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fine fescue in sun

15 years ago

Hi Yard Doctor,

I am located in coastal CT, zone 6b.

I have read various opinions on whether fine fescue can do well in sunny locations, and they have run all the way from "yes, certainly" to "absolutely not."

I renovated my (mostly sunny but with shaded borders) back yard last year with a blend of Award, Moonlight and Bedazzled KBG, and it is doing very well.

I would like to renovate the front yard this year, but it is a very small yard (1000 sq feet maybe) and the sunlight really varies due to two relatively small trees on my property (a red maple and a weeping cherry), and some very large Oaks across the street. The result is that a few areas of this yard get some serious sun, but most of it gets not much at all.

So I thought to renovate with a blend of fine fescues, but I am just not sure if they will do well in the small sunny areas. I am thinking a blend of Salem creeping red, Warwick hard, and Intrigue chewings, based on another person's lawn where these cultivars were used to blend colorwise, as well as fescues can, with the same blend of KBG I have (Award, Moonlight, Bedazzled).

But if fine fescue will just cook in the sun, I have been considering mixing that KBG blend with that blend of fescues, weighting towards the KBG, with the idea that the fescues may thrive in the shade, the KBG will thrive in the sun, and hopefully the transition won't be too noticeable. Then I could overseed any bare spots next year, probably nearest to the tree trunks, with more of that fescue blend.

As an aside I have been surprised at how well the KBG has done even in the shadier areas of my back lawn (4 hours of sun or so on the borders).

I'm sorry this post is so long, that is a problem of mine... To whittle my question down, I'm wondering whether fine fescue can thive in full sun. If so, I'll plant that as a blended monostand. If not, what do you think about mixing that KBG blend with it in the way I propose?

Thank you very much,

Paul

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Comments (4)

yarddoctor
15 years ago
Dear Paul,

Thank you very much for your inquiry. It sounds as though you have a wonderful handle on things. My approach would be to plant the Kentucky bluegrasses and fine fescues as a mixture and let them dominate in their specific areas. This way, as you suggest, the transition will be seamless from sun to shade.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers, The Briggs & Stratton Yard Doctor, YardDoctor.com
paulinct
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you very much for your reply Trey.

If you are suggesting a mix for diversity of disease and pest resistance in order to protect the stand, I appreciate where you are coming from. But I am willing to take the risks of a (thoughtfully blended) monostand of modern cultivars of fine fescue if that could do well in the sunny spots. I really like the even growth habits and common texture and color of lawns like that, so that is why I am reluctant to mix in some KBG, especially on such a small lawn where the transitions could appear more obvious than they otherwise would.

So, I'm wondering whether fine fescues can thrive in sunny conditions in coastal CT, zone 6b if cared for properly (which I'm willing to do, including yearly overseeding if necessary).

Thanks again!
Paul
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yarddoctor
15 years ago
Dear Eddie,

Thank you very much for your inquiry. Sorry, missed the essence of your question. There is no doubt that the fine fescues can survive CT, the sun and all that Mother Nature can throw at it. Go for it with no fear.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers, The Briggs & Stratton Yard Doctor, YardDoctor.com
paulinct
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you again!

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