Tall Fescue: NTEP Trial Scores, Kentucky 31 vs Turf-Type and Lawn Care Rules

Key takeaways

• In the latest completed national trial, the 2018 National Tall Fescue Test, Kentucky 31 averaged 4.2 for turf quality on a 1 to 9 scale, last of 132 entries, while Daybreak led at 6.4 (NTEP report 24-9).
• Tall fescue is a bunch-type grass that cannot fill bare spots on its own; NC State says bare areas must be reseeded and that patches over 4 inches across should be replanted (NC State Extension Gardener Handbook).
• NC State sets mowing at 2.5 to 3.5 inches in spring and 3.5 inches in summer (NC State AG-367), and its gardener handbook says never to cut tall fescue shorter than 2.5 inches (NC State).
• Seed in fall: NC State TurfFiles puts the optimum at 68°F to 77°F air and soil above 60°F, at 5 to 6 lb per 1,000 sq ft (NC State TurfFiles, 2025).
• The basic North Carolina program is 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in mid-September, November and February, about 3 lb a year (NC State AG-367).
• Brown patch is the main disease: NC State says it develops above 85°F and turns severe when nights stay above 68°F (NC State AG-367).

Key number	Value	Source
Accepted botanical name	Schedonorus arundinaceus (synonyms Festuca arundinacea, Lolium arundinaceum)	USDA PLANTS
Seeds per pound	227,000	USDA NRCS Plant Guide
Mowing height	2.5 to 3.5 in (3.5 in in summer); never below 2.5 in	NC State AG-367
Seeding rate, new lawn	5 to 6 lb per 1,000 sq ft (NC State); 7 to 9 lb (Iowa State)	NC State TurfFiles; Iowa State
Seed when	Air 68°F to 77°F, soil above 60°F	NC State TurfFiles
Nitrogen, basic program	About 3 lb per 1,000 sq ft a year, mostly in fall	NC State AG-367
Water	About 1 in a week, wetting soil 4 to 6 in deep	NC State AG-367
Root depth on deep soils	2 to 3 ft	Oregon State Beaver Turf
Sod, national farm price	50.03¢ per sq ft (Q2 2026)	USDA AMS

What is tall fescue grass?

Tall fescue is a perennial cool-season grass from Europe, listed by the USDA PLANTS Database as Schedonorus arundinaceus and introduced, not native, in the lower 48 states. Lawn bags still call it Festuca arundinacea. Unmowed, it grows 2 to 5 feet tall and flowers by late May in southern Illinois (Illinois Extension).

Its range is wide for a cool-season grass. The USDA NRCS Plant Guide maps it east of the Great Plains except southern and central Florida, plus the Pacific and Intermountain Northwest, on soils of pH 5.5 to 7.0. UC IPM calls it the most common lawn grass in California (UC IPM), and Iowa State rates it hardy through most Iowa winters in USDA zone 5 (Iowa State). Profiles of the other lawn grasses are in our Turf & Trees section.

Where a soil test reads below that range, the rates, timing and per-pass limits are in our lime for lawn guide.

Name you will see	What it means	Source
Schedonorus arundinaceus	Accepted name in the USDA PLANTS Database (symbol SCAR7)	USDA PLANTS
Festuca arundinacea, Lolium arundinaceum	Older and alternative names still used by seed labels, UC IPM and the NRCS Plant Guide (symbol LOAR10)	USDA NRCS; UC IPM
Kentucky 31 (KY-31, K-31)	Forage cultivar found in Menifee County, Ky., in 1931 and released by the University of Kentucky in 1943; coarse and usually endophyte-infected	University of Kentucky; USDA NRCS
Turf-type tall fescue	Cultivars bred since the early 1980s (Rebel, Falcon, Olympic first) for finer leaves and more tillers	Oregon State
Dwarf and semi-dwarf tall fescue	Shorter, denser turf types; dwarfs root less deeply and are less drought tolerant	Oregon State
Rhizomatous tall fescue (RTF)	Barenbrug trademark for cultivars sold as forming short rhizomes	Barenbrug USA

What does tall fescue grass look like?

Tall fescue looks like a coarse, upright, medium to dark green grass with leaves that are distinctly ridged on top, smooth and shiny underneath, and pointed at the tip. Oregon State says its leaves are wider than those of any other perennial cool-season grass, and Illinois Extension notes the stiff leaves stand out at close to 90 degrees from the stem (Oregon State; Illinois Extension).

