Turf-type tall fescue (TTTF) is a modern, cool-season turfgrass developed through selective breeding from the species Festuca arundinacea. It represents a significant advancement over older, pasture-type varieties, combining the rugged durability of its ancestors with a refined appearance. TTTF is engineered to meet the aesthetic and performance demands of contemporary lawns. It is a popular choice, particularly in the challenging “transition zone” of the United States, because it can withstand a wider range of environmental stressors than many other cool-season grasses.
The Evolution of Turf Type Tall Fescue
The modern turf-type varieties are fundamentally different from the older, coarse tall fescue known as ‘Kentucky 31’ (KY-31), which was primarily developed for forage and erosion control. Traditional KY-31 is characterized by wide, light-green leaf blades and a pronounced clumping growth habit that results in an uneven, pasture-like appearance. Breeders focused on refining these traits, shifting the genetic profile away from a bulky forage crop toward a dense, uniform turf.
The primary goal of this breeding was to produce a grass with a finer leaf texture and a darker green color, allowing it to blend better with other popular lawn grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. Newer cultivars exhibit increased tillering, producing more vertical shoots from the base. This denser growth habit creates a tightly knit stand of grass, helping the lawn compete effectively against weeds and providing a uniform, carpet-like quality.
Inherent Traits That Define Its Performance
The mechanism behind TTTF’s resilience is its unusually deep root system, which is one of the longest among cool-season turfgrasses. These roots can penetrate the soil to depths of three to four feet, allowing the plant to tap into moisture reserves unavailable to shallow-rooted species. This extensive rooting provides TTTF with superior drought tolerance, enabling it to remain green and active long after other grasses would have entered summer dormancy.
The deep rooting also contributes to the grass’s excellent heat tolerance, making it well-suited for regions with hot summers, such as the transition zone. TTTF exhibits moderate shade tolerance, performing better under partial tree cover than full-sun cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass. Modern cultivars have also been bred for improved resistance to common turf diseases, including a higher tolerance for Brown Patch, a frequent warm-weather fungal problem.
Establishing and Maintaining Your TTTF Lawn
The optimal period for establishing a TTTF lawn is late summer or early fall, when soil temperatures are warm enough for germination but the cooler air temperatures promote vigorous root development before winter. For new lawns, a seeding rate of approximately eight to ten pounds per 1,000 square feet is recommended to ensure a dense stand. Proper soil preparation, including loosening the top few inches of soil and ensuring adequate nutrients, will significantly aid in the quick establishment of the deep root system.
Once established, the grass should be mowed to a height between three and four inches, ideally raising the cutting deck to 3.5 to 4.5 inches during summer. Maintaining a taller blade height shades the soil, keeping the root zone cooler and reducing moisture evaporation. Watering practices should focus on deep and infrequent irrigation, which encourages the roots to grow downward. This deeper watering, along with a low to moderate annual nitrogen fertilization program, supports the long-term health of the TTTF lawn.