Creeping Red Fescue
$27.99
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Seeds can be stored for 1 to 2 years.
Description
Creeping Red Fescue is a fine-textured, cool-season grass prized for its shade tolerance, drought resilience, and ability to grow in low-fertility soils. The plants are very winter-hardy, making them well-suited to the Canadian climate.
The grass can form a lush green turf that spreads through underground rhizomes, allowing it to self-repair when damaged and fill in gaps over time. The fine, soft-textured leaves make the lawn pleasant to walk on and visually appealing with a gentler look than other turf options.
Creeping Red Fescue is exceptionally shade-tolerant and can grow in difficult locations such as under trees. It has a low water requirement, especially once established, meaning it maintains its colour and density with minimal watering.
When used as a cover crop, Creeping Red Fescue is commonly used for soil protection and long-term ground cover in orchards, shelterbelts and perennial plantings. It suppresses weeds well, and the dense root system improves soil structure and organic matter over time.
Some growers add Annual Ryegrass (10 to 20%) when planting to act as a nurse crop during the first season. The fast-germinating Annual Ryegrass forms a quick protective cover that shades the soil, while the slower-germinating Creeping Red Fescue takes its time to establish.
Creeping Red Fescue can be direct-seeded into loose soil or overseeded into existing grassed areas to rejuvenate the turf. Once established, it can repair itself over time, especially with good fertility and moisture levels.
It is best to plant Creeping Red Fescue before or after the hottest summer temperatures, with April to early June or Late August to early October being the most common.
It can also be planted in very late fall, winter or very early spring (temperatures below 10°C) to allow the freeze-thaw cycle to work the seeds into the soil. Once temperatures warm up, the seeds will germinate and begin to grow.
Watering properly is critical to seeding success. Keep the soil thoroughly moist by watering daily until the seeds germinate, then water regularly as needed for the entire first season. Dry conditions during establisment is one of the most common reasons for failure.
If annual weeds come up at the same time as the grass, they usually won't cause any issues and can even help protect the young grass seedlings. After about three or four weeks of growth after emergence, the young turf should be carefully mowed to 2" or 3" to keep the weeds under control.
Untreated, Non-GEO Seed
3 kg covers approximately 1000 sq. ft
12 kg covers approximately 5000 sq. ft
- Latin Name: Festuca rubra
- Hardiness: Cool Season Perennial
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Germination: 14 - 21 days
- Planting Dates: Apr 15 - Jun 1, Aug 15 - Oct 15
- Seeding Rate (Turf): 3 kg per 1000 sq. ft (120kg per acre)
- Seeding Rate (Cover Crop or Pasture): 0.25 - 0.5kg per 1000 sq. ft (10-15kg per acre)
- Max Planting Depth: 0.25” - 0.5"
- Growth Habit: Sod forming. Erect plants grow up to 18 - 24” tall
- Benefits: Shade-tolerant, drought-tolerant, self-repairing, extensive root system, improves soil structure, captures nutrients
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun - Full Shade
- Usual Seed Life: 1-2 years
- Cover Crop Management: Can be managed by mowing or left as a natural, unmanaged system.
Highest Quality Standards
Our cover crop seed comes from high-quality stock and is tested for germination. We've selected the best varieties available to maximize each species' potential.
