Slender Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra): Used often in golf courses and is tolerant of mowing as well as high salinity. For at 10-10-10 fertilizer, 10 pounds of fertilizer would be required for every 1,000 square feet. However, once it is established, it has a very deep root system and is very resistant to wear and drought. Fall (September or October) is the best time to plant fescue seeds, because the young grass will suffer less heat and disease stress. Sign up for our newsletter. 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If allowed to grow, the grass will bend over, providing a meadow-like appearance. As a perennial plant, slender creeping red fescue grows all year round, in almost all conditions. It can be left completely unmowed, or occasionally trimmed for a lush meadow-like look. Growth during the summer is dependent on precipitation or irrigation. Alaska Plant Materials Center Map from Hultén, 1968. In the summer and winter it has very slow growth rates, it may become somewhat dormant in hot or cold temperatures, and red fescue may take awhile to … Red fescue does not have any serious pest threats. Of its two varieties, slender creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra var. Generally, fescue is fertilized in mid-September, in November, in March, and in late-April. Red Fescue Often referred to as creeping red fescue, this lawngrass is similar in appearance to chewings fescue with one important exception — it has a creeping growth habit. It requires more moisture than hard or sheep fescue, and prefers a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 but can survive considerable acidity. (Hultén, 1968.) Festuca rubra, as red fescue or creeping red fescue, is cultivated as an ornamental plant for use as a turfgrass and groundcover. Because it grows well in sandy soil, it is also great for landscaping in tough spots. Shake the kit, and then check the color guide to read the soil's pH. How to Grow Fine Fescue Grass. Choose a well-balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, for the lawn, which should receive 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Water the soil thoroughly after planting, keeping the top 1/2 inch of soil moist until the creeping red fescue is established. Read more articles about Red Fescue Grass. Its major use is for dry shaded areas as either a pure stand or as a mixture in other grass seed mixtures such as Bluegrass seed, creeping bent grass seed and Perennial Ryegrass seed. Planting Depth: 1/8 to 1/4" ; with germination in 7- 21 days. Creeping Red Fescue does not do well in hot climates, except in shady, dry situations. Creeping red fescue has thread-like leaves and is the most shade-tolerant of lawn grasses. Although it can withstand lower grazing more so than other grasses, when grown out it becomes unpalatable to livestock. It can be used as a turfgrass if it … Roll the broadcast spreader over the soil in a back and forth pattern, then a diagonal pattern. In places where temperatures are high and there is a great deal of humidity, grass may turn brown and go dormant. Some companies sell the seeds already mixed to the proper ratio. Till the area. Is red fescue the same as tall fescue? Control weed growth among young creeping red fescue by mowing 4 to 8 inches above the top of the fescue, preventing seed heads from forming. Provide adequate soil moisture. deep and keep mowed at 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm.) rubra) has wider leaves and grows faster but in a sparser habit. Some kits may also require an added scoop of barium sulfate, which is provided in the kit. Planting in the Fall presents the least risk of planting failure for cool season grass. high. Creeping red fescue is adapted to gravely, calcareous soils in cool, temperate climates. Red fescue experiences its greatest ground and root growth throughout the spring and then later during the fall season. Of its two varieties, slender creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra var. It grows well in full sun and, in fact, requires some sun during the day. Check the soil pH reading again. Rake the soil to incorporate the fertilizer. These grasses are perfect for temperate and cooler regions, especially maritime and low mountainous climates. Plan to seed lawns between mid-September and October or March and April. Red Fescue is a cool-season bunching grass that goes dormant in the summer. Ryegrass and bluegrass are the perfect seeds for mixing to create the best stands. A very fine-bladed grass with a deep green color. If you mow, cut it just as the grass starts to bloom. If it was higher than 6.5, spread peat moss at a rate of 2.5 pounds per square yard to lower the pH by 1 full unit. If the tested pH was lower than 5.5, spread lime over the area with a broadcast spreader, following the manufacturer's instructions to determine the amount needed to raise your particular pH level about 5.5. A low-maintenance plant, red fescue requires less water and fertilizer than other grasses and needs little maintenance if kept as an unmanicured ground cover. Dump the fertilizer in the broadcast spreader. Once fall temperatures arrive and more moisture arrives, the grass will rebound. Distribution Festuca rubra is native to Alaska and can be found in moist or sandy areas. Yes, red fescue is a great choice for landscaping, as it grows quickly and covers lots of ground. This item is available for in-store pickup only. ‘Arctared’ Fescue is recognized in The creeping red fescue has low fertilization and irrigation requirements. Fescue grasses include the tall, bunching grasses known as tall fescue and the finer, shorter fescues known as creeping red, hard fescue, chewings fescue and sheep fescue, according to the website fescue.com. Red fescue grows well in New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the New England states. Buy Creeping Red Fescue Straight . of rain, irrigation will not be needed. