Lorne Hall 7/27/25 Lorne Hall 7/27/25

Fescue’s Summer Off Season

Question: What is one of the best things about living in Oklahoma?

Did anyone say: Living in the transition zone?

I’m guessing that was no one’s answer.

What is the transition zone? It is the area across the middle of the US between where warm season turf grows in the south and cool season grasses grow in the north.

The Transition Zone is the area of the country you can choose to grow either warm season or cool season grasses.

Bermuda is the common warm season turfgrass in our region. The advantage bermuda has is it loves the summer heat and as long as it receives moisture, it will be at its best in July and August.

Fescue is the cool season option. Fescue tolerates more shade and stays green nearly year-round. You can’t beat the deep rich color in the spring and fall. Fescue stays green well into December, often keeps some color through the winter, and as soon as the winter starts to break in early March, fescue bursts back to life.

Both have their off seasons.

Bermuda’s off season starts in November and continues until April. During this time, it goes fully dormant and turns straw-brown for months.

When is fescue’s off season?

Yes, fescue loses its green color in the winter and stops growing. So, yes, fescue has an off season in the winter, but much shorter than bermuda. Fescue goes through another slump in July through August when temperatures above 95 degrees are common. During fescue’s summer off season, growth slows and the color isn’t as intense. But, when a fescue lawn is healthy and growing under the best conditions, the summer off season is barely noticeable.

In April, customers with bermuda lawns often ask why their lawn isn’t as green as the fescue lawns on their block.

And, right now with 10 consecutive 90+ degree days, customers with fescue lawns are asking questions about why their fescue isn’t looking as good as it did in June.

July through August is fescue’s second off season while bermuda is at peak season!

Bermuda will always have more color than fescue in July and August, but March through June and again October into December, fescue will always win the color battle.

*Fescue when watered and mowed properly in full sun in the heat of the summer.*

How do you keep a fescue lawn looking its best in the summer heat?

Let’s run through a list of best and worst practices for fescue during its summer off season.

Best practices for keeping fescue looking good during July and August:

Mow fescue at 3” – 3 ½”. The more leaf space the better color and the more drought tolerant the lawn will be.
Water deep. Water infrequent. Water in the early morning. Fescue lawns that are receiving 1 ½” of moisture per week, on an every other day schedule, only in the morning, look the best in the heat of summer.
Fescue lawns that receive at least some dappled sunlight and are in areas of good air circulation look the best during the summer heat.
Fescue lawns that are aerated in the fall have stronger root systems and can better withstand hot, dry days.

*A properly watered and mowed fescue lawn last year during the first week of August.*

Worst practices for fescue during the summer heat:

Don’t over water. Short, frequent watering does far more harm than good. It is a myth that fescue needs watered daily during the heat of July and August. When temperatures are hot and fescue stays wet for more than 6 hours at a time, brown patch will damage the turf. When brown patch starts spreading in a fescue lawn, it looks like the lawn needs more water. The natural response is to water more which makes the problem worse. It is common when making site visits where customers are concerned about their fescue to discover brown patch is the problem. Often the homeowner has increased watering to two times per day, morning and evening, every day trying to keep the fescue alive, all the while making it worse.

*Fescue with a mild case of brown patch.*

Brown Patch is a result of fescue staying too wet when temperatures are warm. This year has been a perfect season for brown patch to flourish. Now that we have received two weeks of 95+ degree weather, areas weakened by brown patch in June are starting to show stress.

Heavy shade and low air circulation. Fescue performs best if it receives some sunlight every day. Fescue will tolerate more sun than most realize and does well in full sun when it is watered and mowed properly. Air circulation plays the important role of drying the leaf blades between watering cycles. Small backyards, privacy fences, and heavy shade are the hardest on fescue in July and August. This week Hall | Stewart Lawn Care Specialists have visited several fescue lawns with good air flow and dappled sun resulting in healthy fescue with good summer color while in the same lawn there is thinning/fading fescue in areas with low air circulation and deep shade.
Fescue cut too short. Remember leaf blades store moisture the plant needs to withstand the summer heat. Fescue survives through July and August best when it is cut at 3” to 3 1/2”. Every fescue lawn I have seen this week that is being maintained below 3” is struggling. If your fescue is less than 3” tall, don’t mow again until it reaches 4”, then remove only ½” to 1”.
Tight clay soil that has never been aerated resulting in shallow rooted fescue that will struggle in the heat.