Feature	Tall fescue	Source
Leaf width	Flat blades 1/8 to 1/4 in wide (Kentucky bluegrass: under 1/8 in; fine fescue: 1/16 in or less)	K-State MF2031
Leaf surface	Upper side strongly ridged; underside smooth and shiny with a keel near the base	Oregon State
Leaf tip	Pointed, often with a constriction about 0.5 in below the tip	Oregon State
New leaves (vernation)	Rolled in the bud	UC IPM
Auricles and ligule	Short, blunt, rounded auricles, sometimes absent on newer cultivars; short membranous ligule	Illinois Extension; Oregon State
Leaf edges	Rough, with fine hairs at the collar on vigorous shoots	Oregon State
Growth habit	Clumps (bunch type); faster vertical growth than other lawn grasses, especially in spring	Oregon State

What is the difference between turf-type tall fescue and Kentucky 31?

Turf-type tall fescue is bred for lawns; Kentucky 31 was released for pasture. In the 2018 National Tall Fescue Test, Kentucky 31 finished last of 132 entries for turf quality (4.2 on a 1 to 9 scale), leaf texture, genetic color and summer density, while the trial’s entries averaged 5.96 for quality (NTEP). It still survived and greened up as well as the newest cultivars.

University of Kentucky agronomist E.N. Fergus found the grass in 1931 on the Suiter farm in Menifee County, Ky., and the university released it as Kentucky 31 in 1943 (University of Kentucky). As late as 1977 it made up about 97 percent of all tall fescue turf in the United States, per the history Oregon State compiled; the first turf types, Rebel, Falcon and Olympic, arrived in the early 1980s with almost twice as many tillers per plant (Oregon State Beaver Turf).

1. Turf quality4.20
2. Leaf texture4.30
3. Genetic color4.10
4. Summer density4.70
5. Quality at 1.5 in mow3
6. Spring green-up6.10

Source: NTEP 2018 National Tall Fescue Test, Appendix and Tables 31, 32, 33, 34 and 37 Entry mean is The Green Industry Report's arithmetic from NTEP's published entry means.

Show the numbers

	Kentucky 31	Mean of all 132 entries	Daybreak
Turf quality	4.20	6	6.40
Leaf texture	4.30	6.10	6.60
Genetic color	4.10	6.40	6.30
Summer density	4.70	6.30	6.30
Quality at 1.5 in mow	3	6	6.20
Spring green-up	6.10	5.80	5.90

NTEP rating (1 to 9 unless noted)	Kentucky 31	Mean of all 132 entries	Daybreak (top quality)	LSD (0.05)	Source
Turf quality, mean of all sites, 2019 to 2023	4.2	6.0	6.4	0.2	NTEP Table Appendix
Leaf texture (9 = very fine)	4.3	6.1	6.6	0.3	NTEP Table 34
Genetic color (9 = dark green)	4.1	6.4	6.3	0.3	NTEP Table 32
Summer density	4.7	6.3	6.3	0.6	NTEP Table 37
Quality mowed at 1.5 in, Blacksburg, Va.	3.0	6.0	6.2	0.6	NTEP Table 31
Gray leaf spot, New Jersey (9 = no disease)	5.5	7.0	8.2	0.8	NTEP Table 49
Spring green-up	6.1	5.8	5.9	0.5	NTEP Table 33
Drought wilting, West Lafayette, Ind. (9 = no wilting)	6.0	6.2	6.0	1.4	NTEP Table 43
Living ground cover in summer, %	88.9	88.6	89.7	6.6	NTEP Table 40

The bottom three rows explain why Kentucky 31 persists on roadsides and farms. Its spring green-up score of 6.1 sat within 0.1 of the best entry, and its drought and summer cover scores were statistically level with the field. Purdue lists Kentucky 31 only for roadsides, parking areas and low-maintenance sites, at 8 to 10 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft (Purdue AY-25-W).

Which tall fescue varieties scored best in national trials?

Daybreak scored the highest turf quality in the 2018 National Tall Fescue Test, 6.4 on a 1 to 9 scale averaged over 2019 to 2023, and finished in the top quarter at 73.9 percent of trial sites (NTEP). Fourteen more commercially available cultivars averaged 6.3. With a least significant difference of 0.2, those 15 are statistically tied.

