This means tilling your entire lawn with a motorized machine. Fescue is a cool growing season grass that declines in growth during summer. Look for a fertilizer with an NPK value of 16-4-8. If autumn leaf drop is a concern, seeding should be done in August or early … It also occurs again in autumn as temperatures fall. Sandy soils will require more watering in the summer. To keep the hardy fescue grass in its best shape through bitterly cold winters and hot, harsh summer weather, you will need to do a few things throughout the year to prepare it for what’s coming. Grass also increases the oxygen in the atmosphere and generally assists in cleaning the air. Why Tall Fescue Grass Deteriorates during Summer The most common reasons your tall fescue grass may decline or go brown in the summer … Her full bio and clips can be viewed at www.vegaswriter.com. As a cool-season grass, established tall fescue grows best during the cooler soil and air temperatures that happen in late summer to early fall and again in early spring. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. They start growing … This means that it needs to be given a decent temperature to grow in. Plant fescue seed in the spring or fall. Sodding: Before laying fescue sod, cultivate the soil as described in step 3. With proper care for fescue in summer, you can ensure that your tall fescue lawn gets through the season smoothly. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. But even in the cool … Look for fescue seeds that are designed for filling in bare spots and pet piddles or thickening up thin patches around high-traffic areas. Treat acidic soil with garden lime. Apply less nitrogen fertilizer than you do to the part of the yard that’s unprotected from the sun. Fescue for Shaded Areas Disease resistant and drought tolerant, a fescue grass grows quickly – and thickly – under the densest canopy of shade trees in your yard. Moisture. Water as necessary so that it doesn’t dry out. Overseeding a struggling lawn can breathe new life into almost any outdoor grass area that’s stressed from harsh and hot weather conditions. It is best to choose cultivars from the turffiles website (https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu). Well, it's hot outside! By using our site, you agree to our. Grown from seed or laid down in thick layers of sod, fescue can handle a sunny spot with the right amount of care applied to this cool-season grass. To stay green in summer, the fescue will need more water. The best thing you can do to help fescue survive summer conditions is to make sure the ground is soft at least six inches deep when you plant. The waves of the tiny blades of fescue actually pull dust particles from the air and away from the home. A healthy, green yard offers more than just a lush landscape to look at. Mowing: Mow lawn at a height of 3 inches. High temperatures of summer can cause fescue grass to go dormant so planting during summer is not … She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. Early fall: Fertilize your fescue … How to Lay Sod in the Summer. Tall fescue is a moderate- to coarse-bladed grass that can be grown in the shade and in many soil types. It is very hot and sometimes drought prone depending on your location. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Do not fertilize fescue grass in the summer. Fescue grass creates a thick carpet of bright blades that grow fast and evenly throughout the yard. Planting later will greatly reduce tall fescue survival through the summer. This article has been viewed 12,336 times. Water becomes an important factor if you plant fescue grass in the summer. … Timing your seeding to correspond with tall fescue's natural growth cycle optimizes every aspect of your seeding project. When the occasional scorch from higher than normal temperatures or yellowed spots from four-legged friends begins to spread on your fescue grass lawn, you can over- or re-seed it quite easily. Walter Reeves: Fescue – Planting in Shade, Home & Garden Information Center: Tall Fescue Maintenance Calendar, Super Sod: Elite Tall Fescue Lawn Maintenance, Seedland: How to Care For Fescue Grass Maintaining Fescue Grass Lawns & Sport Fields. Fescue seeds grow best at an air temperature of 65 to 78° F (18 to 25° C) and at a soil temperature of 60 to 65° F. (15 to 18° C.). There are two times in the year when fescue will grow best: spring and autumn. A fescue lawn has quite a few benefits, including: If you have a space in your yard that gets scorched by sun all day long and that has proven resistant to growing anything green, then you may want to try planting fescue. To protect the fescue, it is better to mow or pull out the weeds by hand. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. A wide ribbon of fescue grasses can significantly bring down the temperature in the yard compared to a span of bare dirt, concrete, stone or asphalt. In the transition zone, ordinary tall fescue varieties require more irrigation than warm-season alternatives, such as Bermudagrass and Zoysia grass, to stay green and healthy during hot summer months. Summer (optional): It is best not to fertilize fescue lawns during the summer months. Plant over an empty soil by tilling and fertilizing the soil. Sprinkle a mulched mix of fescue grass seeds in the places where your pets have done their business, paced and created unattractive pathways in high-traffic areas, or otherwise damaged the lawn. They are adapted to the upper regions of the state and will not grow along the coast. A 3-pound bag of fescue seed can cover around 500 square feet of lawn at the very least, so it should be more than enough for typical bald patches or damaged spots. I can’t stress this fact enough; tall fescue is a cool-season grass, and you need to treat it that way. When high-traffic areas between the home and a pool or an outdoor brick patio get trampled on, rake up the area and shake some seeds over the affected grass. Don’t let all that patience and planning to create a lovely yard go to the dogs. Warm season grasses like zoysia are planted in late spring into summer and are usually starting with plugs, not seed. However, during the summer months, you should keep an eye on your … Clear the area of debris and cut any patches of grass as low as possible in spring after the last frost. The pitter-patter of tiny feet on a perfect expanse of fescue can create thinning or bald patches on the lawn. If you have a spot that mocks your efforts to bring a sheet of green to the barren space, then you may want to give fescue a chance. If you buy a tall fescue … Overseed the grass in the fall if it’s failing in the shade. I used … Always leave clippings on the lawn in a practice called “grass-cycling”. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 12,336 times. Whether you’re installing a patch of greenery or caring for a mature expanse of fescue grass, caring for a lawn in the summer can be a hot mess. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Sow the seed in the soil at a depth of … Grass clippings decompose quickly and do not contribute to thatch. in Journalism from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Summer is a tough time to lay sod. Tall fescue is an important turf grass in the United States today, but that wasn't always the case. Avoid overseeding, or planting too many seeds, which can be needlessly costly. Give it new growth by aerating the soil and and mixing in fresh seed. Lawns are meant to be played on, trampled on and otherwise enjoyed by family and friends. Existing fescue lawns can also be reseeded. For more information on fertilizing lawns refer to HGI… Early spring offers the second best planting time for tall fescue … Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Fescue grass will thrive with very little water or regular maintenance other than mowing. Young seedlings normally emerge and grow best when air … Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. She earned a B.A. Alternatively, you may also reduce watering to once every three weeks. Rent a tiller from a home improvement store if you don’t have one. The air temperature will be between 70-80° F (21-27° C). If you need to lay sod in the summer, be ready to water your new … It tolerates heat and drought. Tall fescue … Tall fescue … In spring or fall, new fescue seeds can be planted after clearing an area of vegetation or mowing old grass. The ideal climate occurs in spring before the temperature starts to climb for summer. Dogs and cats can be fun and heart-warming companions for you but become an archenemy to your lawn. So do not delay, seed today! This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. 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