Tall Fescue Desirable?
- oze
- Posts: 883
- Joined: September 12th, 2014, 1:56 pm
- Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana 46804
- Grass Type: Northern mix transitioning to Regenerating Perennial Ryegrass
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Some Experience
Tall Fescue Desirable?
When we bought this house 2 years ago (during the summer of the Drought of 2012), my lawn was a mess. About the only green in my back yard were a few broadleaf weeds and some 6-10 foot patches of what I came to find out was tall fescue. After 2 years of fits and starts, including spending $2 grand on addressing my flooding issue, the yard is shaping up. I seeded with a "Midwest mix" of Bluegrasss, fine fescues and perennial rye, but those tall fescue patches looked hideous. It took a lot of time, effort and a bit of $$ to get rid of the tall fescue, and, to my horror, now I am seeing something called "turf-type tall fescue" seeds being sold. For my own sanity, I have to assume that this is a much (*much*) more aesthetic cultivar than what I am used to, am I right? Assuming so, my question: how would it blend with my existing lawn if I was to buy TTTF or a TTTF/KBG mix? I have an area of about 900 square feet that is sparse, and I will be purchasing seed soon. Thanks for all your help!
- andy10917
- Posts: 29742
- Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
- Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
- Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
- Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
- Level: Advanced
Re: Tall Fescue Desirable?
There is Tall Fescue and there is Turf-Type Tall Fescue ("TTTF"). The Tall Fescue is a weed or at best a forage-type grass sometimes sold as K-31. It's not desirable, unless you have low expectations for a lawn. TTTF is a different animal, and is beautiful.
It's getting awfully late to be considering seeding a good cultivar to establishment now in your location.
It's getting awfully late to be considering seeding a good cultivar to establishment now in your location.
- oze
- Posts: 883
- Joined: September 12th, 2014, 1:56 pm
- Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana 46804
- Grass Type: Northern mix transitioning to Regenerating Perennial Ryegrass
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Tall Fescue Desirable?
Thanks for the reply--I might look into the TTTF/KBG mix. But I thought that now is the perfect time to seed in my zone. We were getting upper 80's up until last week, and should have at least 6 weeks of good weather left. Am I completely off-base?andy10917 wrote:There is Tall Fescue and there is Turf-Type Tall Fescue ("TTTF"). The Tall Fescue is a weed or at best a forage-type grass sometimes sold as K-31. It's not desirable, unless you have low expectations for a lawn. TTTF is a different animal, and is beautiful.
It's getting awfully late to be considering seeding a good cultivar to establishment now in your location.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29742
- Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
- Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
- Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
- Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
- Level: Advanced
Re: Tall Fescue Desirable?
You're cutting it very close -- it takes 60 days for KBG to have a full root system. TTTF is less. There is no margin for a washout or bare spot reseeding.
Between August 15th and Labor Day is the primo time to get the seed down in northern states. KBG is 14-21 days to just germinate, and sometimes goes out to 30 days. Look at the majority of Renovations in the forum - they are 20-30 days old now. Another guide is 8 weeks to average first frost date. For Ft Wayne, that is October 13th for first frost.
Between August 15th and Labor Day is the primo time to get the seed down in northern states. KBG is 14-21 days to just germinate, and sometimes goes out to 30 days. Look at the majority of Renovations in the forum - they are 20-30 days old now. Another guide is 8 weeks to average first frost date. For Ft Wayne, that is October 13th for first frost.
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