1. Daybreak6.40
2. Xanadu6.30
3. Capitan6.30
4. Titanium G-LS6.30
5. Expanse6.30
6. Bonfire6.30
7. Clash6.30
8. Kentucky 314.20

Source: NTEP 2018 National Tall Fescue Test, final report 24-9, quality summary Differences of 0.2 or more are statistically significant (LSD 0.05). Seven of the 15 entries tied at 6.3 or higher are shown.

Show the numbers

	Mean turf quality (1 to 9, 9 = ideal)
Daybreak	6.40
Xanadu	6.30
Capitan	6.30
Titanium G-LS	6.30
Expanse	6.30
Bonfire	6.30
Clash	6.30
Kentucky 31	4.20

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Cultivar (breeder code)	NTEP sponsor	Quality, all sites	% of sites in top 25%	Quality, 9 transition-zone sites	Quality, 4 Northeast sites	Quality, Ga. and Miss.	Brown patch (9 = none)	Quality in shade, Ames, Iowa
Daybreak (AH2)	BrettYoung	6.4	73.9	6.4	7.0	5.8	6.6	5.5
Xanadu (JT 268)	Barenbrug USA	6.3	69.6	6.2	6.6	5.7	6.3	6.3
Capitan (DLFPS-321/3705)	DLF USA	6.3	65.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.8	6.0
Titanium G-LS (PPG-TF 255)	Mountain View Seeds	6.3	65.2	6.3	6.5	5.7	6.6	5.7
Expanse (PPG-TF 262)	Landmark Turf & Native Seed	6.3	65.2	6.2	6.7	5.6	6.5	4.8
Bonfire (JS DTT)	Barenbrug USA	6.3	56.5	6.2	6.5	5.7	6.5	5.9
Clash (AH1)	Landmark Turf & Native Seed	6.3	56.5	6.0	6.8	5.8	6.3	5.0
Serenade (PPG-TF 320)	Integra Turf, Inc.	6.3	52.2	6.2	6.5	5.6	6.7	5.3
Southside (PPG-TF 267)	Landmark Turf & Native Seed	6.3	52.2	6.2	6.6	5.6	6.0	4.9
Spyder 2LS (ZRC1)	Mountain View Seeds	6.3	52.2	6.3	6.7	5.5	6.4	5.8
Fierce (K18-RS6)	The Scotts Company	6.3	47.8	6.2	6.7	5.5	6.4	5.2
Providence (GO-RH20)	Grassland Oregon Seed	6.3	47.8	6.3	6.6	5.6	6.6	6.1
Rover (PPG-TF 306)	Landmark Turf & Native Seed	6.3	47.8	6.2	6.4	5.5	6.3	6.2
Firenza II (PPG-TF 244)	Integra Turf, Inc.	6.3	43.5	6.1	6.6	5.9	6.3	6.0
Titan GLX (TF445)	Smith Seed Services	6.3	43.5	6.3	6.4	5.9	6.6	5.8
Kentucky 31	Standard	4.2	0.0	4.4	2.6	4.1	5.9	5.4
LSD (0.05)		0.2		0.3	0.5	0.6	1.1	0.9

Regional columns matter more than the national average when you shop. In the two Southeast plots, Griffin, Ga., and Mississippi State, no entry beat 5.9, below the 6.0 NTEP calls generally acceptable, while the five North Central sites averaged 6.3 (NTEP Table 21; Table 22). Shade separated the leaders too: Xanadu rated 6.3 under trees at Ames, Iowa, and Expanse 4.8, a gap larger than the 0.9 LSD.

NTEP itself makes no variety recommendations, and NC State advises sowing a blend of two or three cultivars rather than one. A newer trial, the 2024 National Tall Fescue Test, has only first-year data (NTEP report 26-1, 2025), so the 2018 test remains the latest completed comparison as of October 2026. Check the cultivar names on the seed tag against the table; our grass seed cost guide covers what a bag of turf-type blend costs.

Does tall fescue spread?

Tall fescue spreads very little. It grows in clumps by tillering, and NC State says damaged or bare areas must be reseeded (NC State). In a Kansas State test, tall fescue daughter plants emerged no more than 1.5 cm (about 0.6 in) into a 1-ft bare circle, while Kentucky bluegrass reached about 8 cm (K-State, 2008).

Rhizomatous tall fescue (RTF) is the exception the seed trade sells. Barenbrug says its patented RTF “produces true rhizomes that spread beneath the soil surface” and that new tillers emerge several inches from the mother plant (Barenbrug). Purdue’s position is narrower: some cultivars produce short rhizomes and may be marketed as RTF, but they are not a different species (Purdue TURF-63-W).