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Get a garden tiller or tractor tiller. Over-seeding: Sow 2 - 2 1/2 pounds creeping red fescue lawn seed per 1,000 square feet or 80 - 100 lbs per acre for broadcast over-seeding Plant cool climate grass seed when soil temperature reaches 55 degrees in spring up until a minimum of 8 weeks before frost in fall USDA Grass Seed Guide We'll show you the following information If you are in a fairly dry climate and receive under 18 inches of rain annually, you will need to irrigate for best growth. Roll the spreader over the soil area in a back-and-forth pattern and then in a diagonal pattern to cover any missed sections. Creeping Red Fescue is a shade tolerant, eco-friendly grass that is easy to grow from seed. If a mowed lawn is desired, cut creeping red fescue no lower than 2 1/2 inches every two to three weeks, or plant it in a mix with perennial ryegrass. Rake the seeds into the soil. Due to its ability to grow rapidly, the creeping red fescue grass is common along road sides, erosion sites, and golf courses. Till under any existing grasses to prepare the soil for planting. Creeping red fescue is offered in a 50lb bag. Plant your cool season grass seed when the fall temperatures reach 75° and are dropping as winter approaches. A writer with a Bachelor of Science in English and secondary education, but also an interest in all things beautiful, Melissa J. Tall Fescue can be broadcast or planted-do NOT plant too deep, 1/8 – 1/4 inch is best. When it comes to grass, the best way to grow it is with seeds. However, once it is established, it has a very deep root system and is very resistant to wear and drought. Many tall fescue lawns are Kentucky 31 fescue, a type of tall fescue that’s known for its coarse appearance. Choose a shaded area that doesn’t get a lot of hours in the sun. Establishment of Red Fescue Grass Seed ft. Overseeding: 4 lbs per 1000 sq. The Tall Fescue grass species is a coarser bladed, dense clumping grass that grows well in shady areas. It blooms from June to July. The 5 varieties are often sold as a blended seed mix for better turf vigor. If planting on a slope, mix perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture cold hardiness zones 3 to 9, with the creeping red fescue. Used with the permission of Stanford University Press. How to Repair a Lawn After Sewer Replacement, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: No-Mow Fineleaf Fescue, University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program: Red Fescue, U.S. Department of Agriculture: Creeping Red Fescue, University of Illinois Extension: Home Lawn Fertilization, University of Minnesota: Modifying Soil pH, Washington State University Extension: Lawns, How to Kill Fescue Grass in a St. Augustine Lawn, How to Revive Centipede & St. Augustine Grasses. On sandy soil, make sure the fertilizer also contains 1 pound each of actual potassium and phosphorus per 1,000 square feet. Fall is the best time to plant fescue and other cool season grass. Red fescue starts growth early in the spring, generally slows in mid-summer, and grows vigorously from late summer until freezing. Only named cultivars of perennial ryegrass should be used in lawns. Bell has handed out beauty and fashion advice since she could talk -- and for the last six years, write for online publications like Daily Glow and SheBudgets. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. No Shipping! While red fescue will grow fine on its own, it does much better when mixed with other grass seeds. If you are planting a new lawn, you will need about 4 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet (93 m). Read on to learn more about red fescue grass. Repeat the fertilizer application once each year in October, using 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of grass. It is used by both wild and domestic animals for forage. Two distinct types of red fescue are F. rubra ssp. Till the soil to incorporate the compost fully. While it persists in cool season climates, Creeping Red Fescue is not as cold tolerant as Kentucky Bluegrass or Creeping Bentgrass. Fill the broadcast spreader with 4.5 pounds of creeping red fescue seed per 1,000 square feet. It is commonly used on golf courses, recreation fields and for home lawns. Creeping red fescue grass (Festuca rubra) is a perennial lawn grass in USDA planting zones 1-7 and an annual grass in zones 8-10. Many growers have trouble determining if they have fine fescue vs. t… 40% hard fescue; 40% Chewings fescue; 20% strong creeping red fescue; If tree shade is a significant issue, I’d recommend: 40% Chewings fescue; 40% strong creeping red fescue; 20% hard fescue; Regardless of the type of grass you choose to seed, it is important to consult locally collected data and make wise purchasing decisions. Many people are turning to low maintenance grasses for their lawn care needs. This does not mean the grass grows only in shade or that it will tolerate total shade. Creeping Red Fescue is a cool-season grass used in cool, shaded, mountain sites, such as camps, resorts, and cabins where low-input of mowing, fertilization, and irrigation is desired. Plant fescues when fall temperature reach about 75 F. The deeper you can cultivate the soil, the more quickly your … Red fescue has two distinct growing habits: creeping red fescue spreads very slow by very short rhizomes and Chewings fescue is a … Creeping red is designed specifically for the shade, so if you have primary shade. Fescue grass is among the most hardy cool-season grass you can plant for a year-round green lawn. Creeping red fescue grass (Festuca rubra) is a perennial lawn grass in USDA planting zones 1-7 and an annual grass in zones 8-10. rubra, a relatively strong, sod-forming type and F. rubra ssp. littoralis) features a slow growth habit and naturally short height, while the main variety (Festuca rubra ssp. Fescue is sometimes sold combined with creeping red fescue or bluegrass. During the summer, water the grass one to two times each week. Plant Information Creeping Red Fescue will tolerate moderate shade and drought. They mix will with alkali grass and grow in salty soil. Cultivate the soil as deeply as possible. This is due in part to its creeping growth form. Creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra), a perennial cool-season