I love my fescue lawn, but this summer was tough on it. I probably need to reseed. When should I do that? GR

We primarily think of fescue around here as a shade grass, but all grass needs the sun. Fescue does a little better in the shade since it’s a cool season grass, but you can also use fescue in full sun situations. However, if you think your water bill was high this year, wait until you try to keep that full sun fescue alive.

Fescue does well as a cool season grass here because in the fall, winter, and early spring, most of the trees have lost their leaves which gives fescue the sun it needs. But then when the leaves come out and the high temperatures of summer arrive, fescue can take a beating. Because of this, many homeowners with fescue grass need to reseed each year and fall is the best time to reseed fescue.

You can reseed in the spring, but your grass will have a better shot if you reseed in the fall. Reseeding in the fall gives it all winter to establish a healthy root system, giving it a better shot at surviving summer.

Retailers offer a variety of options when it comes to purchasing fescue seed, but we recommend getting a blend of at least three different types of fescue rather than just a single cultivar. Blends increase your likelihood of success because when you combine different grasses, you reduce the chance for disease in your turf. In addition, with a blend of grasses, you get a better shot of at least one of them really loving their new home and thriving there.

When overseeing to fill in bare spots, it’s a good idea to loosen up the soil with a rake or some other tool. They make special tools to do this, but a rake works just fine. If you are applying seed to a large area, loosening up the soil gets a little more challenging.

Drop spreaders or broadcast spreaders work well for spreading grass seed. For larger areas, a broadcast spreader saves you some time but drop spreaders will give you greater control over the placement of your seed. For filling in small spots, a large coffee can works great.

If you are overseeding (thickening up your turf), apply the seed at a rate of 3 to 6 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. If you are filling in blank spots you will want to increase that rate to 6 to 8 pounds per 1000 sq. ft.

Next you will want to keep the grass seed moist. Initially, this probably means watering a couple of times a day until the seed germinates. You won’t need a lot of water, just enough to keep it moist. After that you can back off and water less frequently.

For more information on turf care, visit our website (tulsamastergardeners.org), click on Lawn and Garden Help, and then Turf. Good luck.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: Tom Ingram