Sowing & Growing Slender Creeping Red Fescue

Slender creeping red fescue (festuca rubra litoralis) is a long lived perennial species. This densely tufted or mat forming species has a creeping growth habit, sending out rhizomes. It can form a close turf with bristle-like, dark green, glossy leaves. 

It has uses in agricultural and amenity situations. It is more useful than other fescue species like strong creeping red fescue because it has a finer bristle-like leaf and less aggressive growth. This means that it can be used for creating a finer quality lawn finish. 

Suitable Soils: Slender Creeping Red Fescue can be grown on most soils and shows reasonable salt tolerance for coastal areas.

When to sow: Sowing in warm soils from May to September is advisable.

Sowing Rates: 7.5 g/m2,  30kg per acre - 75kg per ha. Amenity rates may be significantly higher than agricultural rates to ensure a dense turf is created. Grams per m2 are normally the preferred units for amenity situations.

Preparation: A fine but firm seedbed should be created and care should be taken to remove any weeds from the area. Once sown the area should be lightly raked over to cover the seed and well consolidated with a roller to encourage maximum seed to soil contact and conserve moisture.
Seedbeds should not be left unconsolidated and if you leave a footprint on a newly sown area it should be rolled again.

Sowing: Broadcast the seed then roll or consolidate the ground afterwards. 

Management: Slender creeping red fescue can tolerate close mowing or grazing, regular cutting will help to encourage tillering and create a dense sward, the more it is cut in lawn situations the finer and more uniform the finish.

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Date Posted: 20th January 2023