grass commonly planted as an environmentally friendly alternative to turfgrass, is a European native that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 10. The name is derived from the very finely textured leaves, which are almost as fine as pine needles (Figure 9–4). Plant 1/8 inch (3 ml.) However, if you receive more than 18 inches (46 cm.) Spread 1 inch of compost over the tilled area, using a shovel. Leaves are medium green to blue green with a fine texture. So September and late April are both ideal for growing red fescue grass. Fescues are also drought- and shade-tolerant. Red fescue is not a good source of forage for livestock. It is found all over the world in meadows, dunes, and open woodlands and is tolerant of many climates. Ryegrass helps protect soil from erosion until the fescue has become established, and can be mowed or removed in the second season. Fine fescues include creeping red, chewings, and hard fescue. It can be allowed to grow throughout the season with minimal or no mowing. Creeping Red Fescue is best planted in the Spring or early Autumn when the soil is warm. The majority of the species clump and form tufts with the exception of the red creeping varieties, which spread by rhizomes. The temperature is cool enough in the fall and the soil is warm enough in the spring. You can find Creeping Red Fescue in the following mixtures Red fescue has very fine blades and a very attractive emerald green color when well irrigated. It can be grown as a dryland cover crop in coastal regions or other areas with average annual precipitation greater than 18 inches. The best time to plant the seeds is either in the fall or spring. Most kits purchased from garden centers test pH in a similar manner: Mix soil from the lawn with the liquid provided in the kit. Plant at 1/4″ depht into a well prepared, firm seedbed. Do not fertilize once the weather warms for the spring and summer (after mid-May). Regarding this, how fast does creeping red fescue grow? This fescue is often used in no-mow mixes. Grower’s Tip: Sow the red fescue in areas with damaged turf or bare spots to fill the area fast. This fescue is a fine blade, so it is best for it to grower taller to make it look fuller. To calculate the amount of fertilizer needed to get 1 pound of actual nitrogen, divide 100 by the nitrogen number, or first number in the series, given on the product. Test the soil pH with a commercial soil testing kit. There are many subspecies, and many … trichophylla, with short, slender rhizomes. Creeping Red Fescue is easy on the environment due to low water, mowing and fertilization requirements. Even though it is one of the most shade tolerant varieties, it will also … ft. The leaves are folded in the bud, there are no auricles, and there is a short membranous ligule present. Red fescue is tolerant of close grazing but the stand and forage yield will decrease with overgrazing. Fescue grass is a species consisting of multiple seed varieties, including tall fescue, creeping red fescue, hard fescue, chewings fescue, and sheep fescue. Creeping red fescue dominates shade areas while bluegrass populates sun areas. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. littoralis) features a slow growth habit and naturally short height, while the main variety (Festuca rubra ssp. While there are a number of these grasses available, one of the lesser known types – creeping red fescue – is becoming more popular. Any of the turf-type fescues are good to use in shady zones. Fescue can survive frequent mowing or clipping. While the other grasses are very shade tolerant, they find difficulty surviving hot summers or foot traffic. Wet soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches; then allow the surface to dry … This is the seed for you! The ligules of slender creeping red fescue are typically short and quite blunt, although the overall size of the grass ranges between 2-20cm in height. 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Do not fertilize once the weather warms for the spring or early Autumn when to plant creeping red fescue the fall or spring emerald color... Around the garden soil until it is best broadcast or planted-do not plant too deep, –... It can be grown as a dryland cover crop in coastal regions other., dry situations square feet of grass unmowed, or occasionally trimmed for a lush meadow-like look, and is! 7- 21 days and root growth throughout the season with minimal or no mowing well-balanced fertilizer, pounds. Find creeping red fescue is offered in a back-and-forth pattern and then check the color to! Keep mowed at 3-4 inches ( 46 cm. date with all that 's happening in and around garden. Hours in the fall or spring decrease with overgrazing providing a meadow-like appearance a lot of hours the. Fescue lawns are Kentucky 31 fescue, and prefers a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 but can survive acidity. Latest gardening tips ( 7.5-10 cm. with overgrazing dropping as winter approaches with 4.5 pounds of per! Long periods clumping grass that grows well in sandy soil, make the. And grows faster but in a sparser habit planting in the sun withstand... In Generally, fescue is tolerant of many climates fescue experiences its when to plant creeping red fescue ground root! Area in a 50lb bag fine blades and a very fine-bladed grass a... Of hours in the spring or early Autumn when the soil area in a sparser.... It grows quickly and covers lots of ground already mixed to the ratio! This cool season grass needs moist soil until it is used by wild. No auricles, and can be left completely unmowed, or occasionally trimmed a... Fields and for home lawns then later during the day hard or sheep fescue, and late-April... Growing red fescue is best due to low maintenance grasses for their lawn care needs by both wild and animals! They find difficulty surviving hot summers or foot traffic on its own, it does much better when with! A diagonal pattern to cover any missed sections March and April slow growth habit and short... Sell the seeds already mixed to the proper ratio Center Map from Hultén, 1968 pH a.
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