Tall Fescue
Find out what lawn environment Tall Fescue is great for!
Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue is the only cool-season grass we install in central NC. It is considered evergreen because it does not go dormant in the winter months, but it really struggles in our hot summer months. It is a cool season grass and we live in a warm season state. Each summer we can expect to lose a significant percentage of Tall Fescue sod, so aerating and over-seeding every fall is necessary. Tall Fescue is available in seed form, and seeding is best done in early October or when soil temperatures decrease to a consistent 60 degrees or cooler. Seeding works best with warm (not hot) days and cool nights. Germination occurs within 7-10 days. Sodding works best in the cooler months starting in mid to late September and ending in February/March. It is possible to sod in warmer months, but the success rate is much lower.
Tall Fescue
Medium/Wide Blade
Clumping grass that will not spread by stolons or rhizomes
Prefers half day to partial sun with a minimum of 3 hours of direct sun per day
Needs a lot of consistent watering to survive summer heat
Mow every 7 days at 3-4″ high
Hunter green color
Fertilize 3-4 times a year in cool months with high Nitrogen fertilizer (16-4-8)
Installations of Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue is a clumping grass so it cannot repair itself when damaged. Tall Fescue is the highest maintenance grass choice for central North Carolina. Refer to the care link for specifics on chemical care. Here’s a Maintenance Calendar for Fescue.
