Its popularity relates to its ease of establishment through seeding and its green color during spring and fall, when warm-season turfgrasses are dormant and brown.
Tall fescue is a perennial bunch-type grass that grows rapidly during spring and fall.
Because of its bunch-type growth, spring preemergence herbicides generally are needed to keep a lawn relatively free of weeds. Tall fescue is adapted to a wide range of soil conditions but grows best on fertile, well-drained soils with a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5. It often needs irrigation to remain attractive during the summer. Established lawns tend to thin out and become clumpy, and they may need periodic reseeding every three or more years. These newer grasses have finer leaf blades, lower growth habit, darker green color and greater density and shade tolerance than K-31.