Cooling temperatures mean a lot of things to gardeners. One of those things is that it doesn’t feel like the weather is trying to kill us anymore and it’s time to re-seed those fescue lawns or those areas of your lawn that are fescue.

A lot of us have at least two varieties of turf grass in our yards. We have Bermuda (more than likely) in areas that get full sun and fescue in the shadier areas. This is a strategy many people follow because Bermuda doesn’t do well in the shade and fescue does a little better.

Just for reference, all turf grasses need sun. We learn this as we notice our fescue in shady areas wearing down during the summer. This is because fescue is a cool season grass, and our Oklahoma summers do not treat cool season grass very well. So, if you have areas of your yard that are fescue and that fescue is looking a little tired, now is the best time of the year to re-seed those areas.

We re-seed fescue now not only because we have cooler temperatures on the horizon (remember, it’s a cool season grass), but because seeding or re-seeding now will give the newly planted fescue all winter to develop a good root system which will give it the best chance to survive next year’s summer heat.

Also, if your fescue is planted in an area shaded by trees, those trees will likely be losing their leaves soon which will give this newly planted fescue the sun it needs to grow.

The first thing you will need to do is purchase some fescue seed. We recommend a blend or mix of different type of fescue seeds rather than purchasing something that contains only one type of seed. We want a blend for several reasons. First of all, it’s hard to predict exactly which variety will do best in your particular situation. So, if you put down a blend of seeds, you have a better shot of getting a good turf bed in place. A blend is also good in that a mixture of varieties will make your lawn more resistant to turf disease, helping to minimize the chance of problems in the future.

As far as which particular product to purchase, we all have our favorites, but the bottom line is, purchase the best you can afford. It’s also a good idea to look at the tag on the seed that tells you about the seed. It should tell you germination rates as well. Also look at the percentage of “inert matter” in the product. Inert matter won’t turn into turf, so you want a low percentage of inert matter.

If you are going to over-seed (lay down seed where you currently have turf) you will want to apply this seed at a rate of about 3 to 6 pounds per 1000 square feet. If you are seeding an area that is essentially bare ground, you will want to lay that down at a rate of 6 to 8 pounds per 1000 square feet. To figure out where to set the delivery rate on your spreader, you’ll want to measure out a 1000 square foot area in your yard, load the amount of fertilizer you want per 1000 square feet and see how it goes. If you run out before you are able to cover the test area, you’ll need to lower the rate. If you end up with seed still in the spreader after covering 1000 square feet, you’ll need to increase the area or perhaps go over the area more than once. Yes, there’s a bit of trial and error here, but once you know the setting, you probably won’t need to repeat this process every year.

As far as spreaders go, there are two main types: the drop spreader and the broadcast spreader. Drop spreaders are more accurate since they only drop seed in the area beneath the spreader. But broadcast spreaders help you cover a large area much quicker.

Once you get the seed applied, you’ll want to keep the seed moist until it germinates. This probably means watering 2 or 3 times a day at first. Once the seeds germinate and you see those little baby fescue plants rising from the soil you can back off a little give on water, just don’t let them dry out completely.

One common mistake people make is that they (or their lawn service) applied a weed pre-emergent to help prevent winter weeds. Pre-emergents work by stopping the germination of the weed seeds. But they will also stop the germination of fescue seeds. So, if you have not been successful seeding fescue in the past, it might be the pre-emergent causing the issue.

Other than that, if you follow these steps, you should be well on your way toward success. 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