What to do with Turf Type Tall Fescue (TTF) in my lawn?

5 years ago

A few years of trying to revive my lawn with various grass seeds I've finally been successful in getting a green lawn back. However, now II have a new problem, what I thought was just spots of crabgrass is actually numerous clumps of turf type tall fecuse.

I traced this back to one of the grass seeds I've used, Pennington Smart Seed Sun and Shade, I wasn't as knowledgeable then and in this seed mix it's primarily tall fescue with kentucky blue. KBB, fine fescue, and rye grass is what I prefer in terms of look and 80% of the yard is that. The turf type tall fescue is standing out and it looks like a weed. I have lots of this all over my backyard in numerous spots, I would estimate about 20% of the yard is now turf type fescue.

There's so much of it in variable locations I don't think I want to go through the effort of killing it off and reseeding it as I doubt I'll get all of it. I'm almost wondering if I embrace it and just continue to overseed the lawn with tall fescue and eventually it becomes the dominant grass?

Anyone encounter this Dillema? Could you share ideas on how you solved it? And ugh, wish I knew more then, I would have stayed away from that Penningtons mix!

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Tom

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Its Tall fescue, and it would actually make a nice lawn if it was re-seeded with more tttf..... Its kind of "hit and miss" with seed from big box stores. Stay away from Scotts, Vigoro, Pennington and Lowe's brand -(Sta-green) Most products by Barenbrug are pretty good - including their tttf blend- 'Water Saver'........which is available at some retail outlets. Barenbrug does sell some cheap , common type grasses, but its obvious and out front. The other brands mentioned - hide sub par types in their blends , and you can't tell until the lawn is established , and you start noticing weedy off type grasses in your lawn.

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Comments (11)

Tom
5 years ago
Probably just re-seed with Tall fescue in the fall. Use one of the newer types with high density- such as- ' Titan Ultra'
mishmosh
5 years ago
They used to make Corsair (chlorsulfuron) which would wipe out tall fescue in KBG. I'm pretty sure it would take out perennial ryegrass. It seems like you can still get it in generic form. Agree with Tom that newer cultivars look much better and would play nice with your other grass types.

Me personally, I have an area that is predominantly PRG and would like to see KBG and TTTF predominate. Has not been easy. Considering metosulfuron to wipe out the PRG but not sure how badly TTTF will suffer. Wishing some cold winter conditions will wipe out more PRG.
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Most around here, including me, will try to encourage people to avoid "scotts" grass seed mixes. They are far from being good by any means. I was trying to find the % of the Sun & Shade you quoted and all I could find is this.. "Scotts Select Turf "Sun and Shade" (50% Boreal creeping red fescue, 35% Ragnar II perennial ryegrass, 15% Alene Kentucky bluegrass). Boreal is a fancy name for common creeping red fescue. Although it is adapted to shady growing conditions, Boral has none of the bred-in advantages of improved fine fescue varieties. Ragnar II, like all perennial ryegrasses, has no shade tolerance. Alene is a common type bluegrass that ranks at the bottom of the NTEP trials." A further explanation of my statement above. 6-8 hours of sun is the standard for "Full sun", against the misconception of full sun truly being sun all day long. You could really use any of the three cool season grasses and do not need the fine fescues. However, like I said before, any of the newer varieties are not going to visually blend well if you have an old wide blade fescue. ..I also didn't mention the different growing rates if you are to put a KBG or RYE on the fescue. A few days after cutting, it will look uneven. Ultimately the best thing to do would be to kill of the whole thing and start over (assuming you do have an old course tall fescue), but if your really against that, I'd say to overseed it with a turf type fescue. Go to a local garden center for better seed.
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Chessie
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Ummm....why wouldn't you want Turf-type Tall Fescue?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcEVw8FRl1s
dchall_san_antonio
5 years ago
I have a feeling the errant plant is not TTTF but more of a prairie type of fescue. The TTTF seed is found in every bag of seed mix on the shelves, because it goes together well with KBG.
Greg gman997
Original Author
5 years ago

Thank you all for the feedback.

Here's a pic as well. I think after thinking about it, it's probably not TTTF; but, maybe as dchall said, it's a prairie type fescue or maybe an inferior tall fescue.

Also, have any of you guys used Barenbrug grass seed? It looks like it's a common grass seed at my big box stores or should I even stray away from that and find places to order higher quality like the Titan Ultra like Tom mentioned?

Thanks guys, getting excited to seed in Fall!
mishmosh
5 years ago
looks like tttf to me. I personally find the fine fescue you have much more offensive. so thin bladed and browns easily in heat and sun. I'd much prefer kbg and tttf. even the "elite" prg doesn't compare to what kbg and tttf has to offer. I think in your case, the tttf looks good but makes lawn uniformity worse. that maybe what's really the problem.
Chessie
5 years ago
I prefer the "tuft" in the circle more than the stuff around it. I would seed the lawn with that.
forsheems
5 years ago
With that wide blade it looks more like Kentucky 31 to me.
Greg gman997 thanked forsheems
mishmosh
5 years ago
+1 Chess. A whole lawn made up of that grass would be great. Unfortunately it would be difficult to achieve with jus overseeding. If it were me, i'd nuke the fine fescue with Tenacity and later ethofumesate come late fall. I would core aerate heavily in sept and overseed tttf.
Rose M
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Barenbrug makes Vigoro's fescue seed. That's what I seeded my lawn with, and with FERTILIZER, it grows dense with nice and fat normal sized blades. The bag is 40% RTF seed and 55% other tall fescue, but each batch varies.

If your grass is thin bladed, you probably didn't fertilize it enough. If you did, it would eventually look like those clumps of fescue you're talking about and even out in appearance.

What to do with Turf Type Tall Fescue (TTF) in my lawn?

Tom

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Tom

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What to do with Turf Type Tall Fescue (TTF) in my lawn?

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