Many tall fescue lawns are Kentucky 31 fescue, a type of tall fescue … Tall fescue grows with soil pH from 5.5 to 7.5. by Jackson White September 10, 2020. written by Jackson White. Kentucky 32 is the “New Choice” in tall fescue for forage. Tall fescue is well adapted to the soil and weather conditions of Missouri. Perennial Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass Study Results. Kentucky Bluegrass vs Tall Fescue review Kentucky Bluegrass. Soil testing determines your lawn’s soil pH, soil type, and nutrients required so you can fertilizer properly. Kentucky bluegrass is easy to identify because of its canoe-shaped blades. Perennial ryegrass is a popular choice for cool coastal regions of … Tall fescue in bermudagrass turf in the spring during green-up. This cool season grass is the best choice if you want a long-lasting green lawn. Kentucky bluegrassflourishes throughout the Northeast and the entire northern ti… Fescue Is the most popular in residential and commercial applications since it adapts well to most soil types and is more durable to lawn play and foot / pet traffic. Picture taken July, 2015. Fine fescue: 1.5 to 4 inches; Kentucky bluegrass: 1 to 3.5 inches; Perennial ryegrass: 0.75 to 2.5 inches; Tall fescue: 1.5 to 4 inches; These guidelines give you latitude to make cutting height adjustments, such as mowing heavy shade or over particularly dry or wet areas. Pros. Water conservation has come to the forefront, and as a result, several grasses have been recommended as alternatives to Kentucky bluegrass. Tall fescue adapts to different soil types and requires less fertilizer than Kentucky bluegrass. March 21, 2011. Kentucky 31 (K-31), is a coarse bladed, upright tall fescue that usually produces lower density and the lowest quality ratings in the North Carolina field trials. Much of the tall fescue in Kentucky Tall fescue grass stands out from other grasses because of the blades and its growing style. Tall fescue possesses a high growth rate, requiring more frequent mowing (every 5-6 days) in comparison to Kentucky bluegrass’s weekly mowing (Photo 2, at bottom). Kentucky bluegrass is slow to germinate so the ryegrass acts as a cover crop for the bluegrass. Tall fescue thrives under moderate fertility levels and generally performs adequately when fertilized with 2.5 to 3.0 lb N/1,000 sq ft per growing season. One of these alternative grasses is turf-type tall fescue. Weedy, forage tall fescue clumps are easily visible in Kentucky bluegrass turf in early spring. Kentucky Bluegrass and 31 tall fescue are two popular grass varieties, each with its own advantages and drawbacks which can only be assessed against your personal needs and requirements. The improved varieties can handle lower mowing heights, but the weed pressure will increase. Tall fescue grass varieties for lawns and other turf have a finer texture than the traditional cultivars such as Kentucky 31 though not as fine textured as fine fescues. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is a productive, well-adapted, persistent, soil-conserving, cool-season grass grown on approximately 5.5 million acres in Kentucky. Midwest Mix (The Scotts Company) seeded July, 2014. The grass has wide blades that are dark green, a color the blades maintain even in winter. Kentucky Bluegrass - Will not withstand heavy traffic, has excellent resiliency, is very slow to establish, is excellent on baseball infield where traffic is minimum. For more information on tall fescue seeding, refer to the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication, “Establishing a Lawn from Seed” (PM 1072). Using appropriate management practices remains the primary means of reducing injury from this disease. Sod of improved varieties is readily available. Tall fescue will often lack a … Kentucky bluegrass has greenish-blue color, fine texture, shallow roots and reaches a height of 2 feet when allowed to grow. Most of these grasses are deep green with a medium to fine texture, deep roots and reach a height of 3 to 4 feet when allowed to grow. The presence of weeds is frequently a sign of a thin or weakened turfgrass. The tall fescues germinate next in about 14 days and the Kentucky bluegrass in approximately 21 days. Northeast lawns need grasses that prefer cool temperatures and naturally resist diseases prevalent in this region. Kentucky bluegrass vs. The Primary Reason Grass Seed Bags Contain Multiple Seed Varieties. Here they are for you to browse: For example, sometimes northern athletic fields, lawns and sod farms need even more density and tensile strength that no tall fescue can provide, but can only be found with Kentucky bluegrass. In most grass seed mixtures, turf-type tall fescue for example, the bag will contain several different varieties. It turns … It is especially adapted to the hazardous growing conditions of southern Missouri and will produce more forage on acid, wet soils of sandstone and shale origin than other cool-season grass. It does quite well in harsh winter regions and becomes dormant in hot and dry conditions. Damaged tall fescue areas are slow to recover and may need to be reseeded. This tall fescue/bluegrass seed mixture is comprised of 80% Titan Ultra Tall Fescue Grass Seed with the addition of 10% Kentucky Bluegrass Seed. Last year’s growing season taught me some lessons about lawn care. Tall fescue is known for its clumping growth habit, which is why you will also hear people refer to it as a \"bunchi… Overseeding The Lawn With Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass. Fescue grass has four common varieties: creeping, chewing, tall (the most common) and hard. Sod of improved varieties is readily available, however tall fescue grown with netting should never be used in high traffic areas. Typically, tall fescue grasses have a “bunch-style” growth habit without the ability to spread like Kentucky bluegrass’s rhizomatous root system. Tall Fescue Grass. The perennial ryegrass also has good abrasion resistance or wear tolerance. Mixtures, such as turf-type tall fescues (in a blend) with Kentucky bluegrasses (90 percent fescue, 10 percent bluegrass), combine the advantages or strengths of each species to mask the weaknesses of the other. Perennial Ryegrass Identification. Fescue Grass Basics. Fescue is one of the more drought-resistant field plants grown in Missouri. The Kentucky bluegrass’ rhizome root system knits the grass plants together making them stronger and fills in bare spots. Tall fescue maintained at 3 inches yields rare weed problems. 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