It is tolerant of excessive traffic and grazing. You can mow the seedlings when they reach 3 … feet. Seeding tall fescue in less than ideal conditions can result in poor germination rates and thin turf. The best time to seed your lawn is in the late summer when the soil is warm and there isn’t much weed competition. A: It ^DOES^ matter! Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed is an economical, low-maintenance Tall Fescue variety that is unique for its increased heat tolerance when compared to other Fescue varieties. Frost seeding is broadcasting seed onto the ground during mid to late February and relying on the freeze and thaw cycle to work the seed into the soil. Always follow herbicide labels. As a fescue variety, it grows in clumps. Carefully check the label for the recommended waiting period before seeding. Allowing time for seedlings to establish is another critical step in overseeding. The following recommendations will increase the chances of a successful overseeding application: Purchase seed well in advance of overseeding. Typically, seeding grasses should not happen until six to eight weeks after spraying and wait an additional six to eight weeks before spraying a newly overseeded stand. Frost seeding works well with red and white clover, but success is limited with grasses and alfalfa. This should be indicated on the bag. KY-31 Fescue Specially formulated for improved shade tolerance, drought survival and disease resistance. Use high-quality seed of an improved variety – Use a variety that has proven to be a top performer under Kentucky conditions. ... All You Need To Know About Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue. Creeping Red Fescue Seeding: Seeding with red fescue is best done in the fall and is usually seeded … The University of Kentucky forage testing program tests the survival of cool-season grasses and legumes under grazing and reports these findings in Forage Variety Trials. This durable, heat-tolerant variety was an early leader in putting low-maintenance, disease-resistant lawns within the average homeowner’s reach. Most of the new and more attractive cultivars are referred to as “turf-type” tall fescues and have a slightly finer leaf blade, lower growth habit, darker green color and greater density and shade tolerance than K-31. To succeed, seeds need to make good contact with the soil. Overseeding consists of planting seed in a field with existing grass cover in order to fill in bare patches and thicken the stand. Purchase seed well in advance of overseeding… Tall fescue does not require mowing less than 3 inches high, and uses about half as much water as Kentucky bluegrass. Medium coarse bladed texture with high drought tolerance. Tall fescue can be overseeded at the rate of 3-5 pounds per 1000 square feet (Usually 1/2 new lawn rate). This tall fescue grass variety is ideal for average lawn and turf use. Q: What setting should I use on a rotary spreader to spread Kentucky 31 fescue seed? Decades later, this economical, traditional tall fescue grass … First measure the area of your lawn. It will produce on soils with pH of 5.2 to 8.0, but optimum growth occurs in the 5.8 to 7.0 pH range. It has a coarser texture than the newer varieties so it doesn't look as "golf course pretty" but I'll gladly trade a small amount of aesthetics to gain a lot more durability. Philanthropy & Alumni Another thing is that because TTTF is a bunch type growth habit, eventually, it can and will … Dean Overseeding with Kentucky bluegrass and turf type Tall fescue is an inexpensive and fast way to help bring your lawn to its green self without tearing your soil out and starting over. However, do allow enough time for the seeds to come up the following spring. You need to apply only 8 – 10 lb. If you choose to use Scotts tall fescue seed mix and a Scotts rotary spreader, use a setting of 7 1/2 for overseeding and a setting of 18 when establishing a new lawn. Using a no-till drill is recommended to provide the best chance of success. Tall fescue brought to the states in the 1800s as forage grass, in 1931 a strain Kentucky 31 was discovered as the first lawn style tall fescue… Plan on requiring about 3 pounds of bluegrass seed, 10 pounds of ryegrass seed, 4 pounds of red fescue, 5 pounds of hard fescue or 8 to 10 pounds of tall fescue seed for every 1,000 … Allow immature seedlings to become established – In addition to limiting grazing of an overseeded pasture, also limit herbicide applications at critical times. Do not use Kentucky 31 tall fescue or other coarse fescue blends for overseeding lawns. Produces a lawn that has a rich, dark green color. Mow frequently enough so that no more than ⅓ of the grass blade is removed. To overseed a lawn in Kentucky, you need to know when is the best time for seed germination. The goal of any seeding method is to place the seed ¼ to ½ inch into the soil and cover it to achieve good seed to soil contact. per 1,000 sqft. We understand you are busy and often times dealing with warranty or repairs to your power tools and equipment can be a daunting task. 8-10 lbs. Is bluegr fescue or ryegr best lawn for overseed our zoysia tall fescue mix removing zoysia gr from your cool when to overseed bermuda gr best october tall fescue lawn care tips. Or does it matter? While Kentucky 31 tall fescue has and is used extensively for live stock pasture grass, agronomists no longer recommend Kentucky 31 for livestock pastures due to … There are some benefits to Dormant Seeding in the