Atlanta is hot. It just is. June, July, and August are muggy, humid, and toasty. While native Atlantans are resolved to sweat when we walk outside (whether we like it or not), it can be exceptionally uncomfortable to someone who is acclimated to another climate. Did you know that the same is true for different species of turfgrass?
What Is A Cool Season Turfgrass?
Turfgrass species are categorized in many ways. Species, variety, growth type, and even the weather in which they best perform. The weather categorization has two primary groupings; species that perform best between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (Cool Season), and species that perform best between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (Warm Season).
Since Atlanta has a penchant for piping hot summer afternoons, landscapers tend to lean toward warm-season turfgrasses when planning landscapes. The most common of these are Bermuda and zoysia. Not only do they tolerate the heat. They generally love it when their needs are met. Technically speaking, Atlanta is in the transition zone, meaning that our weather is amicable for certain species that can tolerate some discomfort, but would prefer cooler temperatures. The most common cool-season turf selected is turf-type tall fescue, which, while preferential toward cooler climates, will tolerate some heat when cared for properly.
To address a question we sometimes field from people who’ve moved here from a northern or mid-western state, it gets hot there. The differences, however, generally present with UV intensity and how long the heat of the season lasts, each of which contributes to attrition over time. Where temperatures may reach 90 degrees in the midwest, this is generally short-lived. Atlanta regularly sees 40+ days over 90 degrees with sticky, warm nights. In 2019, we actually had 90 days over 90. The accumulation of this stress combined with very high UV readings (due to very direct sun exposure) means cool-season turfgrasses must fight (and be babied) to survive.
Why Would Somebody Choose Fescue In Atlanta?
Just like any portion of a landscape, the most important consideration to make when choosing plant material is to make sure you are selecting plant material that is well-suited for the conditions it will be planted into. All plants, whether large or small, have specific requirements for light, water, and nutritional inputs. While a great lawn care company (Nature’s Turf, for instance), can help navigate the nutritional aspect of this equation, irrigation delivery falls on the property manager/homeowner, and light can be a struggle neither one of us has control over.
Bermudagrass is an absolute energy hog, requiring 8 or so hours of direct sunlight a day. It’s usually the best choice for ball fields and golf courses because its recovery potential is unbelievable, but that means it can make no compromises on how much sunlight it receives.
Zoysia grows more slowly and photosynthesizes more efficiently than Bermuda. This means that it can tolerate (notice I didn’t say enjoy) less light than Bermuda. Somewhere between 5 and 7 hours is generally sufficient to sustain a healthy stand of zoysia when its other needs are met.
This is where Fescue steps in and generally has a chance to shine in an Atlanta-area landscape. It certainly has light requirements like any plant but is comfortably growing in the 4-ish hour range. We see most of our Fescue clients in areas with mature trees and strict ordinances that protect them (which is great!). Large trees win the light battle every time. They’re big and create lots of shade. Houses are also big-time shade creators, meaning conditions beneath 4 hours are a regular occurrence in some areas.
While exceptional shade can be a huge hindrance to Bermuda or zoysia, it can be helpful to fescue as it reduces UV exposure and heat. Not only will fescue do a better job at 4 hours of light than zoysia, but the shade in those areas mitigates some of the stress that would otherwise make fescue a less viable option in Atlanta. It’s still an uphill battle though.
What to Expect With Fescue In Atlanta
Since Fescue is a cool season turf, this is a war of attrition. Even in the best growing conditions, it is important to make sure avoidable injury is avoided. Mowing weekly at 3-4” and ensuring it has sufficient irrigation are absolutely key to it surviving the summer. Excessive desiccation and poor mowing habits add insult to injury.
Even with exceptional care, discomfort from summer weather leaves fescue more open to stresses like disease. Brown patches, anthracnose, and pythium are often present and ready to take advantage as summer heat weakens their defenses.
Weed control can also be tricky in fescue. Broadleaves are manageable, but many grassy weeds are biologically similar to fescue, and with enough contamination, may mean that you need to start all over again. If you are used to weed control in bermuda or zoysia where relative cleanliness is possible, and recovery is likely in good conditions, be prepared to adjust expectations with fescue.
Since fescue’s bunch-type growth habit doesn’t spread in the same way bermuda or zoysia does, it must be interseeded or overseeded to maintain density in time. This is exceptionally true in Atlanta where summer can quickly create stress and thinness. Fortunately, the cost of aeration and overseeding is generally less than resodding an area.
Conclusions:
Ultimately, fescue has a use case in Atlanta. If you have sufficient sunlight to support bermuda or zoysia, those are going to provide the results you want in season. In a shady lawn with only 4 hours of light, fescue may be a viable choice. Even though fescue would not grow happily in the south without intervention, the shady conditions that made it a viable choice will help it survive.
It should be cared for well. Avoiding avoidable injury is key since it can’t recover itself. Instead, minimizing the loss and adding additional seed in the fall is required to maintain its density with time. While broadleaf weeds can be controlled, grassy weeds generally can’t be controlled in fescue. If weed pressure ever gets too high, it may be necessary to start over again.
If you have a shady lawn, and are willing to accept the unique challenges fescue presents, it may just be the right turfgrass for your yard!