Claim or study	Who ran it	What it found	Source
RTF “produces true rhizomes that spread beneath the soil surface”	Barenbrug (company page)	Claim; no measurement on the page	Barenbrug USA
Turf Saver RTF uses “up to 30% less water”	Barenbrug (company page)	Claim; the page does not name the independent test	Barenbrug USA
Spaced plants, mid-September 2001	Barenbrug patent data	88% of Bar Fa 08PB plants had rhizomes vs 51% of Kentucky 31; rhizomes 1 to 33 cm long	US 6,677,507
Rhizomes per plant, Oregon plots	Barenbrug researchers	Labarinth 10.2 vs Kentucky 31 1.0 and Rebel II 0.9 (LSD 2.4)	Sports Turf Manager, 2012
Fill of 1-ft bare circles and spread of 4-in plugs, 2006 to 2007	Kansas State University (seed partly supplied by Barenbrug)	RTF blend left a 24.6 cm hole vs 26.1 cm for Kentucky 31 and 10.5 cm for bluegrass; “rhizomatous tall fescue cultivars and blends did not increase rate of coverage”	K-State, 2008
Rhizome counts in the national spread study, Logan, Utah, 2014 to 2016	NTEP	Kentucky 31 had 3.3 to 4.0 rhizomes per 2 plugs; with an LSD of 4.6 to 8.9 and a CV near 100%, most entries were not statistically different from it	NTEP report 18-13, Table 18
Is RTF a separate species?	Purdue Extension	No: rhizome-forming cultivars are tall fescue	Purdue TURF-63-W

The weight of the independent evidence is that rhizome counts differ between cultivars but lateral fill on a mowed lawn does not differ much. The K-State report cites Barenbrug research that plants need to be at least 20 months old before rhizome production is substantial, so any RTF effect would show only in a lawn’s second year. Plan to reseed bare spots over 4 in across either way (NC State).

What is the difference between tall fescue and fine fescue?

Tall fescue and fine fescue are different species. Tall fescue blades are 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide and strongly veined; fine fescue blades are 1/16 inch wide or less and bristle-like (K-State MF2031). Fine fescues tolerate more shade and need under 2 lb of nitrogen a year (Purdue TURF-65-W), but Colorado State rates their wear tolerance only moderate, and only the creeping red types spread.

Grass	Botanical name	Growth habit	Shade tolerance	Traffic tolerance	Nitrogen, lb per 1,000 sq ft a year	Seed, lb per 1,000 sq ft	Share of Northern retail seed bags containing it	Source
Tall fescue (turf type)	Schedonorus arundinaceus	Bunch type	Good (NC State 4 of 6)	Very good (5 of 6)	2 to 4	5 to 6	Not reported	NC State; TurfFiles
Strong creeping red fescue	Festuca rubra ssp. rubra	Thick, long, numerous rhizomes	Good to excellent	Poor to fair	Under 2	4 to 6	64%	Purdue TURF-65-W; TURF-64-W
Slender creeping red fescue	F. rubra ssp. littoralis	Slender, short or few rhizomes	Good to excellent	Good	Under 2	4 to 6	2%	Purdue; TURF-64-W
Chewings fescue	F. rubra ssp. commutata	Bunch type	Excellent	Good	Under 2	3.5 to 6	27%	Purdue; TURF-64-W
Hard fescue	Festuca brevipila	Bunch type	Good	Fair to good	Under 1	3 to 6	7%	Purdue; TURF-64-W
Sheep fescue	Festuca ovina	Bunch type	Fair to good	Poor to fair	Under 1	3 to 6	0%	Purdue; TURF-64-W
Blue fescue	Festuca glauca	Clump-forming ornamental	Not rated	Not a lawn grass	Not rated	Not a lawn grass	Not reported	Purdue TURF-63-W

Sources differ on fine fescue care numbers, so name the one you follow. Purdue says mow above 2 inches, preferably 2.5 to 4, and warns that more than 2 lb of nitrogen a year can lower fine fescue quality; Colorado State says mow 1 to 3 inches, seed 5 to 7 lb, and allows 3 to 4 lb of nitrogen on sandy or high-traffic sites (Purdue; Colorado State).

The two groups are often sown together. NC State suggests 1.5 lb of fine fescue per 1,000 sq ft when it is mixed with tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass for shade, and says to mow such a tall fescue mix at 2.5 inches or higher (NC State). Blue fescue, the powder-blue clump sold for beds, is an ornamental, not a lawn grass.

