Newest; Oldest; Comments (3) Billl. Also here in central Ohio it has been blisteringly hot and this stuff still looks good. This can be achieved through soil testing and amending with lime and the proper fertilizers. Not only do you need to choose a grass seed that’s appropriate for the Mid-Atlantic region, but you’ll want something of high quality. Email Save Comment 3. cop35758. Last year’s growing season taught me some lessons about lawn care. Purchasing quality and fresh seed ensures success in re-seeding. How to overseed Tall Fescue. By learning to accept a less than lush lawn during the winter months, property owners will not only realize significant water savings for themselves and their community, they will also save a lot of time and money. Varieties of Tall Fescue Grass . If you have neither, you will have weeds. If you live in the North, you will have the best success in the spring or fall. It is valued for easy establishment, drought resistance and improved heat tolerance over many other tall fescue varieties. Tall fescue needs 1 to 1-¼ inches of water every week, ideally all at once. Use 4 … rye or tall fescue? If you choose to overseed with fescue in the spring instead of the fall, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn before spreading seed. The best time of year to tackle a seeding project varies depending on where you live. Under the right conditions, fescue is green year-round, but it can go dormant (brown) during severe heat and drought. ... Due to its bunch-forming and specific growth, turf type Tall Fescue rarely needs dethatching. If you overseed every year, less seed is required. If you skip that step, don't bother with the rest. The ideal soil pH for a tall fescue lawn is 5.8- 6.5. DO NOT bag them for trash collection; grass clippings do not belong in landfills. You will see popular brands such as Rebels or Southern Gold. Known for staying green year-round, fescue grass is preferred in cool climates due to its resistance to frigid temperatures. Before overseeding, mow the lawn to a height of 1 to 2 inches. Unfortunately it looks like the seller is no longer in business. About 1 inch of water per application each week is adequate. Remove excess thatch and loosen compacted soil in the existing lawn. Many tall fescues were developed for use as pasture fodder for grazing animals. Tall fescue grass will do best if fed yearly at a rate of 2.5 to 3 pounds of nitrogen-based fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn. You can either let them gradually disappear or you can drag a section of carpet or chainlink fence over them to break them up. For more information on fertilizing lawns refer to HGIC 1201, Fertilizing Lawns. You’ll need about five pounds (2 kg) of fescue seed for every 1,000 square feet (93 square meters). These amounts will vary and a soil test will go a long way towards figuring out the exact amounts for any particular lawn. Also the things you do to help strengthen your fescue (other than mowing tall) will strengthen the Bermuda as well. This will keep the weeds at bay while your fescue seeds are germinating. About Fescue Grass Lawns. So what are the steps to overseeding tall fescue? Sandy soils often require more frequent watering, or about ½ inch of water every third day. This will ensure the lawn looks full once the fescue has grown. They benefit a lot from overseeding to keep good density. 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. Late Season Fescue Overseeding. is usually early fall, but timing also depends on fescue type and local climate. Yes, I didn't recommend kbg for the reasons you stated in your first post, only more concerning the rye than tall fescue. Fertilizing: Do not fertilize tall fescue after March 15. The ideal conditions for seeding are warm soil, cool air temperatures, and plenty of rain (or water). It prefers low-salinity soil, and won’t fill in well in salty soil. Here at Virginia Green, we use a special blend that contains 3% Kentucky Bluegrass and 97% Tall Fescue grass. Which brings me to pointing out there is no tall fescue in the mix you stated, rye, kbg, and fine fescue. If not, every other year is a must! Tall fescue requires a 2-½ to 3 inch mowing height, and it is best to leave clippings on the lawn for additional nitrogen. 10 years ago. Perennial ryegrass blended in Macho Mix gives the fastest germination in cold soils. This stuff has done amazing. Some gardeners prefer to replace it with fescue, a cool-season grass that does best in the fall, winter and spring. You need to pick a species that is suited to your climate and region. Most Fescue seed available is a type of Tall Fescue. Bermuda is an alpha grass that will take over … A Tall Fescue lawn should only need mowing about once a week. Folks with Fescue - do you overseed even if grass survives Summer? Some good warm-season grasses are Bermuda grass and zoysia grass. When mowing the fescue – or any other grass, always remember the 1/3 rule. The roots benefit from proper water management. Step 1 - wait until fall. This seems somewhat difficult to justify when water is such a precious resource in Arizona. Fertilization DO NOT fertilize tall fescue after March 15. A number of modern varieties offer darker green color, narrower blades, and improved tolerances to heat, cold and drought. Irrigation: Water as needed to prevent drought. More than 8,000 gallons of water for every 1,000 square feet of grass is needed. It makes the summer lawn look lush. You’ll need to remove dead plant debris and prepare the soil mechanically (that is, with some raking) and with fertilizer. Texas A&M System: Tall Fescue ; University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Lawn Overseeding ; Tips . It is important to soil test your tall fescue lawn to determine lime and fertilizing needs. Instead, should I try and overseed with a type of grass that is more prevalent in my lawn, i.e. Kentucky 31, known in the seed industry as KY-31 or K-31, helped tall fescue grasses transition from livestock pasture grasses to lush, durable, manicured lawns. Follow. Most homeowners will need to reseed areas that were lost because of heat or disease - … Done right, it's a straightforward process that gets results. Overseeding is spreading grass seed over an existing lawn. Whether you're tending your first lawn or have years of experience, learning how to overseed your lawn can improve your results. Another area to be careful of is to make sure that the Spring application is not too heavy as excess nitrogen will promote excessive shoot growth and potentially rob the lawn of more important root growth. The tall fescue grass is the best adapted to growing conditions in ... Mow the lawn every 2 weeks. 10 years ago. To make the switch as the weather cools down, overseed the Bermuda grass with the fescue. Aeration is optional, but it may not be practical in smaller spaces. One area to avoid using Tall Fescue is where you have high salinity. I have tried contacting them and have heard nothing. But it does not do well in cooler weather and may need to be overseeded in the fall. Ordinary tall fescue varieties require more irrigation than warm-season … In the spring it was like a carpet. Tall fescue should receive approximately 3 to 3.5 pounds of nitrogen, .5 pounds of phosphorus and 1.5 to 2 pounds of potassium per year per one thousand square feet of grass. Don’t be afraid to spread plenty of seed over the area. If left uncut in the field, the stems and seed heads can reach four feet. A dark bluish-gray color and wilted, folded, or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water. Although you can overseed in spring, fall is the best time. Step 2 - cut the lawn low and rake up the debris. Fescue lawns should be overseeded every fall to keep the stand thick, and especially after a hot, dry summer. References. You do have two choices, though. A: Fescue lawns struggle in the Oklahoma heat; this grass would rather live in Nebraska. Thanks! Some of the lessons were kind of expensive and some not so much. Caring For a New Lawn When Should I Plant My Grass Seed? Post by bentleyvt » September 11th, 2020, 7:16 pm Hey grassheads We recently moved to a new house this Spring and the lawn was professionally maintained. Watering Tall fescue needs 1 to 1 1 ⁄ 4 inches of water every week, ideally NOT all at once. – Lawns want moisture and organics. They are often sold as lawn grass seed to those who do not know the difference. But in the cooler weather when Bermuda slows down, fescue is not able to take advantage and spread. 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