Fescue Lawns: How to Mow Them Right

Mow a fescue lawn tall. Iowa State University says to cut tall fescue at 7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches) and fine fescue at 6.5 to 9 cm (2.5 to 3.5 inches). In shade, keep it at 7.5 cm (3 inches) or more. Never take off more than one third of the blade in one cut. Mow dry grass with a sharp blade, and leave the clippings.

Which kind of fescue is in your lawn?

"Fescue" is not one grass. Lawns in Canada usually have one of two kinds, and they look very different.

Tall fescue

Iowa State says tall fescue is a coarse, dark green grass. The blades are wide. It's a bunch-type grass, so it grows in clumps instead of creeping sideways. Penn State says it now and then sends out short underground stems, but mostly it stays in bunches.

Iowa State says newer "turf-type" tall fescues have finer blades and grow denser. That's why many lawns today use them.

Fine fescue

Fine fescue is a group of grasses. Iowa State names creeping red fescue, chewings fescue and hard fescue. The blades are thin, like needles, and medium to light green. Iowa State says they spread by stems above and below the ground.

Here's a quick way to tell them apart. Wide, stiff, dark blades in clumps? That's likely tall fescue. Thin, soft, wiry blades in a shady spot? That's likely fine fescue. Many lawns mix fine fescue with Kentucky bluegrass. Our post on mowing Kentucky bluegrass covers that grass.

How high should you mow tall fescue?

High. Tall fescue is the one grass where a short cut really hurts. Here's what official sources say:

Source	Tall fescue height
Iowa State University	7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches)
Purdue University	6.5 to 10 cm (2.5 to 4 inches)
Ohio State University	6.5 to 10 cm (2.5 to 4 inches)

All three agree on the top end: 10 cm (4 inches). A setting of about 9 cm (3.5 inches) sits right in the middle of every range. That's a safe height for most of the season.

Why does height matter so much here? Iowa State says tall fescue is a bunch-type grass, so it recovers slowly from damage. It can't creep over a scalped spot the way bluegrass can. If you cut it too low and leave bare patches, they tend to stay bare.

How high should you mow fine fescue?

Fine fescue likes a slightly lower cut than tall fescue, but still not short.

Source	Fine fescue height
Iowa State University	6.5 to 9 cm (2.5 to 3.5 inches)
Purdue University	5 to 9 cm (2 to 3.5 inches)
Ohio State University	5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches)

Health Canada gives a general height for Canadian lawns: 6 to 8 cm (2.5 to 3 inches). It says grass cut at that height grows deep roots and gets thicker. For a sunny fine fescue lawn, 7.5 cm (3 inches) fits every source above.

Fine blades can also lie down after a cut and look a bit flat. Change your mowing direction each time. Ohio State says mowing at right angles to your last pass stops grass from being pushed flat the same way every week.

Why is fescue the grass for shady yards?

Iowa State says the fine-leaf fescues are the most shade-tolerant of the cool-season lawn grasses. That's why the lawn under a big maple or on the north side of the house is often fine fescue.

Penn State says tall fescue handles some shade too. It's less suited to heavy shade than the fine fescues, but more shade tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass.

How should you mow fescue in the shade?

Leave it taller. Iowa State says not to mow shady areas under 3 inches (7.5 cm). Its recommended height in shade is 3 to 3.5 inches (7.5 to 9 cm). Purdue says to mow shaded lawns 0.5 to 1 inch (about 1.5 to 2.5 cm) higher than the sunny parts.

Shaded grass grows slower too. Those spots may not need a cut every time the sunny lawn does. Keep foot traffic light there, since fine fescue doesn't love being walked on. Iowa State rates it low for wear.

How often should you mow a fescue lawn?

Let the one-third rule set the schedule. Ohio State says never to take more than a third of the blade in one cut. Going past that risks scalping, which can badly damage or even kill grass, most of all in summer heat.

Here's what that looks like with real numbers:

• Tall fescue kept at 9 cm (3.5 inches): mow before it passes about 13.5 cm (5.25 inches).
• Fine fescue kept at 7.5 cm (3 inches): mow before it passes about 11 cm (4.5 inches).
• Grass got away from you: Purdue says to raise the deck, then bring it back down over a few mows.

Fescue grows fastest in the cool, wet weeks of spring and fall. Purdue says some lawns need mowing twice a week then, and only once every 2 weeks in summer. Our guide to how often to mow in Canada walks through the season.

Why does fescue turn brown in dry weather?

It depends which fescue you have.

Tall fescue is tough in a dry spell. Penn State says it's the most heat and drought tolerant of the cool-season lawn grasses. The reason is its deep root system. Iowa State also says it has good drought and heat tolerance.

Fine fescue is a bit different. Iowa State says it has fair drought tolerance, but it loses its colour in dry periods. So a fine fescue lawn may go straw-coloured in August while the tall fescue next door stays green.

Is brown fescue dead?

Usually not. Health Canada says a lawn may wilt, turn brown and go dormant in long hot, dry spells. A healthy lawn can survive several weeks that way. Health Canada says fine fescues turn green again when regular moisture returns.

While it's brown, there's little to cut. Hold off on mowing and keep heavy traffic off it. For more, read our post on a dormant brown lawn in summer.

Why does tall fescue grow in clumps?

Because it's a bunch grass. Penn State says tall fescue tends to form coarse clumps when it grows in a lawn of finer grasses. Iowa State says some people even see it as a weed in Kentucky bluegrass lawns, because of its wide blades.

Mowing won't get rid of the clumps. But a tall, even cut helps them blend in. When the whole lawn sits at the same height, the clumps stand out less. A short cut does the opposite. The fine grass around them thins, and the clumps look bigger.

Weeds or patches that look like disease? Our partner crews don't spray, and Golden Oak gives no pesticide, herbicide or fungicide advice.

What else keeps a fescue lawn looking sharp?

• Keep the blade sharp. Health Canada says grass recovers faster from a clean cut than a torn one. Purdue says a busy mower may need sharpening four to six times a year. Our post on sharp mower blades shows the signs of a dull one.
• Leave the clippings. Health Canada says clippings compost and slowly release nitrogen for the grass. In a wet spring, it says to rake up thick layers over 0.5 cm so they don't smother the lawn.
• Mow dry grass. Wet fescue clumps and gives a ragged cut.
• Walk the yard first. Pick up sticks, toys and stones before you start.
• Trim the edges. Clean trimming and edging along walks and beds finishes the look.

When do you stop mowing fescue in the fall?

Fescues are cool-season grasses. Iowa State says cool-season grass stops growing when daytime highs stay below 10°C (50°F). Keep mowing at your normal height until then. Our post on the last mow of the season covers the final cut.

Can a local crew mow your fescue for you?

Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local partner crew. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.

The same crew handles your lawn mowing every visit. They learn your yard, your shady corners and the right deck height for your grass. Your crew texts you a photo after every cut. Not happy? Text us a photo within 24 hours, and your crew re-cuts it free within 48 hours.

The Worry-Free Lawn Season books the whole season up front, and the first cut is free. We price every lawn by its size from satellite images, so no one needs to visit. Lawn size, how often you want a cut, slopes, gates and obstacles all change the price.

Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.

Fescue Lawn Questions

Sources: Iowa State University choosing turfgrass, Iowa State University grass in shade, Iowa State University when to stop mowing, Penn State turfgrass species, Purdue University AY-8 mowing, Ohio State University lawn mowing, Health Canada lawn maintenance.