Is tall fescue better than Kentucky bluegrass or bermudagrass?

Tall fescue is better than Kentucky bluegrass for heat, drought and wear, and better than bermudagrass for shade and winter color. NC State’s lawn-grass table rates tall fescue 5 of 6 for drought and wear against 4 for bluegrass, and 4 for shade against 1 for common bermudagrass (NC State Table 9-1). Bluegrass repairs itself; tall fescue does not.

1. Shade4
2. Heat4
3. Cold5
4. Drought5
5. Wear5

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 9, Table 9-1 Tall fescue and bermudagrass from NC State's Piedmont rows; Kentucky bluegrass from its Mountains-Foothills row.

Show the numbers

	Tall fescue	Kentucky bluegrass	Common bermudagrass
Shade	4	4	1
Heat	4	3	5
Cold	5	5	1
Drought	5	4	6
Wear	5	4	6

Criterion	Tall fescue	Kentucky bluegrass	Common bermudagrass	Source
Season	Cool-season; green most of the winter	Cool-season	Warm-season; dormant after the first heavy frost	NC State Table 9-1
Shade tolerance (6 = excellent)	4 (good)	4 (good)	1 (very poor)	NC State Table 9-1
Heat tolerance	4	3	5	NC State Table 9-1
Cold tolerance	5	5	1	NC State Table 9-1
Drought tolerance	5	4	6	NC State Table 9-1
Wear tolerance	5	4	6	NC State Table 9-1
Cutting height	2.5 to 3.5 in	1.5 to 2.5 in	0.75 to 2 in	NC State Table 9-1
Nitrogen, lb per 1,000 sq ft a year	2 to 4 (Piedmont)	2 to 3 (mountains)	4 to 4.5 (Piedmont)	NC State Table 9-1
Spreads to fill bare spots	No (bunch type)	Yes (rhizomes)	Yes (stolons and rhizomes)	NC State Extension Gardener Handbook
Seeding rate, lb per 1,000 sq ft	6	1 to 2	Our seed cost guide lists rates	NC State Extension Gardener Handbook
Sod, national farm price, Q2 2026	50.03¢ per sq ft	34.44¢	38.04¢	USDA AMS

The practical split is regional. NC State calls tall fescue best adapted to its mountain and piedmont regions, and the best grass there for a lawn that stays green year-round, but says it will not perform well in full sun on sandy coastal plain soil (NC State). Iowa State recommends turf-type tall fescue over bluegrass for non-irrigated lawns in central and southern Iowa (Iowa State).

Mixing the two cool-season grasses buys some repair ability. NC State says tall fescue adds drought and heat tolerance and Kentucky bluegrass adds finer texture and recuperative potential; Iowa State suggests 90 to 95 percent tall fescue with 5 to 10 percent bluegrass by seed weight. Our bermudagrass guide and zoysia grass guide cover the warm-season side, and installed sod prices are in our sod installation cost guide.

When and how do you plant tall fescue?

Plant tall fescue seed in late summer to early fall, when air runs 68°F to 77°F and soil stays above 60°F, at 5 to 6 lb per 1,000 sq ft (NC State TurfFiles). NC State warns that spring-seeded tall fescue is more exposed to drought, heat, disease and weeds; sod can go down any time the ground is not frozen (NC State).

Region	Seeding window	Notes	Source
North Carolina mountains	Aug. 15 to Sept. 1	Seeding later raises the chance of failure	NC State Extension Gardener Handbook
North Carolina piedmont	Sept. 1 to Sept. 15 (renovation Sept. 1 to Oct. 1)	Get seed down by mid-October at the latest	NC State; NC State TurfFiles
North Carolina coastal plain	Sept. 15 to Oct. 15	Poor in full sun on sandy soil	NC State
Georgia Piedmont	September through October	Avoid December and any time after April	UGA Extension
Iowa	Mid-August to mid or late September; to early October in southern Iowa	Spring option: late April to early May; germination slows below 50°F soil	Iowa State

How to seed a tall fescue lawn

Seeding tall fescue is a three-week job of seed-to-soil contact and steady moisture. The seven steps below combine NC State, UGA and Iowa State instructions; quantities are per 1,000 sq ft, and our overseeding guide covers seeding into an existing lawn.

