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York and Lancaster Counties Rock Hill - Fort Mill - York - Tega Cay - Lancaster
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Old 05-16-2013, 05:13 PM
 
37 posts, read 84,782 times
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I have been offered a choice of Bermuda or Fescue by the builder for my new home. I do not like the way Bermuda gets brown in the winter and strawlike but I am scared the Fescue is too hard to take care of or looks bad in summer, gets weedy etc. Anyone able to deal with Fescue here or what type of sod is best in this climate? Thanks
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Old 05-16-2013, 10:01 PM
 
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You are correct, Bermuda along with all other warm weather grass will go dormant in the winter. Fescue, a cold weather grass will not...it will remain free in the winter. However, fescue does require a lot more water in the hot summer months compared to the warm weather grasses so it will cost more to maintain.

In summary, I think fescue looks better and having green grass all year long more than justifies the extra cost in watering.

BTW, once you establish a thick fescue lawn, you won't have a problem with weeds...just make sure you apply pre emergent in the spring.
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Old 05-16-2013, 10:19 PM
 
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Sorry to disagree, but we wish we had planted bermuda instead of fescue! We also had the choice, balked at the dormant nature in the winter and went with fescue.

Let me start by saying my husband kept our yard up north looking fabulous. Down here we just don't seem to be able to figure it out! We have had to repair our front yard three times. He uses all of the recommended products, we water regularly and we still lose parts of the lawn. It looks great all winter (he even needs to mow sometimes when the neighbors don't, but the summer is ugly!

One more loss of the lawn and I want to pull it up and put in bermuda!

Sorry to add to the confusion in your decision!
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Old 05-16-2013, 11:42 PM
 
Location: Aiken, South Carolina, US of A
1,794 posts, read 4,878,019 times
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Curca,
Do yourself a favor and plant one of the following,
Bermuda, Centipede or Zoyzia.
We tried Fescue, which was stupid, because it is too hot in the
summer months for it to survive in South Carolina.
We settled on centipede, which grew slow but good, and becomes
thick if you can keep the weeds down.
You also don't have to mow it as often as Bermuda, and when it's 100 degrees
out and the grass is really growing fast, that is a good thing.
Check this out HGIC 1214 Selecting a Lawn Grass : Extension : Clemson University : South Carolina
hopefully that will work for you.
Clemson is the "Go to" for all South Carolinians for planting advise.
Mabey that will help you somewhat.
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Old 05-17-2013, 08:06 AM
 
112 posts, read 171,912 times
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If you drive through a few neighborhoods, you will notice that many people have successfully grown fescue (it's def the grass you'll see the most). However, in the summer some of the yards won't look as good cause they don't water it enough (I'm assuming bc of cost). I on the other hand do and my fescue looks great year round! To be successful, you have to do the following:

Spring: Pre-emergent
About 7 times a year: fertiliser
Once or twice a year: lime
Fall: Core aeration and seeding recommended but I have done it in 4 years as my grass is already established and thick

If you like fescue, go for it. If you like something else, go for it (as long as you don't mind it being dormant in the winter).
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Old 05-17-2013, 08:11 AM
 
Location: Shakedown Street
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Bermuda or zoysia for sure. I had fescue and ripped it up and planted bermuda. I have the nicest looking lawn on my street in the summer time, when I actually use my yard. If you can go with zoysia, it is a bit nicer than bermuda.

Face it - we live in a warm climate that is not the best for fescue, and it is getting warmer. If you have fescue, you will need to water it often in the summer to make it look OK, and if you want to waste resources be my guest. But if there is a drought and I see you watering your lawn, I'll be the first to call in and report you.
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Old 05-17-2013, 08:11 AM
 
37 posts, read 84,782 times
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Thank you! I really want a green winter grass. I also have to see if the builder will budge on the choice of Bermuda or Fescue. I assume the other types of cool season grass must cost more in sod which is why they are limiting me.....
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Old 05-17-2013, 08:16 AM
 
Location: Shakedown Street
1,452 posts, read 2,976,378 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by worldclasscity View Post
If you drive through a few neighborhoods, you will notice that many people have successfully grown fescue (it's def the grass you'll see the most). However, in the summer some of the yards won't look as good cause they don't water it enough (I'm assuming bc of cost). I on the other hand do and my fescue looks great year round! To be successful, you have to do the following:

Spring: Pre-emergent
About 7 times a year: fertiliser
Once or twice a year: lime
Fall: Core aeration and seeding recommended but I have done it in 4 years as my grass is already established and thick
And how about watering? Funny how you left out that inconvenient (and expensive) part.
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Old 05-17-2013, 09:56 AM
 
197 posts, read 276,721 times
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We had fescue for about 5 years... every year I would aerate it, overseed it, fertilize it, put preemergent killer down, etc. We spent thousands of dollars on fixing and running our sprinkler system. And every year, the grass got thinner and thinner. I sent soil samples to clemson cooperative and made sure everything was good, did lime when needed, etc. We even tried different species (some supposed to do better in the shade, etc.). In the end, it just wasn't worth it. Despite all the money and time, the grass never thickened up and never did too well. And in the summer it would absolutely die out unless I watered the heck out of it.

We ended up killing everything, bringing in top soil, and planting bermuda 2 years ago. The landscaper that time told us bermuda would be less maintenance, it would spread and thicken on its own, and it would get so thick no weeds would grow. And you know what? My yard is mostly clover now. I really don't care anymore. I just put down more weed killer to try to get the clover gone but I'm not going to sick a ton of money into this anymore.

That said...here are the grasses for this area:
-Fescue - very popular, cold weather grass, doesn't spread
-Kentucky Bluegrass - for higher elevations
-Bermuda - warm weather grass, turns brown in the winter
-Zoysia
-Centepede - warm weather grass, turns brown in the winter. We are on the edge here..it is much better suited for warmer areas like Columbia
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Old 05-17-2013, 11:13 AM
 
564 posts, read 1,446,520 times
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To keep my fesce lawn looking anything like my bermuda my water bill was crazy. I did Tifgrand bermuda from Super sod this time around and it is great. Tifgrand only needs 60% sun and is dormant less time then regular Bermuda. Mine browned up around Mid November and was greening up beginning of April. I am sure if Spring would have been like last year it would have greened sooner.

TifGrand Bermuda Sod, TifGrand Grass, Bermuda Lawn, Atlanta, Raleigh | Super-Sod


Just my 2 cents. Hope not to add to the confusion.
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