seeding date

Optimum seed date for fine fescue: Part 2

By Ross Braun and Aaron Patton, Purdue University

A closeup of soil with germinating grass seedlings

In the blog post last month (November 2021), Emily Braithwaite and Dr. Alec Kowalewski, Oregon State University summarized the findings and how a recent experiment was conducted to investigate optimal seeding dates for fine fescues across four U.S. locations. In summary, seeding a fine fescue mixture in August and September provided the best establishment with the lowest weed pressure across all four locations. However, the Mediterranean climate of Oregon allowed for more flexibility in fine fescue seeding timing with more success for all the months of May through September.

Optimum seed date for fine fescue

By Emily Braithwaite and Alec Kowalewski, Oregon State University

Turfgrass research plots with a few of the plots having sparse growth

Part of the multi-state USDA-SCRI fine fescue initiative was to identify ways that people can incorporate these low-input grasses into existing landscapes. We know that the fine fescue species persist in shade, with low water requirements, and low fertility requirements, but overcoming the social barrier for adopting more sites with these grasses was a primary focus of this initiative.