Turf-type tall fescue lawns are managed very similarly to Kentucky bluegrass lawns. Both are cool-season grasses, meaning they grow best in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Three to four fertilizer applications are recommended, one (or two) in spring and two in fall. One pound of actual nitrogen is recommended at each application. Aerification in spring or fall is helpful to relieve compaction and improve turf rooting, or as a method to prepare for overseeding.
A mowing height of 3 to 3 1/2 inches throughout the growing season is recommended. Alternatively, the turf can be mowed lower in spring, at 2 1/2 to 3 inches, raised to 3 to 3 1/2 inches during the middle of summer, and lowered to 2 1/2 inches in fall.
Preemergence herbicide should be applied in spring to control annual weeds, such as crabgrass and spurge. Postemergent herbicides should be applied in fall to control perennial broadleaf weeds, such as dandelion and ground ivy.
Insects are seldom a problem in tall fescue lawns. Brown patch is a common fungal leaf-spot disease that affects fescue from mid- to late summer. Watch for generalized browning of the turf, as well as tan leaf spots with dark brown to purplish margins. Fungicide application at the first sign of the disease will protect healthy leaf blades and allow the grass to grow out of the damage.
Overseed thin fescue stands in spring or fall by applying 4 to 6 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet, using brown patch-resistant tall fescue cultivars.
