Red Fescue can spread aggressively under the right conditions due to its ability to reproduce through both seeds and rhizomes (underground stems). 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.
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.
Festuca rubra (Red fescue) | Native Plants of North America.
Red fescue grows well in New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the New England states. In places where temperatures are high and there is a great deal of humidity, grass may turn brown and go dormant. Once fall temperatures arrive and more moisture arrives, the grass will rebound.
Creeping Red Fescue is the most tolerant of the fescues in the No Mow lawn mix, and can be cut at a height of two inches, as compared to four inches for most of the other fescue varieties.
Chewings, creeping red, and hard fescues have fine leaves and are classified as fine fescues. Conversely, turf-type tall fescue has wider leaves and is found in many lawn grass seed blends because of its versatility.
Red Fescue can spread aggressively under the right conditions due to its ability to reproduce through both seeds and rhizomes (underground stems). Red Fescue is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
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.
Red thread can cause major cosmetic damage and is the most common disease found in fine fescue turfgasses. Lawn mixes, which commonly contain strong creeping red fescue, often see problems with red thread. You may spot it in your fine fescue turfgrass during rainy periods in spring, fall, or summer.
Weed Control
Preemergence herbicides containing dithiopyr (Dimension), pendimethalin (Pendulum) and prodiamine (Barricade) can be used safely on fine fescue. Avoid using the preemergence herbicides oxadiazon (Ronstar) and benefin+trifuralin (Team) because they will injure fine fescue.
(creeping red fescue)
Prefers some afternoon shade in the hotter climates and occasional water away from the coast. More drought tolerant than many other red fescues. Deer resistant.
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.
Fescues are known for not only their drought tolerance, but also their shade tolerance, which makes Fescue a desirable species of grass because of its suitability to different conditions. Fescue grasses possess the ability to stay green all year long as well, which only adds to their desirabilty as a turfgrass species.
Tall Fescue lawns can be prone to pest infestations that can hinder their growth, and cause your lawn to turn brown. Tall fescue is particularly vulnerable to Army Worms, Cutworms and White Grubs. Army Worms are the larvae of the Army Worm moth (Spodoptera mauritia).
Creeping red fescue grass seed offers exceptional shade and sun tolerance. This grass variety grows robustly in both full sunlight and partial shade, maintaining a lush, green appearance.
Welcome To Creeping Red Fescue
Creeping Red Fescue stays fairly short and green and it never needs to be mowed... Ever. It can be mowed down with the rest of the lawn if desired, but if never mowed, it will turn brown in the winter season and lay down.
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.
Red fescue is a long-lived perennial but seed production is relatively short, lasting only one to two years. Because of its rhizomatous growth habit, red fescue tends to sod in quickly.
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Often known as Strong Red Fescue, this common grass, as its name implies, has creeping rhizomes . It has a more vigorous creeping habit than some similar species which can help to create a dense, hardwearing turf or sward. These shallow creeping roots help it to remain green even in drier soils.
It depends on the type of grass. Kentucky bluegrass has runners that help it spread on its own. But many northern grasses are bunch-type grasses which don't spread, so seeding is needed to fill in bare spots. Perennial ryegrass and fescue are among the non-spreaders.
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.
Tall fescue is valued for its adaptability to a wide range of climates and its tolerances for cold, heat, drought and shade. In its preferred growing zones, tall fescue provides lawn owners with outstanding options for improving lawn resilience and durability.