Both subspecies produce rhizomes with strong creeping fescue producing strong, long rhizomes and slender creeping fescue producing finer, shorter rhizomes.
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.
Hard Fescue is the "toughest" of all the fescues in that it is the most drought resistant, shade tolerant, and disease resistant than the other species. It is a clump type grass that can be grown in very adverse conditions as well as extremely shady areas, typically in the Northern regions and in higher elevations.
This picture shows these differences pretty well. You can see that the hard fescue plots have excellent turf density and a nice green color, while the strong creeping red fescue plots have significant damage from disease and are allowing weeds to become established.
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.
This grass variety grows robustly in both full sunlight and partial shade, maintaining a lush, green appearance.
"Fine fescues typically require less nutritional input than other popular grass species such as perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, or turf-type tall fescue, making them a lower maintenance turf option for homeowners," he says, adding that because of their fine leaf texture, fine fescues are less tolerant to ...
Creeping red fescues – mow 3.0 to 3.5 inches.
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.
The very thing that makes Bermuda a favorite grass for some people–its vigorous growth and hardiness–is exactly the reason why it can be such a frustration for those with Fescue. In the past, all we could do was dig Bermuda grass out or spray it with a non-selective herbicide and risk killing everything near it.
With its fine leaves and shallow root system, Kentucky bluegrass is more vulnerable to being overtaken by weeds. Tall fescue has deeper roots and can compete against any weeds that try to take over.
The 5 Low Maintenance Grass Types
Fine fescues, including Slender Creeping Red Fescue, Strong Creeping Red Fescue, Chewings Fescue, Hard Fescue, and Sheep Fescue, are the key to achieving a low-maintenance lawn. These five fescue varieties are highly suitable for low-maintenance lawns due to their various advantages.
Hard fescue — Festuca longifolia
It does well on low fertility soils and in shaded areas. This species is good as a non-mowed turf for slopes, median strips, and nonused areas of parks.
However, if you're comparing perennial ryegrass vs. fescue, you really can't go wrong with either in a high-traffic situation as fescue is also quite durable. Earth Development knows fescue is also used for school playgrounds and sports fields and is also often used as a pasture grass for horses and cattle.
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.
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.
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.
St. Augustinegrass is the most shade-tolerant of the warm-season grasses, followed by zoysiagrass. Centipedegrass and bahiagrass perform well under light pine-tree shade but are not as shade-tolerant as St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass.
As cool-season grasses, tall fescues establish best during late summer to early fall when cool weather supports vigorous growth. Early spring offers the second best planting time for tall fescue seed. Tall fescue germinates best when soil temperatures near 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cons of Choosing 90-10 Tall Fescue Sod. While it can tolerate partial shade, it won't do well in full shade. Additionally, it's not as tolerant of diseases and insects as some other types of sod, so you'll need to be extra diligent about pest control.
Use a blend of "turf type" tall fescue cultivars at 6 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. Hard (fine) fescue and Kentucky bluegrass seed can be added to the tall fescue seed at the rate of 1 to 2 lb of each species per 1,000 square feet.
A narrow bladed strong creeping and binding grass with good wear and recovery characteristics suitable for many lawns. Also tolerant of disease and drought.
Type of Fertilizer to use on Fescue Grass
For Fescue, it is best to use a slow-release formula with a 3-1-2 ratio. An example would be a 12-4-8 fertilizer. It is important to use slow-release fertilizers whenever possible.
Red Fescue is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.