You've got fescue grass and it’s a struggle to maintain. You’re not alone. Fescue is a tough grass to grow in Central Oklahoma. The secret to success with fescue is in proper maintenance and nutrition.  

Having been a turf & lawn care expert for more than a decade, I’ve realized that top-dressing is under-valued by most lawn enthusiasts. Making the effort to top-dress your fescue grass is definitely worth it. Top-dressing enriches soil, improves seed germination, provides nutrients and more.  

Improve your soil profile 

Both clay and sandy soils benefit heavily from top-dressing. Clay soils are improved with a sand top-dressing applied yearly. As the sand works its way into the clay profile, water, air flow and compaction issues can be drastically reduced. Sandy soils retain more water and nutrients when top-dressed with a rich compost product. Think of compost as a nutrient rich sponge for the roots of your fescue to grow into.  

Compost is a better, longer-lasting fertilizer 

Fescue grass is highly sensitive to synthetic fertilizers. While a carefully developed standard fertilizer program can save a fescue lawn, it’s hard to compare it to the wonders of organic compost. Applying a high-quality compost to a fescue lawn in the spring and fall, can completely replace the need for standard fertilizer programs.  At Willis, we recommend Minick’s Dark Forest Compost.  

Successful fescue seed germination  

To keep a thick stand of fescue in your lawn, it’s good practice to overseed your lawn each year. September is a great time to overseed with a high-quality fescue seed and top-dress. Overseeding is especially effective when followed by a thin top-dress of sand or compost. Doing this provides just enough growing media to avoid having to scarify the soil. Plus, your lawn gets the benefits of top-dressing mentioned above.  

Top-dressing is a service all lawns benefit from, especially fescue. Minick Materials also provides a top-dressing machine rental and offers bulk compost by the truck, trailer or bulk-sack load. If you’ve struggled with a fescue lawn, give our tips a shot. Here’s to a ‘composty’ fall and a healthier fescue lawn next summer!