Canadian Blue Fescue

General Information

Canadian Blue Fescue™ is a very drought tolerant, low maintenance grass, with a very fine leaf texture. Environmentally sensitive sites and low traffic turf areas can both benefit by using Canadian Blue Fescue™. Fescue hybrids have been traditionally viewed as ornamental grasses. Canadian Blue Fescue™ is well adapted to a mown turf situation or can be left to grow tall for a more natural appeal. Canadian Blue Fescue™ looks beautiful in home lawn settings, roadsides, medians, open space, golf course roughs, and blends well with native grasses and wildflowers. Canadian Blue Fescue™ will change color, turning a blue-gray color during 90°F+ heat and high stress periods. Canadian Blue Fescue™ is very shade tolerant, often found in the dry shade of trees. Canadian Blue FescueTM is a combination of Canadian Bluegrass, Sheep Fescue, Creeping Red Fescue, Hard Fescue and Chewing Fescue. This mix of fine-leafed fescues perform best on well-drained soils where light irrigation is available. Like other fine fescues, these varieties will not perform well in wet areas. They are the most drought tolerant of the fescues and of the cool season grasses, including ryegrass, bluegrass, tall fescue and bentgrass. Under severe drought conditions, these fine fescues are survivors.

MAINTENANCE

WATERING:

• WEEK 1: It is critical to water new turf the first 7 days. New sod requires 3/4” to 1-1/4” of water per day for the first 7 days. Total amount should be split up over 4 or 5 watering periods each day.
• The warmer the temperature the more water you need to apply!
• WEEK 2: After the first 7 days, water at the rate of 1/4” to 1/2” per day for 9 days, split up over 1 to 3 watering periods per day.
• WEEK 3: If watering restrictions allow, water 1/4” per day every other day for 7 days. After the first two or three weeks, revert to watering 1-2 times per week as local watering restrictions allow. Sandy soil requires more frequent watering than clay soil. Special attention should be paid to slopes and mounds where runoff occurs. More frequent, shorter watering may be necessary in such locations.

FERTILIZATION:

The need for little fertilizer makes this grass ideal for environmentally sensitive, 1/2 rate fertilizer applications. These varieties require a very low amount of nitrogen. Fertilize in the fall with Turfmaster blended fertilizers. Don’t fertilize in the summer!

MOWING:

Mow 10 days to 2 weeks after installation. Mow to a height of 3 to 4 inches. Never mow more than one-third of the blade at one time, as it may injure the plant. The foliage does not exceed 12 inches in height, so mowing is only needed to remove seedheads.

DISEASES & INSECTS:

These varieties are resistant to a broad range of surface feeding insects; this also contributes to the dollar spot resistance. The endophytes in the crown produce toxins that kill or repel insects that feed on turf.

TECHNICAL DATA

COMMON NAME: Canadian Blue Fescue

GROWTH RATE: Grows very slowly. If left unmowed, the grass will grow to a height of approximately 6 inches.

ROOT DEPTH: About 3 feet, depending upon soil type and watering patterns.

SOILS RANGE: Tolerant to very saline soil conditions. Needs well drained soil.

SHADE TOLERANCE: Very shade tolerant and grows well in sun.

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Rocky Mountain Region.

STANDARDS AND MEASURES

State inspected and certified for noxious weeds, diseases and insects.

SIZE:

• 10 sq. ft. per roll. Each roll is 2 ft. by 5 ft.
• Soil thickness 1/2" to 1-1/2" top growth
• 500 sq. ft. per pallet

BIG ROLLS:

• 200 to 350 sq. ft.

WEIGHT:

• 2,000 to 2,800 lbs. per pallet
• Grown from 100% Weed Free Seed - 98% Purity