Question: Some of our neighbors have fescue turf. They seem happy with it. Any tips?

Answer: Fescue is a cool-season grass that is at its prime from mid-fall until very early summer. In the hottest part of our Texas summer, it may go completely dormant and stop growing. Like St. Augustine, it’s shade tolerant. It needs at least 4 or 5 hours of direct summer sunlight daily, however, if it’s to hold its own. With less light, it will gradually fade away 4 to 6 weeks after the trees leaf out. It requires more water than any of our other Texas turfgrasses. Fescue is best adapted in Northwest Texas, and it is best planted in September or early October. You can also plant it in late February, although it may not establish adequately before the hot summer weather. There are dwarf types of fescue, and many varieties of “tall” fescue. You need to stick within the same category (“dwarf” or “regular”), but, having done that, it’s probably best if you use a new variety with each fall’s overseeding, just to get a mix of types.