Tall Fescue stands up to traffic, drought, cold, shade, pets, and mowing. It is far tougher than conventional lawn grasses like Kentucky blue grass, but it still makes a lush green lawn. It is commonly used by municipalities for planting recreation fields and school grounds.
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Zone: Tall Fescue is hardy to Zone 4.
Timing
The best time to plant fescue seeds is when the soil temperature is between 10-18°C (50-65ºF) or daytime temperatures are in the 15-23°C (60-75ºF) range. When daytime temperatures are above 32°C (90ºF) or below 10°C (50ºF) the seeds will go dormant. It is best not to plant fescue seeds in the summer months.
Use Tall Fescue to seed bare soil, with no turf present, at 3.6kg (8 lb) of seed per 1,000 square feet. Aim to sow at a depth of 5-10mm (¼-½”). Because lawn spaces tend to be large, we recommend erring on the side of caution. It’s a good idea to withhold 15-20% of seeds for filling in any bald areas later. All new plantings should be kept damp.
Growing
This fescue is a tough perennial. Officially, it is hardy to Zone 4, but a sudden onset of very cold weather can interfere with its dormancy, causing winter-kill. Because this product does not produce thatch, it is not attractive to the chafer beetle.