Effect of Seeding Date on Tall Fescue and Fine Fescue Performance.

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum) and fine fescues (Festuca spp.) are being used increasingly for lower-input turfgrass areas in the Upper Midwest. Little research has documented optimal seeding date for these species. We have previously observed that tall fescue stands seeded in early September or later have poorer winter survival than well established stands. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to identify the optimum seeding date for tall and fine fescue in Minnesota. The experiment was a randomized complete block design replicated three times and was conducted in 2014 and 2016 in both St. Paul and Chaska, MN. Plots were seeded with either a 3-way tall fescue blend or a fine fescue mixture consisting of hard fescue (Festuca brevipila), slender creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. littoralis), and strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. rubra) on a monthly interval between May and November of each year. Turf quality and weed coverage data indicate that planting date affects tall fescue and fine fescue seedling establishment. Plots that were seeded in October and November had reduced turf quality the following May after establishment for both tall fescue and fine fescue.