N.Carolina..Tall Fescue?

[Tony Harrell]

I'd like to redo my lawn but can't decide between tall fescue and st. augustine. I have a large lot beside my home also so I could experiment. Anybody in Carolina have these types? I like the fact that tall fesue does not thatch as bad as some others (according to what I've read), so I'm leaning that way. I'm wanting to stand out in my neighborhood and mow at 3.5 to 4", everybody shaves their lawns here. Currently, I have a clover lawn!

[Bunton Guy]

I would stick with the tall fescue....I think the St. Aug dies off little by little with frost. Not sure but I had planted some plugs in my yard of Flortam and they lasted 1.5 years and the frost really got to them.

[awm]

imagine me notbeing able to place mt.airy. what with andy an all..:)
but as u move away from the coast and nort of say myrtle beach ,fescue seems to be the strongest.
one thing u might look into is the new blue grass . i havnt seen any ,but when it came out ,they said it was suppose to
hold up under normal nc type weather stress. wouldnt o made it thru this drght
tho. makes me sick to hear the grass crush . sounds like u walking on cornflakes or something.
ps happy fathers day all u fellas .

[KirbysLawn]

I agree...don't think it would do that great. Bermuda or Zoysia would be a good choice if you are looking for a warm season grass, my next lawn will be Zoysia. Otherwise tall fescue.

[RMDoyon]

Tony,
NC State recommends the following blend for the Peidmont:
Lbs per 1000 sf:

6 lbs Tall Fescue
1 lb Kentucky Bluegrass
If shade is part of the equation add 1 lb Fine Fescue.

For the Tall, use the turf-type varieties like you find in Lesco's Transition Blend. Forget Kentucky 31, it looks like forage compared to the newer turf-types.

One lb of Kentucky Blue is actually equal in seed count to Tall Fescue so it is really a 50/50 blend.

Roger

[scottb]

Fescue would be the most common but Bermuda sure does stripe nice but it sure is dusty. But you may want to try the Lescoe or Lebbanon blends for a greener lawn year round. That would really stand out in your neighbor

[awm]

appreciate the info there RM. good to know.

[cowman66]

rm, where did u get that information? i wonder what the state of texas recommends for me...

[RMDoyon]

The info came from a packet I received at the annual turfgrass field day at NC State but this type of info is usually available at your local extension office.

Check there and also check the websites of the Ag departments of Texas State and Texas A&M Universities. I'm sure they have research on the proper grasses for your soil and climate type.

Roger

[heather]

Down here on the coast fescue is just about unheard of. st. aug is all over the place though and is easy to take care of. I used to live in g,boro and never saw a st aug lawn there. Most people here sod bermuda 419 or centipede,zoyzia and a little st aug. St. aug is droping in popularity here because clients want golf course like lawns. I am seeing more and more lco's going to walk behind reel mowers in this area on residentials.

[kjfaulk]

I agree with Heather, I live outside of goldsboro, and fescue is very hard for us to keep alive thru the summers. I have 419 tifway in my personal yard, cutting it with a walk behind reel. LOOKS REAL GOOD, BUT you have to cut it all the time to keep it looking like a golf course. I have been thinking real hard about cutting the sod out and going with st. aug. for the amount of time in between cuts. BTW where are you from Heather.

[Shawn Burns]

I would say in Mt. Airy to definatly go with a cool season grass, probably a fescue-blue mix. The warm season stuff dosen't like the "false starts" that we get here in the middle to western part of N.C. in the early spring.