Turf-Type Tall Fescue (TTTF), scientifically known as Festuca arundinacea, is a popular cool-season grass known for its toughness and adaptability. While native to Europe, the “Turf Type” designation means the grass has been selectively bred to improve its aesthetic qualities for home lawns and commercial landscapes. TTTF retains the durability of its ancestor while offering a finer texture, better color, and a denser growth habit suitable for manicured turf.
Defining Turf Type Tall Fescue
TTTF varieties offer a visual improvement over the coarse, clumpy appearance of common tall fescue, such as Kentucky-31. Newer cultivars feature finer leaf blades, providing a softer texture and a deep, dark green color maintained throughout the growing season, even during heat stress.
TTTF has a bunch-type growth habit, meaning it grows in clumps and spreads primarily through vertical shoots called tillers. Since it lacks aggressive horizontal runners (rhizomes or stolons), bare spots will not fill in on their own and require overseeding to maintain a uniform, dense lawn. Some modern cultivars have been bred to possess weak rhizomes, which contributes to a denser stand and limited self-repair capacity.
Resilient Qualities of TTTF
TTTF’s popularity stems from its extensive root system, which can penetrate the soil to depths of two to three feet. This deep rooting allows the plant to tap into deeper soil moisture reserves, significantly increasing its tolerance to drought and heat compared to other cool-season grasses. This makes TTTF a water-efficient choice, especially in the transition zone where summer heat is challenging.
TTTF also exhibits high tolerance to foot traffic and wear, making it a common choice for sports fields and family lawns. However, its bunch-type growth means that heavily damaged areas will not repair themselves laterally. The grass has moderate shade tolerance, performing better in partial shade than Kentucky Bluegrass or Perennial Ryegrass, though it prefers full sun.
Care and Maintenance Guidelines
Proper mowing is part of maintaining a healthy TTTF lawn. The grass should be mowed to a height between 3 and 4 inches. Maintaining a taller blade height helps the grass shade its root system, conserving soil moisture and reducing summer stress. Always adhere to the one-third rule, removing no more than one-third of the leaf blade length in a single mowing.
Watering should complement the grass’s deep root structure. Established TTTF should be watered deeply and infrequently, aiming for one to one and a quarter inches of water per week. This practice encourages deeper root growth, maximizing drought avoidance. Watering in the early morning is recommended to allow the blades to dry before evening, minimizing the risk of fungal diseases like Brown Patch.
The best time for establishing a new TTTF lawn or overseeding is in the late summer or early fall, typically mid-August through mid-September. Seeding at this time allows the grass to establish a robust root system before the following summer’s heat stress. Fertilization should support the cool-season growth cycle, with the heaviest nitrogen application occurring in the fall. While a spring application is beneficial, summer fertilization should be avoided as it pushes growth when the grass is already stressed.