Tall Fescue

One of the most popular types of grass species in the area is Tall Fescue. This grass brings you that coveted deep green look, along with above-average drought tolerance and low maintenance. Tall Fescue is a cool-season grass, which in Tennessee means that its growing period is in the spring and fall.

Tall Fescue grass is considered a “bunch type” grass, making it less likely to spread across your property as Bermuda or Kentucky Blue Grass would. This also means it is slower to recover after periods of high traffic.

To maintain your fescue lawn and keep it looking great year-round, it will need some maintenance and planning.

March-May

As the weather begins to turn and we move into spring, your fescue lawn comes “back to life”. This period of time is perfect for Tall Fescue in our area because day-time highs don’t bake the grass and there is ample rain to keep your lawn hydrated. The main areas of maintenance to focus on are: mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and weed control.

Mowing

Tall Fescue likes to be kept, well, tall! Mow your grass to a height of about 2.5-3” and try and keep a routine that allows you to mow without removing too much of the grass blade (½”-⅓”). Bagging your grass clippings on a fescue lawn is unnecessary. Keeping up with your yard will allow a healthy amount of clippings to fall back down to the turf and provide vital nutrients.

Fertilizing

While fertilizing in the springtime certainly won’t harm your lawn, there is a smaller window in which to do so compared to fall. April is the sweet spot for adding a slow-release fertilizer to your lawn. For established Tall Fescue lawns, look for an NPK ratio of 3-1-2. NPK stands for Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium and the varying ratios are crucial to your type of grass. Apply your fertilizer according to the label’s directions, but remember that more is rarely going to be better when it comes to fertilizer. Too much nitrogen can burn your lawn, especially if it is in a period of drought. (Bonus: Apply your fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn and add in an iron supplement like Ironite to bring an even deeper green to your yard.)

Irrigation

Because of the adequate amounts of rain that we see in Tennessee during the springtime, added irrigation isn’t typically needed outside of fertilizing or seeding your lawn. Rain gauges can be found at most home improvement stores for just a couple of bucks and should give you a pretty good idea of when you need to step in and add water to your yard. Anything over 1” of rain per week is plenty to keep your grass healthy.

Weed Control

During this time while the grass is thriving, it is best to put down a preemergent herbicide to combat the growth of crabgrass, dandelions, clover, etc. Additionally, a liquid weed killer can be used to target specific patches of weed growth throughout your lawn.

Bonus Tips

Make sure to always mow with sharp blades, as dull blades “whack” the grass rather than cut the grass blades. This can actually cause the blades to pull up the grass altogether, leading to brown patches and disease. If you examine the grass blades and the tops are yellowing and frayed, it may be time to check on your blades.

During periods of drought, or if you have weeds spreading across your yard, mow your lawn a little higher, keeping it between 3-3.5”. This will allow your lawn to shade the soil beneath, as well as choke out any weeds.

If this sounds like too much to add to your plate or if you’re just looking for a little help, please reach out to CJ Lawn & Landscape at 423-322-7801 or email us at connor@cjlawnandlandscape.com!