1. Test the soil and lime or fertilize to the report; the USDA NRCS lists pH 5.5 to 7.0 as tall fescue’s range (NRCS).
2. Core-aerate a compacted lawn or till bare ground, then smooth it; NC State says aeration holes catch seed and hold moisture (TurfFiles).
3. Spread 5 to 6 lb of a turf-type blend of two or three cultivars, half in each of two passes at right angles (UGA; NC State). More seed is not better: NC State says high rates make weak, thin stands.
4. Rake the seed into the top 1/4 inch of soil or roll it, and apply a starter (high-phosphorus) fertilizer if you have no soil test.
5. Keep the top 1 to 2 inches of soil moist with up to 1/4 inch of water a day for about three weeks, then water less often and deeper.
6. Mow for the first time at 2 inches, then raise the deck to 2.5 to 3 inches as the stand matures.
7. Hold all herbicides until the new grass is extensively tillered (NC State TurfFiles).

1. Iowa State5
2. UGA Extension5
3. NC State TurfFiles10

Source: Iowa State Yard and Garden; UGA Oglethorpe County Extension (2025); NC State TurfFiles (2025) Iowa State and UGA describe favorable conditions; NC State's range covers cool or dry falls.

Show the numbers

	Fewest days	Most days
Iowa State	5	10
UGA Extension	5	10
NC State TurfFiles	10	21

Where do tall fescue guides disagree with extension sources?

Seed-company care pages and land-grant publications give different numbers for planting and mowing tall fescue. The table quotes each as published in October 2026. The largest gap is spring seeding: one seed company lists spring as a seeding season once soil reaches 50°F to 65°F, while NC State does not recommend spring seeding at all.

Topic	What the guide says	What the extension source says	Source
Soil temperature for seeding	Seed when soil reaches 50°F to 65°F (Pennington)	Optimum air 68°F to 77°F with soil above 60°F; Iowa State says germination is slow below 50°F	NC State TurfFiles; Iowa State
Spring seeding	Plant in early fall or in spring when soil reaches 50°F to 65°F (Pennington)	Spring-seeding tall fescue is not recommended; spring stands suffer drought, heat, disease and weeds	NC State; TurfFiles
Spring mowing height	Maintain 2 to 3 inches (Pennington)	2.5 to 3.5 inches; never shorter than 2.5 inches	NC State AG-367; NC State

The germination gap is mostly weather. The 5 to 10 days that Iowa State and UGA give assume warm, moist soil; NC State’s 10 to 21 days covers a fall that turns cool or dry. Plan on three weeks of watering either way. More germination detail is in our grass seed germination guide.

How do you mow, fertilize and water tall fescue?

Mow tall fescue at 2.5 to 3.5 inches (3.5 in summer), feed about 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in September, November and February, and give it about 1 inch of water a week (NC State AG-367). NC State ties both habits, fall-weighted feeding and a cut above 3 inches, to less summer brown patch.

How short can you cut tall fescue?

Do not cut tall fescue below 2.5 inches; NC State says it performs best at 3.5 inches (NC State). NTEP’s low-mow plot shows why: mowed at 1.5 inches at Blacksburg, Va., the 132 entries averaged 6.0 for quality, but Kentucky 31 fell to 3.0 (NTEP Table 31). Remove no more than one-third of the blade per cut.

Source	Recommended height	Season or condition
NC State AG-367	2.5 to 3.5 in; mow every 5 to 7 days in late spring	March to May
NC State AG-367	3.5 in, before it passes 5 in	June to August
NC State AG-367	2.5 to 3 in	September to November
NC State Gardener Handbook	Best at 3.5 in; never below 2.5 in; cut back to 3 in when it reaches 4.5 in	All year
UGA Extension	2.5 to 3 in; 3 in in summer	Georgia
Iowa State	3 in (rarely has weed problems at that height); every 5 to 6 days	Iowa
Oregon State	2 to 3 in for improved cultivars	Pacific Northwest
K-State MF736	Turf types 2 to 3 in; Kentucky 31 2.5 to 3.5 in	Kansas

When should you fertilize tall fescue?

Fertilize tall fescue mainly in fall. NC State’s basic program is 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in mid-September, again in November and again in February, with optional spring and summer feedings of only 1/5 to 1/2 lb (NC State AG-367). Heavy spring or summer nitrogen greatly increases brown patch, NC State says (NC State).

1. Spring0.50
2. Summer0.50
3. September1
4. Late Oct. to Nov.1
5. February1

Source: NC State AG-367; Iowa State Yard and Garden NC State spring and summer feedings are optional (0.2 to 0.5 lb); its basic program is the three 1 lb feedings.