late fall and early winter: *Winter Seedings are less reliant on watering because the soil is typically wet coming out of winter and spring rains are likely. % IVDMD* Spring Fall Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue 58.1 56.2 Hallmark Orchardgrass 55.4 60.4 *IVDMD = In … Lexington, KY 40546-0091 Usually, close mowing or grazing can help seedlings establish. written by Ray Smith - Overseeding of pastures is an excellent management tool that improves pasture production, forage quality, and ensures a good ground cover the following year without major pasture renovations. With clovers the waiting period for seeding after spraying can be six or more months with some herbicides. Creeping Red Fescue Seeding: Seeding with red fescue is best done in the fall and is usually seeded with bluegrass or perennial rye grass. While herbicides are an effective way of controlling weeds, spraying may also hinder young seedlings, resulting in a failed establishment. Overseeding newer turf varieties into a worn-out lawn … If you put down more than that you run the risk of your grass seedlings getting pythium blight, which kills them outright in spring. It germinates quickly and grows well in extreme heat conditions. Grass clippings decompose quickly and do not contribute to thatch. I returned to using K-31 after trying out a few of the newer tall fescue varieties since K-31 holds up the best with regard to drought resistance and disease resistance. It is particularly well-suited to the south-central U.S. and the challenging turf-growing region known as the transition zone. Fertilizing: Do not fertilize tall fescue after March 15. Is Kentucky bluegrass a tall fescue? Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue grass thus became established in pastures and and lawns across North America. According to the Texas Cooperative Extension, Kentucky 31 is in the Tall Fescue grass family (Festuca arundinacea) and does well in hot summers, cold winters and a range of soils. A normal tall fescue lawn would use kentucky blue grass to fill in the gaps between those clumps, but the difference between the sizes of Kentucky-31 and Kentucky Blue doesn’t aesthetically fill the gaps. Use the best seeding method available – Using a no-till drill is recommended for overseeding, as discussed previously. % IVDMD* Spring Fall Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue 58.1 56.2 Hallmark Orchardgrass 55.4 60.4 *IVDMD = In vitro dry matter disappearance, a measure of digestibility (Data adapted from Carlson and Umbaugh, 1988. Proper seeding method is also an important factor in overseeding success. Kentucky 32 is the “New Choice” in tall fescue for forage. It features 5% of iron for greener fescue … Like other tall fescue varieties, KY-31 is best adapted to regions with moderate summers and cool winters. per 1000 sq. The local Rural King has 50 lbs. We are here to make it a little bit easier. per 1,000 sqft. All new varieties of tall fescue have very low amounts of the endophyte fungus or are free of it. Kentucky Tall fescue. *The snow on your lawn through winter will help the seed get deeper under the ground. That’s right, it is not too late to get a jump on your new spring lawn. Tall fescue will grow on almost any soil but produces best on fertile moist soils. In one of our previous videos we looked at starting a new tall fescue lawn from scratch by seeding into a bare seedbed. Kentucky 32 is the "New Choice" in tall fescue for forage. feet. In 1943 the University of Kentucky released the variety, Kentucky 31 and fescue establishment rapidly spread throughout the eastern United States. You can mow the seedlings when they reach 3 inches … Harrowing before and after broadcast seeding is another seeding method; however it is much less accurate and effective than a no-till drill. Spring and fall digestibility of Kentucky 31 (endophyte-free) tall fescue and Hallmark orchardgrass. Tall fescue will grow on almost any soil but produces best on fertile moist soils. Did you know at CFH we service and warranty all the products we sell? About KY-31 Grass Seed Kentucky 31 is a cool-season grass, meaning its most vigorous growth happens during cooler temperatures of fall and spring. Store seed in a cool, dry area to maintain germination levels. I like these grasses because they are durable and some of the blend is self repairing. *By the time the soil is dry enough to seed in the spring, you usually miss out on good rains that would help seed germinate. Adaptation and use of tall fescue (from ASA Monograph No. Where weather runs too hot for many cool-season grasses and too cold for most warm-season grasses, Kentucky 31 tall fescue shines. It will actually strengthen you fescue lawn during summer and hot weather. While Kentucky 31 tall fescue has and is used extensively for live stock pasture grass, agronomists no longer recommend Kentucky 31 for livestock pastures due to the presence of endophytes. It can be done over the entire pasture or limited to trouble areas. … Let’s start with Tall Fescue’s characteristics to better understand why we need to do all of this stuff. This durable, heat-tolerant variety was an early leader in putting low-maintenance, disease-resistant lawns within the average homeowner's reach. Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed Tall Fescue Mix. Seed will begin to grow in 6 - 14 days. A thick carpet of dark green turf grass will produce on soils with pH 5.2... 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