Homeowners often ask, "Can you recommend a low maintenance grass for my lawn?" Mowing, irrigation, pest control, and fertilization are often a challenge for homeowners. Could fine fescue turfgrass species be the answer to the quest for a low-maintenance turfgrass for home lawns?

Fine fescues comprise of a group of five cool-season grass species that are used in turfgrass areas. These five species include strong creeping red fescue, slender creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue, hard fescue, and sheep fescue. Fine fescues are generally regarded as low-input turfgrass options because of the following characteristics:

• Slower growth (less mowing required)
• Lower nitrogen requirements for growth (less fertilizer needed)
• More drought tolerance (less irrigation needed)
• Less need for pesticide applications

As the name suggests, fine fescues have extremely fine leaf texture and can be grown on a wide variety of soil types (fertile to infertile) and in many site conditions (full sun to moderately dense shade). These species can be seeded alone or as a mixture with Kentucky bluegrass and less often with tall fescue.

Fine fescue demonstration plots were established in fall of 2017 at Purdue University, Oregon State University, Utah State University, Minnesota University-Twin Cities, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Rutgers University for campus communities and visitors to evaluate fine fescue lawns. Higher education institutions are an excellent venue for engaging in discussions about alternative futures and the role fine fescue turf can play in sustainable practices. The fine fescue mixture contains 25% strong creeping red, 25% Chewings fescue, 25% hard fescue, and 25% slender creeping red fescue. These demonstration sites do not require any extra maintenance and have been maintained by campus facilities staff. The demonstration plots at Purdue are located just outside the Horticulture Building and in the adjacent Agricultural Mall turf area (see photos).

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