*If your fescue is losing a lot of color check the soil. If it is dry, increase water by deep soaking in the morning every other day. If the soil is moist, then the problem is brown patch.*

*Fescue seeded over Bermuda in full sun in the heat of the year.*

*Fescue in full to dappled sun in July.*

During fescue’s offseason, take a stroll around your lawn and start planning for the fall. The cooler days of September will be here soon.

Do you need to make some changes to how you are mowing and watering your fescue?

Are you trying to grow fescue in full shade, in a location where there is little wind movement?

If so, can you improve the conditions, or should you consider transitioning to a shade tolerant ground cover?

Or, are you OK with knowing the area needs to be overseeded with fescue every fall, will look wonderful for 9-10 months, fade for a couple of months, and then repeat the cycle again after fall overseeding?

If your fescue didn’t perform well due to the excessive moisture and high humidity of the early summer, or if it has struggled with brown patch in the heat, start making plans to overseed this fall.

Do you have areas of the lawn that are becoming too shady for bermuda? Bermuda starts to thin anywhere it does not get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. Is this the fall to start establishing fescue in those areas?

Whether you have a full fescue lawn, or just some fescue in shady areas, don’t fret, fescue’s best season is just a few weeks away!

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Lorne Hall 6/29/25 Lorne Hall 6/29/25

July Lawn & Landscape Tips

As June comes to a close and we head into July, it is amazing just how different our seasons can be. Last year at this time, we were all lamenting how dry June had been and the toll it was taking on our lawns and landscapes.

Well, this June, typically one of central Oklahoma's wettest months, came in strong with nearly 10 inches of rain! That's a huge difference from our normal of just under 5 inches, and last June when we didn’t even top 2.5 inches.

Believe me, your lawn and landscape can definitely tell the difference – can you?

One immediate difference is how incredibly vibrant the summer blooms are this year. Have you noticed the Crape Myrtles, the Vitex, the Rose of Sharon, the Hydrangea, the Hibiscus, and the... [fill in the blank]?

*Two of July’s most prolific bloomers: Crape Myrtle and Limelight Hydrangea.*

Every summer bloomer is truly putting on their best show!

And now, here comes July. Which way will it go? Will the abundant moisture continue, or will the typical, hot and dry July make its appearance?

Either way, our goal is to help you have a landscape that not only survives an Oklahoma July, but actually thrives. Let's take a look at a few things that will make a difference in your lawn and landscape!

Watering

The biggest determiner on your lawn and landscape thriving through the hottest and driest periods of the summer is practicing the best water techniques. I know…we are repeating ourselves, but it is so important that we are going to keep saying it.

Best watering practices:

Water 1” to 1.5” per week.
Place the Hall | Stewart Rain Gauge in your lawn, give your lawn a good deep soaking and then check the gauge. If you have ½” of water in the gauge you need to water 3 times per week.
Water deep. If you can get ¾-1” of water on your lawn without excessive runoff, water every 4 days. Deep watering creates deep roots and a more drought tolerant lawn.
Set your controller to water with back-to-back run times. If a zone needs to run 30 minutes to get the correct amount of water, set it for 15 minutes and program two start times an hour or two apart. Example: 4:00 AM & 5:00 AM. This ‘Best Practice” will increase the amount of water that soaks into your lawn and reduce the amount of runoff.
Water in the early morning. Evaporation is at the lowest point in the pre-dawn hours and typically wind is at its lowest point. Evening water promotes turf diseases, such as brown patch, and should be avoided.
Daily watering does more harm than good. Short daily watering results in shallow rooted turf and a lawn dependent on constant moisture to survive.
Anytime we receive ½” of rain or more, don’t water for a few days.
Aeration improves moisture absorption.

Watering Tip –

Most people don’t realize how long you need to run the sprinkler to get 1” to 1.5” moisture on your lawn in a week. If your lawn and landscape struggling, take time to place cans around the lawn to collect water. Water your lawn as you normally do and then measure the amount of water in the containers.