Show the numbers

	NC State AG-367, high end	Iowa State, high end
Spring	0.50	0.75
Summer	0.50	0
September	1	1
Late Oct. to Nov.	1	1
February	1	0

Timing	NC State AG-367 (lb N per 1,000 sq ft)	Iowa State, higher-maintenance lawn	Iowa State, low-maintenance lawn
Spring (March to May)	Optional 0.2 to 0.5	0.5 to 0.75	None
Summer (June to August)	Optional 0.2 to 0.5	None	None
September	1	0.75 to 1	None
Late October to November	1 (November)	0.75 to 1	1
February	1	None	None
Annual total	3 (basic) to 4	2 to 2.75	1

To turn a nitrogen rate into pounds of product, NC State divides 100 by the first number on the bag for 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft. The worked rows below apply that formula to three common bags and a 5,000 sq ft lawn on the three-feeding basic program.

Our lawn fertilizer explainer shows what the other two numbers on the bag guarantee and how fast each nitrogen source releases.

Bag analysis	Formula	Product per 1,000 sq ft per feeding	Per feeding, 5,000 sq ft	Per year (3 feedings), 5,000 sq ft
16-4-8	100 ÷ 16	6.25 lb	31.3 lb	93.8 lb
12-4-8	100 ÷ 12	8.3 lb	41.7 lb	125 lb
10-10-10	100 ÷ 10	10 lb	50 lb	150 lb

How much water does tall fescue need?

Tall fescue needs about 1 inch of water a week, applied so the soil wets 4 to 6 inches deep, and ideally between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. to cut disease (NC State AG-367). A lawn allowed to go dormant in drought still needs watering every three weeks, and NC State says some stand loss is possible once a drought passes three weeks.

Watering rule	Amount or interval	Source
Established lawn, spring and fall	About 1 in a week, wetting soil 4 to 6 in deep	NC State AG-367
Sandy soil	About 1/2 in every third day	NC State AG-367
Summer, Kansas	1 to 1.5 in a week	K-State MF736
Dormant lawn in drought	Water every 3 weeks	NC State AG-367
Low-input lawn, Iowa	3 to 5 waterings a summer may be enough	Iowa State
New seeding	Up to 1/4 in a day for about 3 weeks	UGA Extension

Deep roots are why tall fescue can coast through dry spells. Oregon State reports roots 2 to 3 feet deep on deep soils, though dwarf types root less (Oregon State). In a Kansas State rainout-shelter study, tall fescue sod mowed at 3.5 inches did not go dormant through 83 days of drought in 2017 and 60 days in 2018, while Kentucky bluegrass went dormant in about 11 and 7 weeks (K-State, 2019). Timing advice by grass is in our lawn watering guide.

Thatch is rarely a tall fescue problem: NC State says removal is generally not necessary, and Oregon State calls it probably the lowest thatch producer of the common cool-season grasses. NC State AG-367 schedules core aeration for September through November, on clay soils and high-traffic lawns. Our aeration timing guide covers the calendar, and the dethatching cost guide explains when a power rake is worth paying for.

What are the downsides of tall fescue?

The downsides of tall fescue are that it does not spread to fill damage, it is highly susceptible to brown patch in hot, humid weather, it needs frequent mowing in spring, and it thins in full sun on sandy soil. Iowa State says common and improved stands need interseeding every 3 to 5 years to stay even (Iowa State).

Problem	Trigger or threshold	What to do	Source
Brown patch	Above 85°F with high humidity; severe when nights stay above 68°F and days reach the mid to upper 80s	Mow above 3 in, water between 2 and 8 a.m., avoid spring and summer nitrogen; fungicide in severe outbreaks	NC State AG-367; NC State
Gray leaf spot	Nights above 70°F with high humidity; most active July to October	Mow at 3 in or taller, remove clippings; fungicides needed to suppress	NC State AG-367
Bare or thin spots	Damage larger than 4 in across	Reseed; tall fescue cannot spread into the gap	NC State
Clumpy, uneven stand	Traffic plus too little water	Interseed every 3 to 5 years, ideally after core aeration	Iowa State
Summer decline on sand	Full sun on sandy coastal plain soil	Choose a warm-season grass for that area	NC State
White grubs	Adults fly and lay eggs in June	Preventive product in June; curative after larvae hatch, about 24 hours after a heavy rain	NC State AG-367
Fast spring growth	Spring flush	Mow every 5 to 7 days	NC State; Iowa State

Cultivar choice shifts the disease odds but does not remove them. In NTEP’s warm-temperature brown patch ratings, entries ranged from 4.6 to 6.8 on a 9-point scale with an LSD of 1.1; Capitan led at 6.8 (NTEP Table 46). Gray leaf spot separated entries more sharply: Kentucky 31 rated 5.5 in New Jersey against an entry mean of 7.0.

