Brown et al (2010) observed 66% to 84.3% of creeping red fescue root mass to occur within the top 7.5 cm of the soil. Mean rooting depth for creeping red fescue was 33.4 to 43.1 cm, which was one of the shallowest rooting depths in three field trials along roadsides that compared 7-19 species.
Tall fescues naturally have deep, extensive root zones that typically reach 2 to 3 feet deep. 1 Deeper than any other common cool-season U.S. lawn grass, this naturally extensive root system provides access to water and other resources beyond the reach of grasses with limited root depth and density.
Red fescue has two distinct growing habits: creeping red fescue spreads very slow by very short rhizomes and Chewings fescue is a bunchgrass with an upright growth habit.
Red Fescue is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
In addition to poor heat and drought tolerance, the cool-season grass also has poor traffic tolerance. If you're planting a turf lawn because you want an area for your kids, pets, or yourself to play, red fescue probably isn't the best choice.
For this reason, creeping red fescue is considered an excellent soil stabilizer and is therefore used extensively for stabilizing slopes, banks, cuts and fills (USDA Plant Guide). However, roots are shallow with most of the root mass distributed within the top 5-15 cm.
Creeping red fescues – mow 3.0 to 3.5 inches.
Similar to strong creeping red fescue but with shorter, more slender rhizomes. Both slender and strong creeping red fescue tolerate some close mowing. Strong creeping red fescue has more rhizome growth (spreading ability) than slender creeping red fescue.
Creeping red fescue is adapted to gravely, calcareous soils in cool, temperate climates. It requires more moisture than hard or sheep fescue, and prefers a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 but can survive considerable acidity.
Heat and drought are two of the most common reasons why cool-season lawns turn brown (tan) in summer because they may go dormant in these conditions. Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues (creeping red fescue and hard fescue) are the first to go dormant followed by the more tolerant tall fescue and perennial ryegrass.
Fescue seed usually takes 7-14 days to germinate. Begin by raking the area to provide as smooth a soil surface as possible.
If you just want to keep your fescue thick and healthy, you should seed this fall. Fescue doesn't spread like Bermuda with runners across the top of the soil. Fescue spreads through tillering through the soil and putting up new vertical shoots.
Fescue has a deep root system, but it will discolor, thin, and eventually die under drought conditions. In general, a fescue lawn will need about an inch of water every 7-10 days, whether from rain or irrigation. Try to water deeply and infrequently.
Water less and less frequently while increasing the amount of water as the plant matures and/or develops deeper roots. Several short watering periods spaced out across the morning are more efficient in most cases than a single long watering.
Grass seed germinates best when it's not buried too deep. A thin layer of soil, just enough to cover the seeds, ensures the seeds have better access to moisture and light, which are crucial for germination. Typically, seeds should be placed no more than a quarter-inch below the soil surface.
Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied mid to late October to creeping red fescue seed stands prior to the first seed crop. Early spring applications of nitrogen will be effective at increasing creeping red fescue seed yields but nitrogen applica- tions made the previous fall will result in consistently higher yields.
Red fescue grows well in New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the New England states.
Some fine fescues—Chewings fescue and slender creeping red fescue—can tolerate lower mowing heights better than other fine fescues (Table 1). Regardless, a higher mowing height (i.e., 2.5 to 4 inches) will help reduce common weed invasion (Fig. 3).
Creeping Red Fescue
This type germinates in 12 to 22 days. Creeping red fescue grows best in the shade and is often mixed with perennial ryegrass or bluegrass.
Hard fescue — Festuca longifolia
This species is good as a non-mowed turf for slopes, median strips, and nonused areas of parks.
Mow Properly
Using best practices for mowing helps your grass grow thick and stay that way.
This grass variety grows robustly in both full sunlight and partial shade, maintaining a lush, green appearance.
Mid-Morning (8 AM - 10 AM)
However, most professional gardeners would agree that between 8 AM and 10 AM is the best time of day to cut your grass. The reason for that is that lawns need time to heal before evening.