If you collected 1/3” to ½”, you are watering long enough for every other day watering.

If you didn’t collect enough during a typical watering, increase the water time and continue watering every other day.

The temptation is to start watering every day, but this creates a shallow rooted landscape that is more dependent on daily water.

Deep watering every other day is the key to a lawn that will thrive in July.

Want to know more about Best Watering Practices? Read our post from last week, Summertime…Water Time!

*We are a strong believer in the benefits of not catching your clippings when mowing as long as they are not noticeable. Heavy clippings always need to be cleared from the turf.*

Mowing Tip -

One of the biggest differences between a good lawn and a great lawn in the heat of the year is not bagging the clippings. Allowing finely mowed clippings to stay on the lawn returns moisture and nutrients to the soil.

This picture taken on Friday of a fescue lawn demonstrates that fescue is heat tolerant when best practices are followed: deep watering every other day, mowing at 3” with no more than 1/3 cut off per time, and not bagging the clippings.

Mowing

For warm season turfs (bermuda and zoysia) gradually raise the height of your mower. Bermuda should be mowed between 1.5” to 2.5” during the summer heat. Fescue, cool season turf, should be maintained at its maximum height, 3” to 3.5” now. The more leaf space you have the more drought resistant your lawn will be. Mow often enough that you only remove 1/3” of the grass each time. For healthy, irrigated, and fertilized Bermuda, if possible, mow every 4-5 days for the best lawn. If you are mowing often enough and only removing 1/3 of the growth, don’t catch the clippings. Grass leaves are mostly water and nitrogen and break down very quickly into the soil. If your lawn has a brown cast to it after you mow, you are cutting below the leaves and into the stems. Stems do not break down quickly and can lead to thatch build-up, so if this is the case, it is best to bag your clippings when mowing.

*The tropical type flowers of hardy hibiscus thrive in the heat of July.*

*Lantana and Coleus are heat loving annual summer color plants.*

*Limelight Hydrangeas grace the July landscapes with large lime-white blooms.*

Brown Patch

One benefit of the dry air of July is less brown patch disease in fescue lawns. Brown patch occurs when there is excessive moisture, high humidity, and/or high due points when nighttime temperatures are in the 70s or more and daytime temperatures are in the 90s. Brown patch is worse in areas with dense shade and/or low wind movement. Anytime the leaf blades of your fescue stay wet for more than 6 hours at a time in the summer, brown patch is unavoidable.

The temptation is to water fescue more frequently in the summer. It is common for us to find fescue lawns with the irrigation set to run morning and night creating the perfect conditions for the disease to spread. If you have heavy shade and/or low wind movement (most smaller backyards) water after sunrise and no more than every other day. Resist the urge to water more. Your fescue is not dying due to summer heat, it is struggling with brown patch.

*Black Eyed Susan is a favorite perennial during the month of July.*

*Sunpatiens do well through the summer heat in Full Sun to Part Shade.*

*Penta is another summer annual that enjoys Full Sun to Part Shade.*

Brown Patch Disease will make you think your fescue lawn isn’t getting water, so you respond with more water, which makes the lawn look worse, so you water more…. This fescue lawn was extremely wet this week resulting in self-induced Brown Patch.

Fescue Tip –

The key to fescue surviving the summer is not watering more.

The key is deep soaking every other day.

Watering daily, or as some are known to do, watering twice per day, is one of the worse things for fescue in the summer heat.

Keeping fescue wet will always promote Brown Patch disease.

*Crape Myrtles respond to the heat of July with bold pinks, purples, whites, and reds.*

*Through the summer heat Caladiums and Inpatients will perform well in Full Shade to Part Sun.*

Fertilizer

Because warm season grasses are actively growing, they need feeding during July. The plan is to use fertilizer with a 3 to 1 to 1 of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), plus iron (Fe) for added color. Most of our soil has plenty of phosphorus and potassium, but nitrogen needs to be replaced. July is a great month for turf development and a thick, healthy growing lawn is the best defense against weeds. Do not fertilize fescue lawns now. As a cool season grass, fertilizer in the heat of the summer on fescue will cause damage.

