A finer fescue?

[tthomass]

I have a customer requesting a finer bladed fescue vs broad. I'm in northern VA for climate concerns so needs to be tolerate of heat of course. He's got irrigation too. Thought I'd get some recommendations while I'm searching.

Thanks!

[par69]

I am a Landscape Contractor. Time him that fine fescue will have thatch problems which can make for bug problems down the road. If at all possible preannual rye grass is better. Not annual rye grass. 100% preannual. I have some that looks green all summer long with no water.

I am not from your side of the country. But If you can go with preannual rye. I would. Lots easier to maintain.

[gardenkeeper88]

Up here we mix Fine fescues in for shade. Types like creeping fescue are prob what he is refering to. They are finer than bluegrass.

[par69]

I understand that fine fescue works good in shade. But rye will too with some extra tlc. The fine fescue will also move into the full sun areas. I would rather have a little sparse grass in the shade. Than have fescue in the lawn at all.

[gardenkeeper88]

That's interesting. Around here we have no prob w/ The creeping type of fescue in sun. Yes it does move in the sun areas but 90% of the grass seed mixes contain bluegr., Turf Rye, & Creeping fescues. Sun or shade. I have been selling, installing, or maintaining lawns / seed since the late 70's and every distributer uses it. Goes to show what works for 1 area may not be best for yours. I would definately look for a good supplier of seed and maybe even talk to a couple reputable garden centers and see what is working for your area.

[jtf40]

Originally Posted by par69

I am a Landscape Contractor. Time him that fine fescue will have thatch problems which can make for bug problems down the road. If at all possible preannual rye grass is better. Not annual rye grass. 100% preannual. I have some that looks green all summer long with no water.

I am not from your side of the country. But If you can go with preannual rye. I would. Lots easier to maintain.

I will ask, because I do not know - do you mean "preannual" or "perennial"?

[JimLewis]

Check out the Oregon Fine Fescue Commission. That's a good place to start. You can read about fine fescue, find local vendors, etc.

http://forages.oregonstate.edu/organ...fc/default.cfm

[JimLewis]

Originally Posted by par69

I understand that fine fescue works good in shade. But rye will too with some extra tlc.

That's really not true. Perennial ryegrass is not rated for use in shady conditions. Any manufacturer of the seed will tell you this as will all the sod farms that use perennial ryegrass sod (as they all do here in OR.)

It's true that you can of get ryegrass established in shady areas. Especially in the summer and especially if it's sod. But long-term survival is usually not possible. It's more than just T.L.C. It's constantly receding and thinning out to less than 50% coverage every winter and then always having to re-seed in the spring. It's overseeding and fertilizing at very heavy rates just to keep it looking half-way decent the rest of the year. I've been doing this over 10 years and we have managed hundreds of lawns and continue to manage about 170 each week. I never see perennial ryegrass thrive in a shady area. At best we can get it to look half-way decent. But it never looks what I would consider good.

Fescue is really where you have to go if you area dealing with full shade.

[Big Wes]

Get some TITAN it has a thinner blade compared to other fescues. It'll be just the ticket and your customer will be tickled pink.

[par69]

I have been a liecinsed Landscape Contractor and in the maintenance bussiness for 20 years. I have many maintenance acounts with perennial rye grass in shade areas that do great. Real heavy shade is hard to grow anything in. I hate thatch, fescue and blue grass create thatch.