This page is general information. Fungicide and herbicide rules vary by state and product; read and follow the product label, which is the law for pesticide use.

Is tall fescue toxic to dogs?

No veterinary source we found lists tall fescue as toxic to dogs, and the ASPCA’s dog plant list names fescue neither as toxic nor as safe (ASPCA). The ASPCA adds that eating any plant can cause vomiting. The documented toxicity is fescue toxicosis in grazing livestock and pregnant mares, caused by an endophyte fungus inside many plants (University of Kentucky).

That fungus, Epichloë coenophialum, makes ergovaline, the alkaloid that harms mammals, and peramine, which repels insects (Virginia Tech SPES-114P). Virginia Tech counts tall fescue as the main forage on more than 35 million U.S. acres. Oregon State says the endophytes bred into turf-type tall fescue for pest resistance are usually toxic to livestock, and sets the ergovaline threshold at 0 ppb for mares in the last 60 to 90 days of pregnancy (Oregon State EM 9156). Do not feed lawn clippings to horses or cattle.

Is tall fescue the right grass for your lawn?

Tall fescue suits a sunny to partly shaded lawn in the transition zone, the Piedmont, the Midwest or California, where the owner wants year-round green and accepts reseeding thin spots every few years. It is a poor fit for full sun on sandy Southern soil or for a lawn that must heal itself from heavy wear (NC State; Iowa State).

If your situation is	Do this	Why (source)
Sandy soil, full sun, coastal plain or Deep South	Plant bermudagrass or zoysiagrass instead	NC State says tall fescue will not perform well there (NC State)
Piedmont or transition zone, sun to medium shade	Seed a blend of 2 to 3 turf-type cultivars at 6 lb per 1,000 sq ft in early fall	NC State’s recommended rate and blend (NC State)
Roadside, ditch bank or field you will rarely mow	Kentucky 31 at 8 to 10 lb per 1,000 sq ft is acceptable	Purdue lists KY31 only for low-maintenance sites (Purdue AY-25-W)
Brown patch every summer	Mow above 3 in, stop spring and summer nitrogen, overseed with a cultivar rated 6.6 or higher for brown patch	NTEP Table 46 range 4.6 to 6.8; NC State AG-367
Shade under trees	Choose a cultivar that held quality in NTEP shade plots (Xanadu 6.3, Rover 6.2) or add fine fescue	NTEP Table 29; NC State says fine fescue suits shade (NC State)
You want the lawn to repair itself	Seed 90 to 95% tall fescue with 5 to 10% Kentucky bluegrass	Bluegrass rhizomes fill gaps (Iowa State)
Bare spot larger than 4 in	Reseed the spot; plugging will not work	Tall fescue is bunch type (NC State)
You can only plant in spring	Lay sod, or seed in late April to early May and expect more weeds	Iowa State spring window; NC State sod any time ground is not frozen

1. 1Is the lawn in full sun on sandy soil in the coastal plain or Deep South?

   YesPlant bermudagrass or zoysiagrass instead (NC State).

   NoGo to the next question

2. 2Is it a roadside or field you will rarely mow?

   YesKentucky 31 at 8 to 10 lb per 1,000 sq ft is acceptable (Purdue AY-25-W).

   NoGo to the next question

3. 3Can you only plant in spring?

   YesLay sod, or seed in late April to early May and expect more weeds (Iowa State).

   NoGo to the next question

4. 4Does the lawn need to repair itself from heavy wear?

   YesSeed 90 to 95% tall fescue with 5 to 10% Kentucky bluegrass (Iowa State).

   NoGo to the next question

5. 5Does brown patch hit the area every summer?

   YesUse a cultivar rated 6.6 or higher for brown patch in NTEP Table 46, mow above 3 in and feed in fall (NC State).

   NoSeed a blend of 2 to 3 turf-type tall fescue cultivars at 6 lb per 1,000 sq ft in early fall, when soil is above 60°F (NC State).

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Handbook; NC State AG-367; Iowa State; Purdue AY-25-W; NTEP report 24-9