*Bermuda lawns look their best in the heat of the year when they are properly fertilized, mowed and watered.*

*Periwinkle is one of the best annual color plants during the hottest periods of the summer.*

Weed Control

If you are on a regular lawn care application program, and if your first application was made prior to mid-March, you shouldn’t be experiencing many summer annual weeds. A common weed this time of year is nut sedge. Nut sedge thrives in tight, wet soils. Areas with poor drainage and overwatered turf are frequent trouble spots. If you didn’t get an early pre-emergent, you most likely have a good crop of crabgrass now. Controlling weeds in the heat of the year often can cause more damage to the turf than is beneficial. It is important that label instructions are always followed when spraying weeds. Don’t over apply. What is most important in July is developing thick, healthy turf. If you are too aggressive on weeds now you will have weak spots that are more susceptible to weeds in the future.

Shrub Pruning

Selective pruning and light shearing should be practiced during the summer heat. If possible, wait to do major pruning during the hottest periods of the summer. Avoid any pruning or shearing on spring blooming plants because you will be removing flower buds and reducing the show next spring.

*Early July is your last chance to trim spring blooming plants such as azalea without reducing next spring’s blooms.*

*Turf areas that receive less than 4 hours of direct sunlight is considered Full Shade. Fescue is the best turf choice in Full Shade to Partial Shade areas.*

*Bagworms continue to be the biggest insect issue currently. Not only are they attacking needle evergreens, but also deciduous trees and shrubs. Inspect your plants frequently.*

Aphids thrive in the hot weather resulting in an increase in activity the past couple of weeks. They are easy to spot. Look for glossy, wet looking leaves. The leaves will be sticky and the underside will be covered with insects.

unnamed (11).png — If you see more than an occasional grub when digging in your landscape, we recommend treatment. An occasional grub is good for the environment, but as with most insects, too many and they will cause damage to your lawn.

Insect Watch

The first step to healthy plants is inspecting them regularly and then treating as needed. If you attempt to treat on a schedule, you will find that you often will miss the target pest. These are the insects that are currently most active:

Bagworms – Common on needle evergreens (juniper, cedar, cypress, etc.). If a plant is already stressed due to heat or drought, bagworms can kill the plant. Inspect often and treat as needed.

Aphids – Small sap-sucking insects that leave plants with a honeydew, sticky substance on leaves. Aphids are easy to spot. If the leaves appear unusually glossy stop and look under the leaf, you will find insects hard at work. Aphids thrive in hot, dry conditions.

Spider Mites - They also gather on the underside of leaves but are very small and hard to see. The first sign you may have spider mites is a plant with weak looking, yellowish leaves. Take a white sheet of paper, place it below the leaf and lightly shake the leaf. If you see small specs of red, yellow, and brown on the paper and they start moving around, it isn’t dust and dirt you are seeing, it is spider mites.

Grub Worms – If you have experienced grub damage in the past, or if you have noticed a lot of June bugs around your landscape, July through August is a good window to apply an application for control. Grub worms are the larva form of the June bug. June bugs have laid their eggs, and they are hatching now. Grubs are easiest to control when the new grub is small and feeding close to the surface in July and August.

Spider mite — Place a white sheet of paper under a branch and gently shake the branch. If you see small specs on the paper that are moving around, you are seeing spider mites.

*If you have brown patches of turf and can easily pull back the turf, most likely you have grub worms damaging your lawn.*

*Lantana loves Full Sun but also performs well in Part Sun.*

Tree Leaves

Expect some leaf drop on deciduous trees in the summer heat. Some leaf drop is normal as the tree naturally adjusts to less moisture and more heat. The fun fact about most trees is they have a secondary set of buds. If they are stressed, they naturally drop leaves to survive, and then re-bud as they recover.

July, more than any other month, requires you to keep your eye on how your lawn and landscape are doing.

Inspect regularly for insect activity.

Make sure your landscape is getting the correct amount of moisture.

And, mow frequently for the best curb appeal.

We want your lawn and landscape to not only survive this summer, we want it to thrive!

If you have any lawn or landscape concerns, needs, or questions, please give us a call.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873