per week.
Overseeding
As tall fescue becomes weaker during summers, it is necessary to overseed it in the fall. Apply fertilizer, rake clippings and mow low when overseeding tall fescue grass.
Fertilization
Apply nitrogen in the fall to encourage thicker and more resilient stands with a jump-start for spring growth.
December, January and February
Mowing
Mow only if needed to 3-4 inches.
Winter flush
Check for de-icing salt damage and flush with water.
Latest research into Kentucky bluegrass
References
- Hannaway, D., Fransen, S., Cropper, J., Teel, M., Chaney, M., Griggs, T., Halse, R., Hart, J., Cheeke, P., Hansen, D., Klinger, R., & Lane, W. (1999). Tall Fescue. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David-Hannaway/publication/45793997_Tall_fescue_Festuca_arundinacea_Schreb/links/00b7d5311e9fbd435e000000/Tall-fescue-Festuca-arundinacea-Schreb.pdf
- Tall Fescue. (n.d.). https://dlf.com/seeds/sport-landscape/species-and-varieties/tall-fescue?PageSize=36&RequestType=UpdateList
- Tall Fescue. (n.d.). https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/tallfesc.html
- Erin Hill and Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences. (2023, May 23). Pain in the grass: Tall fescue. Plant & Pest Diagnostics. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/pain-in-the-grass-tall-fescue
- Best mowing Practices for fescue grass lawns. (n.d.). https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/fescue-grass-seed/mowing-fescue-grass/
- Cowan, J. R. (1956). Tall Fescue. Advances in Agronomy, 283–320. doi:10.1016/s0065-2113(08)60692-6
- USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, & Darbyshire, S. J., J. (1989). Plant Guide. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_loar10.pdf
